Five Reasons NOT to Hire a Video Production Studio

Do you really even need these guys?

So I was in the middle of a discovery call a few weeks ago. The conversation was good. I was connecting with the prospect and he seemed interested in working together. The product was interesting and the small team he led seemed to be on board with producing a video.

As the call continued, I was starting to get excited about the possibility of landing a new client. Admittedly, it isn’t an everyday occurrence, and the anticipation of that sweet new client rush was starting to build.

Things took a turn though when I started to ask how this video would fit into their overall marketing strategy. More specifically, what we some of the desired outcomes of investing in the video we’d been discussing? How did it fit into the bigger picture? Why were they even making it in the first place?

He paused for a bit and then looked a little sheepish. Because he didn’t know yet. The team hadn’t discussed it or put any sort of strategy behind their decision. He said they all just thought they needed to make a video because it was something they saw everyone else doing.

This was a good thing to know. (And one of the reasons I prefer a discovery call with prospects instead of just shooting off a quote.) It told me that hiring a video production company was not in the best interest of this company just yet.

Which was what I told him. As much fun as they would have been to work with, the timing was off. There were still a few more steps to take and discussions to have in order to get the cart properly behind the horse.

Instead, I guided him through some questions to ask himself and his team so that when we touch base later, we’ll be able to produce an incredible video that’s aligned with their strategy and helps them better achieve their goals.

A lack of strategic alignment like this is just one of many scenarios where hiring a video production company may not be right for your team.

Let’s take a quick look at five more.

Scenario 1: Your budget is limited.

High-quality video production requires a certain investment. I’ll go into more detail on why that is and the variables involved in a future issue. But if your budget is tight, it might make more sense to focus on other marketing channels rather than cutting corners on video, which could really mess with your brand’s image.

Scenario 2: You have good in-house resources.

If you have a capable in-house team with the proper equipment, expertise, and availability, you may not need help from the outside. Leverage your internal resources first, especially for routine or simple video production needs.

Scenario 3: Your turnaround times are quick.

If your content needs to be filmed, edited, and delivered by yesterday, a production company will probably not be able to meet your timeline. We’ve all been asked to do it. And we’ve all learned the hard way why this is not a good idea for either party. In these cases, quicker, DIY solutions like filming and editing on an iPhone may be more practical.

Scenario 4: Your video lacks longevity.

If your content is extremely time-sensitive and expected to have a short lifespan, investing in the time and cost of a video production studio might not actually be a good investment. In such instances, temporary or disposable content might be better off produced in-house. Save the budget for more evergreen content instead.

Scenario 5: You require specialized knowledge.

If your project requires highly specialized knowledge or industry-specific insights that only your internal team would know, it might be better to handle the video production in-house. A production studio may not fully grasp the nuances of your industry without having to hire experts of their own.

Wait, what?!

I know, I know. You probably expect me to say that every company should immediately hire a production studio like Speedramp Media to handle their video needs.

It’s what I do for a living, after all.

And isn’t the point to get as many clients and projects as possible so I can retire on a hillside ranch overlooking the ocean and indulge my film photography hobby with my wife by my side until the reaper calls to collect us both?

Good heavens, no. That’s not the point at all. (Though my wife may disagree.)

The point of Speedramp Media is to help innovative marketing teams in the tech, construction, and financial spaces produce marketing videos that help them meet their business objectives.

But only when the timing is right.

And when that time comes, a professional video studio like Speedramp Media can indeed help you amplify your message and get closer to your goals.

If you’re uncertain about which path to take right now, feel free to reach out any time - I’m always more than happy to help.