Selecting a video production company can occasionally feel like making a blind jump. Sure, the agency may have a large portfolio and a ton of customer testimonials, but how do you know if it’s the right one for your specific video? Making decisions based on proposals rather than advertising is a smart move. You can get a really accurate idea of what each video company can bring to the table for your project by sending a Request for Proposal (RFP) to them. This will help you sort through the proposals and select the one that feels like the best fit.
However, you must first send vendors a thorough video production RFP that details the objectives of your video in order to receive suitable proposals. In this piece, you’ll find a brief guide to help you send an accurate request for a proposal along with a template.
Introduction of your Company in your Video Production RFP
Don’t worry; there’s no need to exert extra effort in this section; any reputable video company will research your company as soon as the RFP arrives. However, you should give suppliers at least the fundamental details about your business, such as:
- Company’s mission
- its value proposition and/or products and services
- Target audience.
- Past video marketing campaigns as references
Make an effort to succinctly but clearly explain each of these points; it’s crucial that the vendors comprehend your business’s mission.
Explain your Project in your Video Production RFP
You must be specific in this area because it will have a significant impact on the proposals you receive for your video production RFP.
- You need to cover your video’s goals in the video production RFP. A video made to increase website conversions is different from one made to increase brand recognition or improve your social media presence. Because of this, it is essential that your vendors understand what you hope to accomplish with the video.
- Give a hint about your selection criterion. Inform potential partners of your preferences for a video production company. Is it a top-notch standard? affordable costs? Or perhaps extensive knowledge of comparable projects? Video production companies will be able to determine in advance if they can be shortlisted if you specify your selection criteria.
- Also mention your distribution strategy. The location of the video, such as on social media, at a live event, on your website, etc., should be disclosed to the vendors. Depending on each situation, the format, size, and aspect ratio of the video will vary significantly. In order to eliminate any ambiguity, you can even go further and explicitly state these requirements.
- The timeline must be specified right in the beginning. It would help if you established a submission deadline for the proposal. It’s useful to include additional deadlines for your selection process, such as the day you’ll reveal the results or the date the chosen vendor will sign the Statement of Work.
- Inform about your budget in the RFP. Particularly in the case of live-action productions, the price range can differ greatly from one video to another. Vendors can create a proposal that fits your budget if they are aware of the amount of money you are willing to spend on this project.
- Let your viewers know what kind of corporate video you require if you already know. The majority of video production businesses deal with explainer videos, product videos, commercial videos, tutorial, testimonials or FAQ videos.
- Let them know about your preferred video production style. You should at the very least inform them if you are interested in live-action, animation, or a hybrid of the two. You can specify the animation style, which can be 2D, 3D, whiteboard, motion graphics, or any other kind you like if you want to go into more detail, which we always advise.
- Also,, give a few references. If you have like a video of another client, you can provide the links to other videos, still-frames, or images that have impressed you.
Ask about the agency’s revision process
Do you want to be actively involved in the making of this video? Most likely, somewhere in the middle, though you’re not really sure what that would look like. Ask directly or be clear about your expectations rather than assuming that a revision process will be included in the production. For instance, be sure to specify that you will always require a round of legal review.
Ask about the video agency’s team make-up
Who is on the video agency team, and what do they do? is a fairly simple question. For bigger projects, we advise asking which team members will be working on the project in your video production RFP.
This enables agencies to add some personality and individuality to their responses through their staff. It also helps you better understand the structure of the video agency and how they utilize different freelance talent throughout production. Although we’re not huge fans of resume requests, consider switching to asking for Linkedin profile links.
Request the video agency describe what it does better than anyone else
Ask them pertinent questions about their video production company in this section. Here are some things you mustn’t forget to mention:
- Business Overview
Request a summary of the video production company’s services.
- Strengths & Differentiators
Why choose that video production company? What unique qualities do they bring to the table that others lack? In this section of the video production RFP, you can anticipate vendors to brag about themselves. Still, this information will help you realize if they are the ideal fit for this project.
- Team
Asking for a brief introduction of each team member and their Linkedin or Behance profiles is fine. But, some companies can go a bit over the top – as in requesting resumes for each person involved.
Contact Information
Lastly, To submit their proposal or to address any questions they may have about the project, the video companies will need to get in touch with you. Therefore, give vendors your contact information while also mentioning your name, position within the company, and any other pertinent information. These are crucial steps you need to keep in mind while preparing your video production RFP.