---
title: What Do I Need Before Hiring a Production Company?
description: What should you prepare before hiring a video production company? Learn how goals, audience, messaging, and strategy set your project up for success.
---

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# [What Do I Need Before Hiring a Production Company?](https://www.horizonvisualmedia.com/latest/what-do-i-need-before-hiring-a-production-company)

 Written by [Dave Perlman](https://www.horizonvisualmedia.com/latest/author/dave-perlman) | Mar 24, 2026, 12:30:00 PM

One of the most helpful things you can do before hiring a video production company is come in with a bit of clarity.

You don’t need a full script or a fully mapped-out plan — that’s part of the process we guide you through — but having a general sense of direction makes everything more efficient and ultimately leads to a stronger final video.

Here’s what I usually recommend thinking through ahead of time.

## Start With Your Goals and Audience

 

The first thing I’ll always ask is: *what do you want this video to do and who is it for?*

Are you trying to attract new customers, explain a service, [build brand awareness](https://www.horizonvisualmedia.com/latest/what-is-brand-storytelling), or [support hiring](https://www.horizonvisualmedia.com/recruitment-video-production)? Pair that with a general idea of your audience — who they are, what they care about, and what questions they might have — and you already have a strong foundation.

When those two pieces are clear, it becomes much easier to shape a video that actually connects with the right people.

## Clarify Your Message and Where the Video Will Be Used

 

[You don’t need a script](https://www.horizonvisualmedia.com/latest/do-i-need-to-script-my-videos), but it helps to know the core message you want to communicate.

I usually suggest keeping it simple: what do you do, who do you help, and why does it matter? From there, we can refine and build it out into something that feels natural and engaging.

[It’s also important to think about where the video will live.](https://www.horizonvisualmedia.com/latest/how-to-use-video-photography-in-your-marketing) A website homepage video, a social media clip, and a paid ad all require slightly different approaches. Knowing how the video will be used helps guide everything from length and pacing to overall style.

## You Don’t Need to Have Everything Figured Out

 

One thing I always like to emphasize is that you don’t need to have all the answers before reaching out.

Having a general idea of your goals, audience, and message is incredibly helpful — but the real value of working with a [video production company](https://www.horizonvisualmedia.com/video) is in the collaboration. We help refine those ideas, fill in the gaps, and build a plan that makes sense for your business.

Before hiring a video production company, it helps to have a sense of:

- What you want the video to achieve
- Who you’re trying to reach
- What you want to say
- Where the video will be used

From there, everything else can be built together in a way that feels clear, strategic, and aligned with your goals.

If you’re considering video for your business and want help shaping your ideas into something actionable, [I’m always happy to talk it through](https://www.horizonvisualmedia.com/contact).

[View full post](https://www.horizonvisualmedia.com/latest/what-do-i-need-before-hiring-a-production-company)

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