Bad Idea #2: Not Budgeting for the Video

If you are a corporate marketing services buyer, you might already be budgeting for video. But if you are a marketing manager, or sales manager, or fund raiser, perhaps you aren’t. Meeting planner? Sometimes. Training Department. Yes, probably. Really, every situation is different.

Throughout my career, I’ve heard time and time again, “We didn’t budget for this…”, as if that was sufficient justification for me to cut prices.

But of course, as the exception, you know it doesn’t work that way. When there’s a line item foer the kind of thing we do in your approved budget, things move along a lot faster, and without additional justification to upper management. So you’re good to go, the minute you’re ready and the demand is there. (Your bosses like to see action, after all… how does that go– “Look busy”?)

Budgeting a video is a tricky process, because it’s all based on the amount of footage you shoot, and the kind of footage you shoot. Controlled, short (one or two days) shoots make for controlled, reasonably fast edits… perhaps this is a new product video and it’s mostly close-up tabletop work.

A history of the company, or a plant tour, or an overview of the entire operation may be a different story. Multiple shooting days, or weeks, combined with a desire to tell the best story ever about OUR GREAT COMPANY, Inc., will conspire to drive the price up. Not unreasonably, mind you– it’s all about the time it takes to do the job.

I’m convinced that professional buyers know what professional video producers and agencies need financially to do a job that meets the buyers’ expectations. I’m also convinced that when the project has not been budgeted for, they will find it necessary to “negotiate”. The problem is that this may eliminate the most credible and accomplished vendors. The  buyer is willing to make that sacrifice because they don’t want to go to the boss with an unbudgeted expenditure, and the lower the expenditure, the less the job impact. But what is sacrificed?

What about the positive impacts on your career? When you hire the right creative video producer, you’re often on your way to having a major message impact on your company (really, call and I’ll give you examples.)  And that can mean big things for you. Budget shouldn’t get in the way. And it won’t, if you’ve thought ahead.

The smartest buyers I’ve worked with investigate the cost of various kinds of projects before budgets are submitted. Granted, for the production company, that might be frustrating because it can mean a 4 or 6 month wait before anything gets going. But when it gets going, you won’t be playing a game of sticker shock driven ” I didn’t budget for that”, “well, maybe we can cut out some graphics”, “can you do this cheaper and we’re pay you more on the next job”, et. al.

You can do the job that will accomplish your goals, get you applause and recognition, impact the company’s bottom line, and impact yours as well.

That’s why we do no obligation creative proposals. We scope out the video or multimedia project or website or meeting, define as much as we can, and quote a turnkey “put it in the budget” figure.

You have to start somewhere. It might as well be ahead of the curve. That puts you a couple of major step closer to success.

Every Company Has a Story

Seth Godin writes about the difference between a show and a story, and uses the SuperBowl Advertising Hype as an example.

But his final point is the most important, and one we've made here many times:

Every company has a story.

When companies veer from their story (or corporate culture, vision, whatever), they can lose their way. And only by returning to their roots– or updating their story forcefully– can they return to success.

Every company hasd a story. And when you start your conversation with potential customers or consumers with your story, your chances of selling something increases exponentially.

Is Traditional Film and Video Storytelling Dead?

Well, I hope not. The New York Times reports on a lab dedicated to saving the story.

Microsoft Says No to TV, Yes to Video, to Sell Office 2007

From Advertising Age:

"Traditionally you would do TV for a campaign this big," said Rob
Bagot, exec VP-executive creative director, McCann WorldGroup. "And to
say there is no TV is technically true. But to say there’s no
broadcast, that’s not true at all."

The broadcast he is referring to includes a series of
two-minute web films, online demonstrations, test drives and
downloadable interactive videos. Each of the five films is built around
a customer "pain point," or dissatisfaction.

The longer web-film format allows for better storytelling and more engagement with consumers, the creative directors said."

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