One of the most frequently asked questions we hear is, “How much does an infomercial cost?” The truth is the cost of the infomercial will depend on many factors within pre-production, production, and post-production. The length of the video alone does not determine the pricing of the video. Instead, it’s all the possible production elements that go into these three categories.
Video marketing has emerged as the powerhouse tool to captivate audiences and drive conversions. Behind every successful marketing video lies a meticulous process that ensures the final product resonates with the target audience and accomplishes its goals. From the initial research to the polished post-production, let's delve into the steps of crafting a top-quality marketing video and its associated costs.
Pre-Production
The pre-production phase sets the stage for the entire project. This is where the magic begins, as experienced marketers and product experts collaborate to build a strong foundation.
Understanding the Market and Audience
Before writing the best infomercial script, we first have to delve fully into your product and its target market. Pre-production includes extensive market research, competitive analysis, and product immersion that combine to identify the ideal audience and the offer/messaging for your TV or digital marketing campaign.
Defining the Ideal Offer and Message
The ideal audience or “target market” is the most profitable group of people. The target market helps guide our media strategy (what TV stations to use or what group of people to target in a digital campaign). Still, the ideal audience also helps guide our creative strategy — even down to selecting talent for our marketing videos. The “ideal offer” refers to how we price the product or service and how we talk about the pricing — “Do we include the price in the ad?” or “Do we wait until they get to the site?” Finally, the ideal message helps us identify the key features and benefits to focus on in our videos, website copy, and Facebook/Instagram copy. Once the audience, offer and messaging are optimized, we’re ready to start working on the ideal video script.
Collaborative Scripting
For scripting, we make it a collaborative approach. We combine our knowledge of DRTV and digital marketing and your product expertise to create a powerful script. We will handle the scriptwriting, but we’ll collaborate with you until you love it. The best videos are a combination of scripts that drive response with a creative vision that fits our clients’ vision for their brands.
The Perfect Launch Blueprint
Generally speaking, we offer a flat fee before the pre-production process. Harvest Growth offers a Perfect Launch Blueprint that provides the strategy you need to succeed as the very first step, and we’re so confident in our process that we offer a full refund if you don’t love the strategy we’ve come up with to launch your campaign. This entire Blueprint pre-production process can cost as little as $2,500.
Production
The production phase is where the project takes tangible form, bringing together all the planning and ideas to life.
Executing the Shoot
This is the exciting part where the script transforms into moving images. The production team handles various aspects, from location scouting and talent selection to crew coordination and equipment setup. The complexity of the shoot determines the crew size, locations, and even the need for elements like celebrity spokespersons or 3D animation.
From Vision to Reality
While the clients experience the excitement of seeing their marketing vision come to life, the production team works tirelessly to ensure every detail aligns with the script. The Director, lighting crew, sound technicians, and other professionals collaborate to capture the perfect shots.
Budgeting for Production
Production costs vary based on factors such as shoot days, talent, animation, and crew size. We handle the location, scheduling, talent, crew, equipment, and everything else with the client’s input along the entire way for video production. With that, we always provide an expected price upfront for production costs once we fully understand the project scope. Digital video production can cost a few thousand dollars up to tens of thousands of dollars, and 30-second to 3-minute TV video production is generally $30,000 to $50,000, depending on scope. Other agencies can charge $100,000 or more for video production, but Harvest Growth works to keep costs under control without sacrificing quality.
Post Production
After the filming wraps, the post-production phase begins, turning raw footage into a polished marketing campaign.
Editing and Enhancement
The editing process involves not only piecing together the footage but also enhancing it with music, voiceovers, animation and effects. This transformation breathes life into the commercial, making it ready for both national television and digital platforms.
Seamless Collaboration
Just like in pre-production, post-production is a collaborative effort. The client's input is invaluable as the marketing video takes its final form. All costs associated with post-production are outlined in advance in the contract, ensuring transparency and accountability.
The Result
Creating a top-quality marketing video is a journey that requires expertise, collaboration and dedication. From the initial market research to the polished post-production, each step contributes to crafting a compelling narrative that resonates with the target audience and drives desired actions. With the right strategy and the right team, your marketing video can become a powerful asset that boosts your brand's visibility and success.
Contact Harvest Growth today to book a FREE Strategy Call with our team of experts. We’ll discuss your ideas with you and help strategize video needs, timelines and budgets.
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