How to get into shooting local cable TV spots

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IronWilson

Member
I have been shooting local cable TV spots for a production company for a couple years now. That company has run into tough financial times and is cutting back on everyone's hours. This leads me to want start my own company shooting local cable tv spots on my own for a low price.

Now I have all the gear I need and the know-how. I am ready start marketing to potential clients. What I'm not completely certain about is how these businesses get started, as all I did was write, shoot, and edit the videos and did not deal with the business side of it.

How do you start getting leads from the cable companies?

Is it frowned upon if you make a video with a client, who then goes and gives the commercial to the cable company and buys airtime? Would I tell the client to go purchase their own airtime?

Should I market myself to local ad agencies?

Any info you could give me is appreciated.
 
Put a proper business plan together. During the course of the research you do for the business plan you'll not only answer your own question but the numbers for the financial viability of what your thinking of doing will tell you if its worth pursuing.

If putting proper business plan together seems like too much of a pain, then you should seriously question whether you have the right metal for business.
 
First off, some companies don't like their employees also being competitors. This is what we call conflict of interest. Make sure you wouldn't lose your job for that. If that company is having a hard time, odds are an unestablished individual with no business experience wouldn't be a huge improvement. That's not to say you shouldn't do it, just understand what you're getting into. It's not the easy route.

Actually getting work depends on your market. Make sure you know the broadcast pricing plans, and price yourself realistically. Make a website, business cards, all that. Try to have a business number people can call. Figure out a marketing angle, what makes you different and why people would choose you. Network all you can and be prepared to get pretty close to no work for a long time while trying not to be discouraged by it.
 
I've already made a basic business plan to cover early phases of operation, but I can't figure out how to (ethically anyway) get cable companies to give me business to take it to the next level. I have already scoured the internet (valuable source eh?) and picked the brains of the people I work with.

Could you point me in the direction of some resources where I might be able to get the answer to my questions?
 
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