Improving the Quality of Your Video Work: A Framework for Success
When thinking about growing a more successful video production business, the focus often falls on building systems, marketing strategies, and team development. While these elements are vital, one crucial factor is sometimes overlooked—the actual quality of the work you produce.
If your videos don’t stand out technically and creatively, no amount of marketing or business strategy will compensate for that. So today, I want to explore a framework for analyzing and improving your video production quality to help attract better clients and win more work.
Why Video Quality Matters More Than You Think
Many business owners assume their work is already at a high standard and that their struggles stem from business operations rather than production quality. However, in many cases, the technical and creative quality of their work is a limiting factor in their success.
Clients may not always articulate why they prefer one video over another, but they have a strong visual sense. They recognize polished, well-executed work, even if they can’t explain why it looks better.
Do Clients Really Care About Gear?
A common belief is that clients don’t care about gear—they only care about results. While it’s true that clients aren’t interested in the technical specs of your camera, they do care about the final image quality, color, composition, and storytelling.
If your work looks fresh, cinematic, and well-produced, it leaves a strong impression. Clients might not understand why, but they can feel it. Investing in better lenses, proper lighting, professional sound mixing, and strong color grading can elevate your work significantly.
Benchmarking Best Practices in Video Production
One of the best ways to improve your work is to benchmark it against the best examples in your industry. Here’s how you can do that:
Research High-Quality Work – Find top-tier work in your niche and study it closely.
Analyze What Sets It Apart – Identify aspects like lighting, composition, editing style, pacing, and storytelling.
Compare to Your Own Work – Assess the gaps between their work and yours.
List Specific Improvements – Identify practical steps to elevate your videos.
Rather than feeling discouraged by better work, approach it with a sense of admiration and curiosity. The more open you are to learning, the more opportunity you have to improve.
A Real-Life Example: Coaching a Filmmaker to Higher Quality
I recently worked with a coaching student targeting a specific niche. He was struggling to win clients, and after reviewing his portfolio, it became clear that his work wasn’t at the level needed to stand out in his industry.
We analyzed best-in-class work in his niche, identified areas for improvement, and created a plan. He upgraded his lighting setup, hired a more experienced editor, and collaborated with a cinematographer. The result? His work improved dramatically, giving him a powerful portfolio piece that now attracts the right clients.
The Toyota Way: Constant and Never-Ending Improvement
Borrowing from Japanese manufacturing philosophy, video producers should adopt the mindset of constant and never-ending improvement:
Regularly assess your work – After every project, ask: What went well? What can be improved?
Push for better quality – Continuously refine your techniques and storytelling.
Stay ahead of trends – Be aware of how younger filmmakers are innovating and learn from them.
Final Thoughts: Elevate Your Work, Elevate Your Business
The best way to market yourself is to create work that sells itself. By continuously improving, analyzing your work, and benchmarking against the best, you put yourself in a position to attract better clients and increase your rates.
So what’s your next step? Identify a piece of work that inspires you, compare it to your own, and start listing tangible steps to elevate your production quality. By committing to constant improvement, you ensure that your business remains relevant, competitive, and successful.