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Dropping off DVD’s to Potential Clients…
Dropping off DVD’s to Potential Clients…is it ethical/professional/legal (if they have a NO Solicitation sign posted)? The target is 8 Plastic Surgeons in my area and I was thinking of dropping off a folder containing a brochure and DVD of a completed Plastic Surgery video along with an intro letter as well as a referral letter.
I’ve done mailings in the past and received a few calls back, but it never led to any bookings. Marketing has never been my thing…the work just came to me, enough to keep busy and make a decent living, but that has changed in the past few months. When dropping the materials off, do I ask to speak to the person who is responsible for marketing decisions or just leave with receptionist?
The two DVD’s I’ve done has been very well received, there has to be other Plastic Surgeons out there that see the benefit of video as well…although they are known to be notoriously cheap. The two I did book, were the result of knowing a patient at the practice who introduced me.
I also have a decent catalog of Recruitment Videos that I’ve done…but is this a bad time to try and sell companies a Recruitment Video, when they are laying off people? Thanks for any direction.
Jeffrey S. Gould
Action Media Productions -
7 Replies
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If there’s a no solicitation sign, that is not going to win you any jobs if you just ignore it and walk it.
Nothing against sending the DVD’s to those companies, but don’t walk in if they don’t want you to. You could try a phone call and put your material on a website, or send them a nice package complete with a professional looking slick.
I have never gone door to door, but I have set up meetings with folks before approaching them. I find that being very courteous and nice to the person answering the phone goes a long way towards getting a face to face meeting with the person. If you do get that meeting, bring an iPhone or laptop to play the samples for them. Don’t depend on them having a DVD player or something like that in the room. Come prepared to play the files immediately.
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Biscardi Creative Media
HD and SD Production for Broadcast and Independent Productions.STOP STARING AND START GRADING WITH APPLE COLOR Apple Color Training DVD available now!
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Great advice as usual. I have called a few and since I do have a soft approach, I usually win over the receptionist and one led to me dropping off a DVD to her…but they had a marketing company that controlled what they did and I have a feeling they had their own video company. I do have the video’s on my site and on my I phone. I also have a 10″ portable DVD player. When I presented last year, within 5 minutes of watching my previous video, they said “sign us up”. The work is good and clients love us and we usually form some type of friendship after the project is completed…I just need to get my name out there. I will try the mailing. I printed up my own slick using glossy coated inkjet paper. Thanks again Walter.
Jeffrey S. Gould
Action Media Productions -
I had to have a biiig no soliciting sign on the front door when I had my studio. As a one man band, it was a interuption when people walked in a session. When somebody was rude enough to ignore the sign and interupt anyway, I always saw it as, well, rude.
Your first impression is stating you cannot follow simple instructions. That’ll not land ya a gig.
While persistance is key, that’s why your good at making receptionists like you on the phone.
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Plastic surgeons need clients just like you need clients, no matter the economy. Set up appointments – tell the secretaries you need 5 minutes. Boot up your laptop before you even get out of the car so you can instantly play your video.
We once had some guys walk in a side door of our office and start setting up a display of artwork to sell. The nerve. Luckily the kid who sat near the door told them to get lost.
Mike
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Thanks Mike, I agree that they need clients as well and since Plastic Surgery is visual, I think video lends it self well. I’m heading to the phones…
Jeffrey S. Gould
Action Media Productions -
[Jeffrey Gould] “Plastic Surgery is visual, I think video lends it self well.”
It does indeed… at last count I think we have nine (or maybe it’s 11) plastic surgeon clients. Plus the competition is fierce among these guys, so unlike a lot of physicians most of them are not afraid to advertise.
In addition, most of them are extremely well paid, and have substantial marketing budgets.
On the downside, most of them are also extremely busy and can be hard to get in to see… both to pitch, and to work. We have one particular client (a plastic surgery group of three doctors) that everytime we have to schedule a shoot with them it’s always something like 6:00am on a Sunday, or some other obscure time like that. They are simply too busy shoveling money during the week to give up even a moment of their normal billable time.
It’s also a vanity thing among them. Our biggest plastic surgery client doesn’t have to advertise… if you were a potential patient and called him today for an appointment it would probably be nine or ten months before they could schedule to see you just even for a consult. But, his competition advertises, so he does too.
T2
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Todd Terry
Creative Director
Fantastic Plastic Entertainment, Inc.
fantasticplastic.com
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Hi Todd, I recall you mentioning about Sunday’s months ago when I posted a similar question about Plastic Surgeons. I found that practices with multiple physicians are better suited for video, two can be working while one is shooting. But the last one I did, they shut down the office for a week…great experience and free Botox. Thanks for the info.
Jeffrey S. Gould
Action Media Productions
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