Google AdWords and Keywords

It's very tough in this economy getting people to pull the trigger on professional video work. We definitely have done a lot to try to make businesses aware of how important it is to have Web videos in today's day and age, and really sell their products in more advanced ways, integrating video with social networking and better Websites, etc. But despite a lot of interest, it can sometimes be tough to close the deal and get the ball really rolling. It's immensely frustrating.

We'll see how things play out, but it's looking a bit bleak on my end as well. One big contract looks like it'll keep me in business this year, but without a lot of other work it won't matter much.
 
Dog eat dog indeed! I get about one job applicant per week all of sudden this year, where I never got these before.. people sending me resumes all of a sudden.. got three in the past two weeks! People around here ARE desparate. One successful videographer around here told me he's looking to go into another completely different line of work if things don't get better. So even successful companies are dying now.

Nearest metropolis? I would say Danbury, but nothing's happening in Danbury, so I'd have to stretch it to New York City, which is a nightmare to travel to and around in. I dropped off my inlaws at Kennedy... the drive down and back took me all day and the cost in tolls and parking was $29. Next after that would be Philly and Washington DC, a five hour drive under ideal conditions. Maybe Boston, too. I've sent portfolio DVDs to the Boston Symphony and New York Philharmonic, looking for work in the area I'm most competent at. I know it's like going to Darth Vader and offering to be his body guard. :)
A friend of mine said I should go to the president of the US and offer to be his personal videographer. I LoL'd at that!

Yeah, almost no one is choosing our services these days. We no longer have the exclusive lock on technology. 22 years ago, video cameras were extremely rare and pro gear cost more than the average home. Nowadays, for the cost of one year's property tax, I can buy two top-notch HD cameras and accessories and produce images we couldn't dream about 22 years ago, except with film. And the average $1000 consumer camcorder is producing decent images when there is enough light, so a lot of folks no longer feel they need us.\

Something fundamental must be done, educationwise, to make these folks aware that there is still a BIG difference between pro and 'Uncle Jim's' wedding videos. Corporate entities that now have all in-house facilities are the hardest to convince that their people are just office folk with cameras and they need REAL cinematographers that know how to light a scene and properly capture the audio.

I have no big contracts at all. I have non-video work that keeps me with a trickle of income 2-3 times a year. Gross receipts were less than $4K last year. I have to file in four states, because I got 1099s from four out of state clients... just enough to trigger the 1099, but not enough to really make it a good account. All of them were one shot clients who hired me in a pinch under unusual circumstances and would normally have no need to hire me at all. I worked for clients in Pittsburg PA, Boston, MA and Pawling NY last year. I'm cringing at the cost of tax prep software for all those states on top of CT. It's going to cost me $179 just to file income taxes this year. I'll end up borrowing $$ from a friend or maybe the wife at the last minute for that. With no work on the horizon, and my awareness of the trends and markets and gov policies, I am bracing for a national economic collapse on the scale of Argentina's 2001 crash, with millions starving, dying and looting and killing going on everywhere. It's mayhem in a couple of years and being broke and behind on property taxes is not a good place to be when one should be stocking up on food and ammunition!
 
JonathanLB: what kind of big contract would keep you busy for a year?? Do tell! :-) I have one medium gig coming that would keep me going for several months that I thought that is rare.

Basspig: LOL you are totally exaggerating!

I asked where the closest big city is because I was travelling through a conservative suburb here in my city to get my DVX fixed and I notice that despite a higher average income of this area, businesses here are dominated by boring big boxes and the likes. I thought to myself I would hate to be stuck in a market like this. In order to be successful, I think you are much better off relocating to near a city.

You worry too much about the competing with DIY'ers. There are lots of businesses out there who need outside videographers.

While you might not be qualified to work for Obama, you might want to try pitching to a local politician?
 
I thought things were not that bad here in the Nashville area until today, when I ran across these two Craigslist postings:

"Professional video of your band or event $200

We use Sony SD and HD equipment; Professional Video's made of You, Your Band or Event, edited with Final Cut Pro. This price includes filming, lighting and Editing, with 5 DVD's. It's well worth it to look your best. "


"Video your event with HD cam $15 an hour"


This makes working for Turnhere for what amounts to be $40-$50 an hour look absolutely lucrative!
 
Moving is simply out of the question, even if I wanted to. I tried to sell my house ten years ago to escape rising property taxes, but, due to numerous issues with the house (you wouldn't believe if I told you), I was unable to find a realtor to list it and was told 'tis better to abandon than to try and sell and accept liability. Nor, would I want to move, after 44 years. My studio is here, I've spent 38 years building a sound system that would be illegal in a community where neighbors exist, and I like the relative freedom from crime, pollution, covenants, city sewer and poisoned public water. I've got the greatest tasting well water here and a view of woods all around me. And, while the taxes are killing me, they're still cheaper than rent in an apartment. Who could afford to live near NYC at $2,000/mo? There's no security, no sense of 'my property', and little to no freedom. Plus all the other burdens that living in such a rat-hole brings.. politics, unwanted solicitors, burglars, vandalism, car theft. No thanks!


The idea of working for Obama was not mine. I wouldn't want to anyway. Many politicians are idealogically my enemies. But there are one or two whom I'd probably have little reservation working for and not conflicting with my morals. However, these guys are using web cams and video blogging on Youtube, so I'm not really sure how I could convince them that better picture and sound would get them any more votes.

The DIY'ers are constantly stealing business out from under me, that's why I bring it up. I quote a price, and then I don't get the job. Later, I discover they hired some volunteer to do a non-professional job for free or a token amount.

The bottom line is, I get too few prospects, and with the high percentage of loss to DIY'ers, I see about 3-4 sub-$1K jobs a year, when I should be earning a quarter million a year with what I COULD be doing. If I had 100 prospects a year and got 10% of them as clients, that would bring me to break-even. The problem is I manage about 7-8 prospects a year out of hundreds contacted. Telemarketing has dried up. I've called every business in a 30-mile radius between August and January. A few were hostile because I wasn't the only telemarkeing pest they've dealt with that day. All were using the 'so in so is not in the office today' excuse to deflect my calls. A few larger companies informed me that they had a full in-house production facility.

Now I'm preparing a mailing to half a dozen local print ad agencies, proposing to expand their business into television style marketing. Much beyond that, I really don't know what to do. I earned less last year than my property taxes cost on my home. Now we're in debt over our heads on credit cards used to pay off the portion of taxes that savings could not cover. Now those bills are due and new taxes acrue. It's frustrating as heck being a slave to other people while trying to pursue 'the American Dream'.
 
I made MINOR changes to the ad wording and all of a sudden...

chart


..yesterday, over 3500 impressions and 16 clicks. Today is shaping up to beat that . Each day has bested the prior. Either some folks are pulling a trick on me (because with all the clicks, the phone has not run yet with a job prospect) or there's a black art to these ads that I don't understand.

AdAd groupStatus % ServedClicksImpr.CTR Avg. CPC CostAvg. Pos.

Ad Group #2Approved
63.07%429,2890.45%$0.63$26.552.1

Ad Group #2Approved
28.59%114,2110.26%$0.62$6.832.1

Ad Group #1Pending review
1.39%22040.98%$3.07$6.144.2

I'm a few days away from blowing my budget now and will have to decide whether I want to spend $100 or more a month to keep this going, especially if it's not making me sales. I don't know how long it takes before the phone starts ringing. Do I need to keep this pace for 3, 6, 12 months before I start to see clients calling?
 
I still think this PPC stuff is a waste of time and money. Prove me wrong if you can.

Videography is a face to face business. People care more about you then your list of gear, much less your 15 words sales pitch.
 
While that may be true, one first still has to get the first contact going. Google can reach far more people that I can driving around in my car going from uninterested business door to uninterested business door.
 
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