Galt
Forum Replies Created
-
Yep, thats me.
I think it is fine to do everything, but you don’t want to look hungry or desperate for work either. So in my 15 second speech I tell people I do corporate videos, primarily training and some marketing. We distribute on DVD and the Internet. If they don’t immediately respond with interest, then “but let me tell you about my personal biographies which is a lot more interesting…” and nearly everyone asks for a business card by the time I have done my 3 minute spiel on that. If people want to know about something else, I think they ask me. I have done commercials and NPO work and other events (no weddings) as well, but do not lead with that unless appropriate. I tell them about what I prefer doing, under the theory that you get what you focus on. If I go around telling people I do commercials, that is what they will remember. And I think commercials is a tough place to enter the market in my area. Oddly enough, a few times I have told people I do everything but weddings, and THAT they seem to remember. Maybe that should be my new business card slogan. 🙂
But don’t get the idea that I talk a lot. I always start by learning about their business and looking for the opportunity before I even mention it. Most small businesses are not my prospects, so I don’t waste their time and risk annoying them.
-
Go see the membership director. Usually they have some “open” events for non-members that you can go to once or twice. Every group is different. If it works at all for you, it is usually worth the small amount to join (usually a couple of hundred $$) for all the benefits. Be in their directory, get material in the “visitors center”, get “featured” in their newsletter, link form their website, referrals when people call them, yada yada… It depends a bit on what your business is.
-
Do. Learn. Do Better.
Shoot x hours a week around town. People will see you and ask what you are doing. Give them your business card. WHen you have given out 1000 business cards this way, you will have work form somewhere.
Go do some free work for your favorite charity. One thing leads to another, so do something. Non-profit work can get you tons of free publicity too. Don’t worry too much about your experience, just offer a money-back guarantee of they are unhappy. It solves that experience issue almost every time.
But you shoudl also pick a spot to focus on first. If it is commercial, do you want to do 30 second spots, marketing videos, training videos, or 28 minute informercials? People like it better when you have a focus to your work, then they will ask “do you do….?”.
-
Networking. Let people know you are out there and what you do. Find people that you can do business with as a customer of theirs. Practice your 30 second elevator speech.
-
Charlie, I would never suggest worrying about image to anyone unless they were having trouble with their “image”. The fact is that if you can’t act successful, looking successful is the next best thing. The original poster said he was concerned about being perceived as not worth his desired rate because of his age. So if he takes the time to look successful in his own style (and I never bought a diamond ring, it wasn’t me), he will start to feel successful, then he will start to act successful, and people will then perceive him as successful. When 19, clothing is more important than at 25 or 35 or 55. Replace the word successful with any word you want (worth his rate, talented but eccentric, studmuffin, babe magnet, whatever), it still works. For you success means showing up in jeans or shorts, so it works for you. I bet you have lost clients because of it, but it didn’t matter. I know I have, and it didn’t matter to me either. Blinkeeeeye will get there too.
-
Describe the project.
Add your terms for payment, copyrights, scope changes, etc.
Add price and payment schedule
Add a place to sign.DOne. There is nothing too magical about it. Just get every aspect of your agreement into the proposal, it will end up looking like a script treatment with a few paragraphs of “boilerplate” terms added and pricing.
-
[Blinkofaneye] “People, mainly non-industry professionals still seem to look past all that and key on age, which in the industry is generally and advantage. I also don
-
I use half-day rates for things like b-roll, second location/supporting footage shoots, and sometimes even for primary production. I only shoot a few days a month anyway, so its no big deal for me to schedule half-day of production and a half day of editing/marketing/ prospecting/sales, or the million other things I do besides shoot. If I had bigger operation and full-time camerapeople, I would be more strict.
-
Hey Tim,
Great sig quote!!!
-
For new clients I can think of two approaches (for me), if I liked them enough to want to retain them as clients.
1. One line-item bill, as you suggest. Explain that it was high because of the dead-time, without breaking it out.
2. Go explain your dilemma, your usual practice (whatever that is going to be). Tell them that you should have discussed it up front, but did not in order to respond quickly to their need. But you want to be as fair as your can to both you and them, so is your “usual billing practice” a problem for them? (or something along those lines, I think I could say it better with more effort.)
I think #2 creates a better long term relationship and more referrals. Or else you find out the guy is unreasonable and then always have a written agreement in the future.