6 Tips for Marketing Your Video Production Company

Use these easy tips to market your video production company and build your audience and clientele!

Starting your own video production company is tough work. Developing your portfolio and clientele might even be tougher. You’ve got to know how to market yourself. I spent many years as a Marketing Executive for a Fortune 500 company before I made a return to filmmaking in 2011. The principles I learned in that era can be easily applied to anyone starting a video production company.

The tips we’ll discuss aren’t mind-blowing; they’re actually practical tips. You’ll find that when you’re waist deep in the hustle and bustle of owning and running a video production company, you might forget practical things like the six tips below. There are plenty of other sources of sound advice out there, so do your research!

Speaking of which…

1. Market Research

I know this sounds boring, but it’s the most basic thing you can do, and you’d be surprised how many times this is overlooked. So again, do your research. When I was running my own team and we were leading up to the introduction into a new market, we spent weeks researching that very market.

We knew exactly who our competition was and we knew exactly what they could or couldn’t do. By knowing their strengths and weaknesses, we were able to develop a solid marketing strategy around that. In turn, we were able to go into these new markets and establish ourselves quickly, setting ourselves apart from others.

One thing that I will stress, and I see this mistake a lot: don’t undercut the competition. If you go into a market and drop your price extremely low and undercut other companies, then you’re really putting yourself at a competitive disadvantage. Your low rates could be seen as a sign of sub-par production value by clients, and you’ll potentially lose connections with other companies.

2. Showcase Your Value

There are many ways to showcase your value, like a company website, social media, and streaming services that show your reel. But the key word here is value. The thing you need to market more than anything is just that, the value proposition of your production company.

The question now: what is your value? This can mean many different things… what you need to do is focus and hit a specific keyword. So, if your company does something really well above other things, such as adding professional motion graphics to your work, then showcase that. This has value to a potential client. And it also may help you gain a competitive advantage over your competition.

3. Networking is Key

Networking is another key component to creating a successful video production company. Getting out there and shaking hands and having face-to-face time with clients and other production company owners is a big deal. You’ll find that there are trade organizations online and in a major city near you. Join these organizations and put in the effort to connect with people at these events.

You’ll find early on that you can land jobs by going to these events and meeting other owners who are just as stacked with work and can possibly send some work your way. This is a common practice when starting early on. But don’t just stop there. Find potential clients through your market research and gain face time with them. Talk with them and make them feel special. Talk to anyone and everyone. Be personable. Engage with clients and show an interest in their product or service.

4. Request Referrals

In this industry, no matter if you’re doing industrial, commercial or even big-budget film work, it’s all who you know and who can vouch for you. This is where client referrals come into play. If you’ve established a great collaborative relationship with your client and they’re happy with your work, then ask them to provide you with a few words about their experience. Being able to have this type of marketing on a website or social media page is huge for any start up.

Be sure to provide the name of the client liaison and company name. You’d be surprised how many potential clients will contact the previous ones in order to get a reference for your professionalism. That means you’re going to need to produce quality work in a professional manner… but more on this in a minute.

5. Utilize Social Media

Social media is one of the easiest ways to promote and market your company. Just be aware that running the social media of your company takes a lot of time and effort. If you set a good strategy, you should be able to tackle the gauntlet that is social media and have it work for you.

You should look at social media as a way to connect with both your current clients and potential clients. Answer questions and spark discussion. Engagement is the rule of thumb here. In between engagements, you can strategically place promotions and marketing plans. Also, as a general rule of thumb, try to build organically early on. Once you have the revenue to do so, use paid promotions.

6. Produce Great Quality Work

This really is a no-brainer. If you produce quality work, then your clients will see this and want to continue to do business. They’ll even tell others about your professionalism and craftsmanship. This doesn’t mean that you go out and quickly produce a project with no regards to prep. If you present the client with something that was never fully planned out, they’ll notice it and choose not to use you again.

In order to make great work, you need to communicate clearly with your client. Plan and develop accordingly. Making your client happy about the work you’ve accomplished should be your ultimate goal. If you do this, they’ll spread the word about you. There is no better marketing tool than others speaking highly of you and your video production company.

Are these tips helpful to you? Do you own a production company? Do you have additional tips to add? Share them with us in the comments below.