1. USE A COMPANY THAT HAS A PROVEN TRACK RECORD
It goes without saying that you want a company that has experience creating, producing and editing videos for lawyers. I can tell you that there are about five web video companies that, in my opinion, do a great job creating video. However, don’t let the lowest bidder dictate which company to use.
Why not? Because the price includes experience and the knowledge of how to make really good video that will showcase you as an attorney. There are many companies that know how to shoot video, edit it and upload it. The key, in my opinion is who is producing your video. That brings me to Tip #2.
2. USE A COMPANY THAT HAS A LAWYER AS THE VIDEO PRODUCER
Admittedly, I say that because I am an attorney in practice for over 20 years representing injured victims of medical malpractice, wrongful death and personal injury in New York.
There are a lot of good video producers; some of whom come from the film industry or from television. They produce good quality video. However, I have found that those producers don’t have a true understanding of what an online viewer looks for when searching for an attorney.
As an attorney, you know who your ideal client is. Does your producer? Most producers are not attorneys. You know your content and know what clients typically ask when they come in with a legal problem. Does your producer know how a person with a legal problem searches online for an attorney?
3. USE A COMPANY THAT KNOWS HOW TO CREATE CLEAR, CONCISE, EDITED VIDEO
I was recently asked to evaluate a video that a marketing company made for a attorney. From a technical standpoint, the video was excellent. However, from a content standpoint and from an editing viewpoint, the video was awful. The video lasted 3:30 minutes. It had a lot of fluff and useless information.
You should watch many of the videos that a company has created before deciding whether that video company is right for you. By the way, don’t let your video producer decide what content to put into your video. Why not? Because you know what your potential clients need to hear. Your producer does not.
4. USE A COMPANY THAT DOESN’T SPLASH THEIR NAME ALL OVER YOUR VIDEO
I know of one major company (whose name I will not discuss here) who blasts their name all over each video they make. Their name is embedded within the video and you are stuck with their logo and name wherever you post your video.
Your video company should be in the background. You are the star. Why should they get free publicity from your video?
5. USE A COMPANY THAT TELLS YOU HONESTLY WHAT THEY THINK OF YOUR CONTENT
I know some companies that will “Yes” you to death.
“Does this look good?” “Yes.”
“Do I really want a moving background?” “Trust me, you do.”
“Is my content good?” “Yes.”
Forget what you want to hear. You need an honest critic before your video goes live. It’s easy for a video company to take your video, put it online, and tell you it looks great. Then 6 months later you wonder why your video has gotten only 12 views. You want an honest opinion of your content and your edited footage.
CONCLUSION:
There are some good web video companies out there. You need to know which one is right for you before spending your hard-earned money. Don’t let price alone guide your choice. Look to the producer and see if they really know what viewers look for when searching for an attorney in your geographic area. Obviously, being an attorney with over 20 years of experienced gives me a leg up in that area. The fact that I’ve created over 170 educational and informative videos for my website also helps.
If you need help getting onto video, then I strongly recommend you explore the Lawyers’ Video Studio to learn how video can help you market your legal services. If you just need a bit of guidance to do it yourself, I can help. If you need a turn-key, all-in-one service where all you do is show up for the video shoot and I handle the rest, then I can help as well. Call me at 516-487-8207 or by email at lawmed10@yahoo.com.
Till next time, see you on video!
