How To Write A Corporate Video Brief

Most corporate videos fail before the camera even starts rolling – and it’s almost always down to one thing.

No clear brief.

We’ve seen it time and time again since we started in 2009. A chaotic project, endless revisions, and a final video that misses the mark completely. Sound familiar?

Without a proper plan, your video risks becoming a confusing mess that wastes time, money, and your audience’s attention. Shooting random clips of your team and hoping it all comes together isn’t a strategy – it’s a recipe for disaster. And trust me, no amount of editing can save a video that was poorly planned from the start!

In this guide, I’ll break down exactly what goes into a strong, effective video brief so you can avoid the chaos and get it right the first time!

Define Your Goals

You’ll never reach the finish line if you can’t see where you’re going! So for your corporate video to be truly effective, you first need to identify what you want it to achieve.

What is your video marketing strategy? Are you aiming to generate more interest in a specific area of your business? Boost sales across the board? Or perhaps increase retention to reduce refund and ? Whatever your goal, you need to focus on it from the very start.

Write a list of key objectives for your video production. Examples could include:

• Increase brand awareness
• Drive sales online or in person
• Boost traffic to your website
• Improve customer engagement
• Educate your customers

Then, check out our Video Marketing Roadmap below to see which videos will get you there!

Define Your Audience

Now you know what you want your video to do, you need to figure out exactly who you’re trying to promote it to.

This will depend largely on the nature of your business and the demographic of your customer base. It’s likely you’ll already have a good idea of this from your previous marketing too.

But if you’ve never done any marketing before, here’s a few tips!

If you’re selling an established product, take a look at the type of people who have historically bought from you.

If you’re launching something completely new, do your research to identify which demographic you need to target. A one-size-fits-all approach won’t be as effective as a targeted video.

Identify your audience, learn about their lifestyle choices and interests, and tailor your video production to suit them.

What’s your one key message?

One of the biggest mistakes people make with corporate videos is trying to squeeze in too many messages.

If you do that, what you’ll end up with is a fragmented, confusing mess of a video that the audience won’t remember. The reality is, attention spans are short, so your video needs to focus on one clear, memorable message.

Ask yourself – what do you want your audience to remember after watching? What change do you want to inspire in them? Whether you’re educating, inspiring, or entertaining, your video should take viewers from where they are now to where you want them to be by the end.

Narrowing it down to one key message can be tricky, especially when there’s so much you want to say, but trust me – your video will have far more impact if you keep it focused!

Find Your Own Voice

A common trap people fall into with corporate videos is trying to copy what’s already out there. They’ll see a video that’s gone viral or looks impressive and think, “We need to do that!” But just because it worked for someone else doesn’t mean it’ll work for your audience! So you need to find your own voice.

Your video needs to reflect your own style, and tone – something that feels authentic to your brand and relatable to your viewers. That starts with the script.

Speak directly to your audience using language they’re familiar with, and make sure you’re addressing their needs, not just showing off what your business does.

It’s easy to forget this when you’re so close to your own business, but keeping the focus on your audience is what really makes the difference. If you already have tone of voice guidelines for brochures or web copy, stick to those for consistency. It helps reinforce your brand and builds trust with your audience.

Where Will Your Video Will Be Seen?

You may have just made the most perfect promotional video production every known, but if you are hiding it somewhere down the back of the internet, it becomes almost worthless to you.

A video designed to capture likes and shares on social media for example, works better when it is punchy and perfectly timed, whereas an educational website video or tutorial will woo the audience better when it takes its time and offer detailed explanations.

Also consider where you audience will watch it.  Are you thinking about fast moving, smart phone ready films that can be watched from anywhere?  Or does your audience need to interact with the video, which will require them being sat in front of a computer?  This too will effect the creative planning process and the content of your video.

Work Within Your Budget

How much does a corporate video cost? Most small to medium businesses don’t have tons of cash in the kitty to pay for video marketing.  That said, it is a worthwhile investment in the long run, so finding some expenditure to dedicate to your video production is money well spent.

Whilst there is no ‘off the shelf’ cost, you WILL get value for money, so consider it an investment, not a spend.

Set out your stall in advance, and make sure your production company is well aware of your financial limitations.  After all, you are a successful business owner, and no one is going to over charge you, right?

Well, in theory no, but be careful as production costs can mount up very quickly if you don’t keep tabs on them.  Make sure you have a definite figure in mind from the outset and be sure that your production company knows what they are working with before they start filming.

Set The Scene

Once you know what you are going to say, and how you are going to say it you simply need to find the perfect place to say it in.  This could be in a company meeting room,  at your desk or even out on location.  Wherever you are planning on filming, make sure the set is ready for you.

Keep you set as simple as possible, and make sure it is quiet and well lit.  Nothing spoils a promo video quicker than shadowy figures who can’t be seen in dingy lighting, or presenters being drowned out by the production line behind them.

Deadlines

 Do you have a deadline in mind for your video?  Is it time specific, or being used in conjunction with a big event or product launch?  If so, make sure your production company is fully aware of this from the outset.

Specify your deadline at the very beginning of the process. Any production company worth its salt, will not miss a deadline (we haven’t and we’ve even been able to turn films around on the same day as filming on some occasions). Nothing is completely unachievable, but you will need to make sure that your deadline is very clearly laid out in your corporate video brief to ensure that it’s not a surprise, and never missed.

You deadline may also have a direct effect on the cost of your video production, especially if you suddenly need to bring your deadline forward or up the anti in terms of production values.  If this is the case, be sure to get agreement on any increased costs from all of the stakeholders before agreeing changes with your production company.

Action!

You should now be ready to roll!

Be sure that everyone who will be involved both behind and in front of the camera has seen a copy of your corporate video brief and script, and that you are all on board with the thinking process behind your masterpiece.

From a team of many to just the two of you, once you all have the same creative vision for your promotional video, you are 100% ready to get rolling.  Work in conjunction with your production company and enjoy every moment of this innovative marketing process.

A Clear Brief Leads To The Very Best Videos

With a clear and accurate brief in place, you are ready to have your production company set poised for action.  Working as a team, you can embark upon your first foray into the wonderful world of corporate video.  You may take to it like a duck to water, or you may need several goes before you’re ready. Either way, you will get there in the end.

A corporate video filmed using a carefully thought-out corporate video brief will stand you head and shoulders above the rest.   You will be seen as an authoritative source for good within your sector. Plus, your customers will consider you to be the best at what you do.

Once your video is out there, remember to regularly review how well it is doing.  Is it getting the like are shares you were hoping for, or have your sales figures gone through the roof?  If you find that it is not performing quite as well as you had hoped, reassess your brief. See where you can make changes ready for your next video.

Do you need help with your corporate video brief? Get in touch! Find us on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter and let us know your thoughts!