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Corporate video for consultancies: how to show a service you can't see
How to plan a corporate video for a consultancy: what to say, who should be on camera, how to film without revealing client data and which mistakes to avoid.
A factory can show its machinery. A consultancy has meetings, laptops and people thinking. If you film that as it is, the result is a video of people sitting down that says nothing.
Here's how I plan a corporate video for a consultancy: what I decide before shooting, who I put in front of the camera and what tends to fail.
Why a consultancy needs a different kind of video
Whoever hires a consultancy is buying trust in people. The product is the team. That's why the video has to make a potential client think: I would sit down and talk with these people.
There's an extra constraint. Almost all projects are confidential. I can't show screens, documents or client names without permission, and often there is none. That forces you to convey the value proposition by other means.
The use changes too. A consultancy video is sent with proposals, placed on the services page of the website and shown in sales meetings. Think about those three places before deciding the length.
How to do it properly
Get partners and seniors to explain, not pose
The best material comes from short interviews with two or three people on the team. I ask them to explain a typical client problem and how they approach it. No jargon and no brochure phrases. If someone isn't comfortable, we rehearse for ten minutes before filming.
Replace the confidential case with a method
If you can't show a case, show how you work. The phases, the questions you ask in the first meeting, what you deliver. That can be supported with simple animated graphics made for the video, with nobody's real data. If a client is willing to give a testimonial, it's recorded separately and with written authorisation.
Film the office for what it is
For the b-roll I look for real gestures: a whiteboard with a diagram, a conversation standing up, someone taking notes. I check beforehand that there are no papers, screens or whiteboards with client information. With a Sony A7-type camera and a fast lens I can usually manage without adding more than one fill light.
Common mistakes
- Showing shots of meetings with people nodding and nothing to say. It looks like stock footage.
- Using brochure text with words like synergies or integrated solutions. Nobody remembers it.
- Including screens, documents or client names without authorisation.
- Having only the founder speak and not showing the team that will do the work.
- Making a five-minute video that nobody watches all the way through in a sales proposal.
Frequently asked questions
How long should a consultancy video be?
For the website and proposals, between one and two and a half minutes. If the interviews have more content, I pull out short pieces of 30 to 45 seconds for LinkedIn.
Can it be done without showing client cases?
Yes. You tell the method, the team and the kind of problems you solve. If a client wants to speak, they're added later as a separate piece with their consent.
How many people should appear on camera?
Two or three is usually enough. More people dilute the message and complicate the shoot. I prefer the ones who talk to clients every day.
How long does it take from commission to delivery?
For a two-minute piece, between three and five weeks with preparation, one shooting day and editing with one or two review rounds. If partners' diaries need to be lined up, it's best to start earlier.
If you run a consultancy and want a video that makes your team visible without exposing your clients, get in touch via /en/contact. In a short call I'll tell you which format fits the way you sell.