Employee vs. Vendor – What’s Best?
“If you think it’s expensive to hire a professional to do the job, wait until you hire an amateur.”-Red Adair
After being in automotive marketing for five years, we’ve had the chance to work and advocate for both sides of the coin. The responsibilities we’ve had include social media management and video production at an auto group. We’ll break down what we’ve learned through the years ranging from common challenges, costs, and ease of collaborating with your producer.
Challenges
When we got started in the automotive space, we’ve had five years prior experience in video production, however we quickly noticed the unique challenges facing something as simple as a walk-around video. To really perfect that craft, it took years of experimenting and figuring out what works and what doesn’t. This is something to factor in when considering an in-house producer versus a vendor. Ignoring cost differences, there aren’t advantageous results stemming from either employing or contracting an inexperienced producer. We would imagine the majority of vendors like ourselves who specialize in automotive would prefer to remain as a vendor, so we might not be the best route if you’re searching for an in-house producer. However, if you do find an in-house producer that has prior experience, fantastic! You can bypass the adaptation stage.
Costs
The biggest difference between an in-house and outside vendor is easily the cost involved. In-house, part-time producers will most likely run your company $18,000 to $25,000 a year granted you keep them as busy as we were. Keep in mind our employer had additonal fees during the hiring process as well as throughout the year in withholdings. As vendors, we now average $12,000 from automotive clients per year for all projects. Currently, having multiple clients spaced out across the country, we end up having more revenue to upgrade our equipment continuously, and our clients enjoy a savings. Very few vendors will have this model though, so be aware that most independent teams will average $700-$2,000 for a two minute video.
Ease
To have the fastest turnaround in video, it definitely helps to be able to walk down the hall and collaborate on an edit. That luxury might not exist with a vendor. While vendors are generally quick, on average it doesn’t compare to the ease of access found with in-house producers. However, if your vendor is comprised of more than one person, you may actually find that the turnaround time is quicker for complex requests. Your vendor may have a senior editor working on the main timeline, a graphic designer on artwork, and a special effects compositor animating a sequence all simultaneously; that’s three jobs being processed at once!
In the end, your specific circumstances will determine what you require from a video producer. Being vendors currently, it may suggest that we think it’s the better choice for most dealerships. That is true, however it’s certainly not for every dealership and auto group. We are happy to suggest the best route for you (unbiased – we promise). Just give us a call or email us and one of our team members will be happy to assist!
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