Fighting the Low-Enders

Like it or not, your customers are going to begin to encounter low-cost DVD conversion companies over the coming months and years. And it is likely that you will have to endure the inevitable question, "Why should I pay you $X when I can sent my video off to ABCDVD company for $Y?". Here is some advice that we hope is helpful:

1. We're on Your Team
Firstly, please keep in mind that HomeMovie.Com has a number of policies in place to ensure we never cause the above circumstance. Please see the article titled "Looking out for YOUR Interests." in the HMC Headlines section for more info on this.

2. You give the "Hollywood" treatment
Remember, you are using some of the best DVD authoring technology in the world. Remind them that the work you did for them is a "Production" and not a home movie recorded on a consumer grade video camera. The quality of the equipment and the Master you have created is of high quality and resolution. When you make a DVD of this Master, all of the quality is preserved and full resolution is maintained. These companies that convert consumer video are generally not set up fully preserve the quality of a Production Master.

3. VHS vs Pro Formats
If the customer were to send their VHS copy to be converted to DVD, what they would end up with would be what we call "VHD". Sure it's a disc, but the video is from a VHS which has less than half the resolution and significant amounts of background noise that will tend to cause digital artifacts in the DVD. The product may play in their player but it will do a disservice to their special event and the reputation of your company.

4. You own the Copyright!
Your copyright on your material prohibits the customer from making copies of it. While it is the last thing you may want to mention, it is sometimes necessary. To avoid making it sound bad, try to suggest to them that if they were to make a DVD of the VHS copy and play it for some friends, those people may be so unimpressed with the quality of the DVD that they might choose not to do business with your company. An important facet of copyright protection is to keep people from representing your work in a way other than you intended it.

5. You add Value to the DVD!
Absolutely none of the companies offering home movie conversion services except HomeMovie.Com allow you, the customer, to add customized menu systems. They only offer basically random chaptering that is illogical and not customized to the event. You can create chapters at "The Vows", "The Kiss", "Father/Daughter Dance", etc., that makes the DVD a real heirloom rather than a simple copy.