Video tidbits

[Rhett Robinson]

As far as a slogan, motto, or mission statement goes, I would really look at the market *you* want to target, and see what it is *they* want, and associate yourself with that. Is it informational? Corporate? Entertainment?

I’ve been a print designer (working for print companies) for about 15 years now, and I’ve found that I know what the clients need better than they do, although I don’t sell it that way (makes ya sound like a jerk, ya know). I would focus on the specific group you would most like to attract (or, perhaps better yet, the ones that you are most likely to attract, because the job’s halfway done), and let them know you can fill their needs.

I definitely don’t push the speed/quality/cost routine, but I absolutely don’t shirk from it. If someone want’s 1,000 full color rack cards tomorrow, it’s gonna cost them. If they can wait until the next gang run on the press, it’s less than a quarter of that price (and they can actually get 4 times as many for such a small jump that it’s crazy not to – remember that if you need printing, and give yourself some time).

I get to have this discussion, oh, about 3 times a day, so I’m pretty good at telling what the person really needs, and how to break it to them. The people that demand all 3 you have to sell in a different way, and convince them that the one that is lacking is really up to par. Meaning, you let them know “that’s the going rate”, or “that’s how long it takes”, without turning them off or lying. I’m a designer, not a sales guy, but I know how to sell what the customer *needs*, not what they *think* they want, so I get nonstop business.

Anyway, really focus on what your client’s final result is, and sell yourself based on that. I’ve actually only done a few reasonably serious video projects, but those were well done, and I get regular calls from people they’ve told, which is really the absolutely best way to advertise, hands down.

Direct mail? It will pull about a 5-10% call rate at the absolute best, if you focus it on people that need your product. Print advertising? It’s like shooting a shotgun from 1,000 yards away – you might hit something. TV? Doesn’t really work well for my business for the same reason, but if you’re able to flash your skills onscreen, and perhaps work out a trade deal so that it doesn’t make you hurt for a week, it could be pretty good. It’s a shotgun approach too, and with the DVR, I never watch a commercial that I don’t want to see anymore – like a well designed motion graphics piece. Then again, I never did – that’s when you do something instead of being locked to the tube. However, all of these things can add up. However, do you want calls that you can turn into sales (and can you handle the time that takes?), or do you want a client that’s ready to buy when they get to you.

There is a snowball effect to word-of-mouth and networking. They say “it’s not what you know, but who you know”. Not quite true, but like Zig says, you’ll get what you want helping enough other people get what they want. If they like you, trust you, and want to work with you, they’ll pass your name on, and there is NO better advertising than that.

Okay – that went into “preachy blog” mode in a hurry! Good luck.