client advice

[jsvideoworx]

I have been filming weddings for family and friends for the last couple of years, and now i want to start and branch out to bigger and better things. Im trying to put together a demo video for the internet and try to get my name out there more. I have had people calling me wanting me to shoot their weddings, and they want to see some of my work. I dont really want to invite people over to my house and show them what i have. Is it a good idea to have people meet at local coffe shops, etc. Do you think most clients would be ok with doing that? Do you think that is a good way to do business?

 

[Jason Adams]

I have a vary client friendly office and still often meet clients at a coffee shop. Some first time clients are more comfortable meeting this way especially if it is during non business hours. Coming over to the office at 8:30pm is odd to clients who may not know you yet. Coffee shop is cool. Just get their before they do, buy their coffee and have your laptop with demo ready to rock.

 

[Ferret Lady]

get that demo video uploaded to a website!!!

 

[Michael T]

Meeting in a coffee shop is fine and can be easier on the client for time and location. Have your demo ready to go and look sharp. Clients want it easy for them and if you have to go across town then make it easy for them to see your stuff. Having it up on a web site is fine if you have a decent looking site. You have to start someplace and meeting close to the client and buying a couple cups of coffee is a inexpensive way to get business. Clients want to look into your eyes and have confidence in the person they hire to produce what they perceive as one of the most important purchases they have made together up to that point.

I'm more concerned that you charge the normal going rate than where you meet the client. Do an exhaustive search on google and research what people are charging for wedding dvds. The best advice I ever received from a successful business man that I respected was this point (You can never grow as big as the big boys unless you charge what they are charging). Its up to you to give them the same quality or better than the competiton.

There are people that charge $1800 and people that charge $2900 and People that charge $35000 for a wedding dvd. At what level do you want to work. Wedding videos can be a video or a movie that tells a beautiful story.

Good luck

 

[grinner]

It's been my personal expierience that bringing clients into the house cut's one's rate by 50%.
You lose credability/clout and you are not only admitting to a low overhead, but showing them just how low it is. Unless they are supervising an edit or picking up/dropping off elements, there is no reason to have them at your home.
Any meeting I have is done on the phone and the very few who need to see my face as that happens, see it at starbucks.
On the wedding level, the mother of the bride would rather have you over. She wants a pitch and she wants to feel pampered.
If wanting to branch away from this kind of work, the first step really is to stop doing it. Hard to do with bills due and no "wanted" gigs on the horizon but I tell ya, if you spend all your time paying the bills, you'll have no time to dream-chase.
and vice-versa... so dance accordingly.

 

[JonathanLB]

What Michael said is correct -- you have to charge what you want to make, because if you sell yourself too short then people are going to want you to work that cheaply all of the time. This client will tell other clients that you only cost X amount, then pretty soon you're stuck being a little guy, fighting against the big guys, trying to get the money you think you deserve. It's not easy. I'm not saying you should rip people off, just don't work for peanuts that's all.

I have no office now, so I'm stuck with meeting with potential clients at their office, conducting business on the phone or through e-mail, or meeting at the Starbucks at the bottom of my condo building (convenient). I have my editing suite (I don't edit, though) setup in my condo as a home office, so clients can come over and check out the work and I don't mind, because that's after the project has been well underway.