So, it's time. You've decided to invest in video, today's most prevalent, accessible and hyper-clicked form of branding. It's how we consume everything from breaking news to modern entertainment to fun cocktail recipes to pandas sneezing. Be honest: how many YouTube or Facebook videos have you snuck in today? That's right, too many. (Or not. No judgment here.)

So now you have a company, a story, a mission. And you need video. You might need a product video. Or a brand spot. Or an online training series. In all likelihood, you need a full-on video facelift, with enough content to keep the brand momentum rolling for what you're putting out into the world.

Yes, you're right. It's time.

Video is the most visceral, immediate form of consumable media and a direct tap into the cerebral cortex of the Facebook generation. You need to keep pace with – better yet, stay ahead of – the forward-thinking competition, and the sooner you have a bandolier full of sharable, branded video, the sooner you'll be 21st century-certified.

Now, the big question: Should you hire video production specialists? Or should you tackle this new push in-house? Seems easy. Your iPhone shoots video in 4K, you've looked at editing software once, and you know your budget isn't infinite. Plus, Jimmy down the hall in accounting took a media production class as an underclassmen. So, yeah, keep it internal. Right?

Well, sure. Maybe. But before you decide, consider this handful of reasons to hire a video production company.

ONE. KNOW-HOW.

A video production company creates original video content. That's their lifeblood, and they've seen every type of project and every foreseeable production obstacle. By the time your company has found or hired an internal staffer, invested in software and/or production gear, and actually pressed record, a video production company will have already put the wheels in motion and gotten things done. And done well – with meaning, polish, and style. Free up your in-house staff for what they're best at. Let video pros do their thing so you can do yours.

TWO. CREATIVE.

Pointing a tablet or smartphone in the general direction of your nearest spokesperson and pressing the red button is always an option. We know that. Finding a distinct, brand-consistent and visually compelling way to communicate your message is what video creatives do 24/7/365. You want your video content to reflect the premium level of your top-of-the-line products, your singular story or your world-changing mission. Don't let amateur video and poorly executed concepts represent the brand you put your heart and soul into.

THREE. STORY.

So here's an insider tip that everyone totally already knows: good video is about emotion. If you can elicit a human response and find the core of why a potential customer, investor, believer, et. al. should buy into what you're selling, then you're ahead of the game. That means economy of storytelling. That means finding the right audio/visual elements to grab your audience by the heart. Or the throat. Or the balls. More than anything, that means not posting a ten-minute, barely edited video with bad audio and awkward cuts. There are people whose entire livelihood is built on digging deep, finding the emotional essence of what you're trying to communicate, and doing it in a way custom-crafted to your audience and brand.

FOUR. COST.

Cost of producing new video is a major decision-making factor as you look into executing your marketing vision. While in-house production would appear, on the surface, to make more economic sense, consider how video is consumed today. You want video that doesn't simply exist, but video that is sharable and can build your brand visibility organically. Spending more to produce real, high-end video content will return ten-fold in the form of video that people want to watch, rather than have to struggle through. Every hour you spend creating sub-par content in-house is sunk cost, while well-spent external production dollars will come back along with highly engaged customers, both old and new. And once you start adding up the gear you'll need to purchase, the room you'll need to make, and the overall time-suck of going DIY video, you'll breathe a sigh of relief going with the pros.

FIVE. STUFF.

Video companies make healthy investments on their end to make your final product look unparalleled. Cameras today are cinema quality, as most shoot in 4K (all the rage these days, or so we've heard). Professional lighting and audio will make your video look and sound like it was shot on a Hollywood soundstage. Or abandoned warehouse. Whatever look and feel you're going for. And shooting with the right lens can mean the difference between a local commercial feel and a masterpiece. Production houses have the tools to pull off your vision and take it next-level.

In the last handful of years, we've begun to trust craftsmen (and craftswomen) again. We seek out bartenders who can make a real Manhattan. We take ours shoes to the local cobbler. We buy antique furniture made by hand. We do this because we like good cocktails, shoes that will last, and dovetail joints. We trust craftsmen.

Good video producers are no different. They are craftsmen. A small company with big chops can act as an extension of your branding team. They can make you and your brand look like you really know what you're doing.

We say trust the craftsmen.