Planning Your First Business Video? Start With These Five Questions
Planning Your First Business Video? Start With These Five Questions
You know your business or nonprofit has a story worth telling. Figuring out what belongs in a video can feel a little less obvious.
Should you introduce your team? Explain your services? Interview a customer? Tell the story of why you started?
Before you worry about cameras, music, or what to say, answer these five questions. They will give your project a direction and make the creative decisions easier.
1. Who needs to watch this?
“Everyone” is a difficult audience to speak to. Picture one person you want to reach.
For a business, that might be a potential customer who has found your website but doesn’t yet understand why they should choose you. For a nonprofit, it might be someone who cares about your cause but hasn’t seen what their support could make possible.
Write down who that person is, what matters to them, and what they need to understand before taking the next step.
2. What should they do next?
A video needs a purpose beyond looking good. Choose one primary action you want the viewer to take: schedule a consultation, request a quote, donate, volunteer, or explore a specific service.
That decision helps shape the ending. A film designed to encourage donations needs a different invitation than a video introducing your team to prospective employees.
3. What is the one thing they should remember?
Your organization probably does more than you can explain in a short film. You don’t have to fit everything into this one.
Try completing this sentence: “After watching, I want people to understand that ______.”
For example: “We help busy homeowners feel confident about taking care of their homes.” Or: “Our program gives local students a consistent place to find support.”
Use plain language. This is the central idea the film should communicate, even if those exact words never appear on screen.
4. What can we show that makes the message believable?
Think about the people, moments, and details that support your message. A team member walking a customer through a problem. A real demonstration of your process. A customer describing their experience in their own words.
Specific examples give the viewer something concrete to understand. If your message is about personal attention, look for moments that actually show someone receiving it.
Choose participants who are comfortable sharing, and arrange permission before filming customers, clients, or private spaces.
5. Where will the finished video live?
A website film, an event presentation, and a vertical social clip serve different viewing situations. Knowing where you plan to use the footage helps determine framing, length, captions, and the versions you may need.
Make a short list of your priority placements before production. Discuss any additional edits or formats while the scope is being planned.
Your next step
Put your answers on one page. You now have the beginnings of a useful video brief, even without a script or shot list.
At Brett Hammon Films, I help Pittsburgh businesses and nonprofits turn those early ideas into a clear story. Have a project in mind? Get in touch and tell me who you want to reach and what you want your video to accomplish.