“Brevity is the soul of wit.”
– William Shakespeare
Whenever we discuss the need for strategy in your videos, we also explain that you need to create a document called your Creative Brief. But don’t panic! This isn’t a script or a storyboard; it’s a short document that lives up to the name “brief,” and by the end of this video you’ll know exactly how to make one.
You’re basically answering the questions, “Who? What? Why? How? Where? When?” and “How Much?”
- WHO
Give a quick overview of your company history. Next, what viewers are you attracting? Are they your usual customer base, or are you trying to draw in a new demographic with this campaign? The more specific you can be, the better. Lastly, list your rival companies, and how you differ from them.
- WHAT
Now, explain the project you have in mind: the number (and types?) of videos you want.
- Why?
Explain the purpose of this campaign, and what results you want to achieve. Expound on your goals and your strategy.
- How?
What’s the tone here: professional and clean cut? Approachable and knowledgeable? Raw and aggressive? If you’re not sure what you DO want, try listing anything that you DON’T want.
- Where?
Where do you plan to show this video? Just one internal sales meeting, or a specific tradeshow? Only on phones, or all over the internet? Email, landing pages, website, pre-roll… This will drive the creative approach and often affects price for music, talent, and other video resources.
- When?
Simple enough question: when do you need this by? Six months? Two months? Next week? (Please don’t say next week.)
- How Much?
Lastly, lay out your budget and how much you’re willing to pay for the project. You may feel like admitting your budget is taboo, but it’s really important for your video agency to know the scale of the project. You don’t have to have the money in your hand, and you don’t have to have the numbers set in stone – but a ballpark estimate will definitely help determine the genre and quality of video you make.
Pulling all this information into one brief will be relatively quick and easy, and you’ll find that the resulting document will be worth its weight in gold throughout your video production process and beyond.
Want a little more guidance? Connect with one of our video marketing experts today.