How To Get Started and Stay In The Business

I just finished reading every post on this thread and may I say. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I have a sales and managerial background and have a good business sense, but never seem to have the ability to say the right things to the right people and loose jobs because I bid to high or undercut my rates and end up in a rinky dinky situation. Rob you are the man for giving so much to this community. I have only been a member for a few months and wish I could have started so much sooner. Once again thank you.
-Pauly
 
I was just popping my head back into the thread and re-reading the posts. It is all good stuff and right now I could use the positive reinforcement. I had "fallen" off the wagon for a little bit and trying to get back into the routine of locating new and potential clients. It always seems like the first few days of it are the roughest and can be the most discouraging. There is a lot of great information included in this thread and I needed a refresher. I look forward to reading even more wonderful tips and info in the near future!
 
Yeah some great information here, I'm struggling with the same thing Jeremy, finding new clients and trying to build my business. It's frustrating in a way when you know you can do great work, and that you can make clients really pleased with what you do and even make them a lot of money doing it, but finding new clients isn't always easy. I think that's the toughest part. Once I have a project I have the utmost confidence in myself and the team I hire to finish it in a way that will be professional and prompt, but actually finding the clients is such a challenge.

I think one reason why is because I'm not looking to find clients to buy a DVD, for instance, I can't just go on a messageboard or send out a screener copy to a film site and hope to sell some copies. I could do that with my two non-fiction books, sell a copy here, a copy there, those were my clients. But with corporate film projects, or industrials, I need to find THE decision-makers, which often means at least the head of sales for a company, but often the CEO or President, not necessarily an owner, but someone with the money to spend. Rather than someone who answers the phone and can't really tell what you're offering.

The last company with which I worked has directly reported increased revenue from the Web video work we did, and this is after just a month! They are extremely pleased, I got an e-mail from the VP of Operations saying how thankful they were for what we accomplished and the value we added to their Websites. But I can't wait around for referrals, I have to find new clients actively myself.
 
Sorry I've been absent a while but things have been busy this year. I started the year traveling with and producing a series of campaign ads for Hillary Rodham Clinton, jib-op'd on Miss USA, Steadicam on the Country Music Awards, MTV Cribs, Latin Billboard Awards, BET, BBC, Grand Canyon Aerials, Steadicam on a new 35mm feature film and a few shorts, a Marriott commercial and music videos for The Pussy Cat Dolls.

Running a business is tough work and you've got to be in it for the long-haul. The jobs above didn't come from marketing and calls I made the week before, they came from time invested over the course of my career. Generating a handful of good clients with repeat business can take years or a lifetime; patience, persistence and consistency is the key and little of that part is very glamorous.

Hence what started me on this topic nearly 11,000 views/visitors ago was that there is so much focus on gear purchases, gear specs, and X versus Y equipment. There are so many people who can regurgitate all the equipment specs, spend their money on this or that new breakthrough camera but they don't know the details of their top-ten target clients businesses or show you a written plan of how they plan to get their business. How much did you spend on your business cards? Web site? Film book ads? Marketing postcards?

Whether you want to make a film, television show, documentary, commercials or industrials you've got to know as much about your potential clients needs, viewing habits, desires and businesses as they do, otherwise how can you create something that moves, entertains, informs or inspires them?

To borrow the title from Lance Armstrong's book "It's not about the bike", "It's not about the gear".

For those of you out there who are making a sincere effort to build your business, hang in there and keep doing the grind work and you'll be rewarded with opportunities and growth. You'll get to buy or rent the coolest gear AND make money with it because you'll have clients.

Again, you can always rent gear and even experts to operate it but you can't rent a client.

Robert Starling, SOC
 
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I couldn't agree more with Robert's post above. Once again, very inspiring and much needed "kick in the pants".

Jonathan: I completely agree with your post above Robert's. That is most frustrating part for me personally. I know that I can perform the tasks, maybe better than their current projects, and for the most part I know that the customer service that I try to provide my clients with is top-notch. I have heard some horror stories about some terrible service, and I am amazed that businesses still go back with repeat work when their provider has a "take or leave it" attitude. On the reverse side of the coin, do you come off too needy if give too much attention? I don't have the answer, I wish I did. The only thing I know is that I have to do the best job I can, provide the highest level of service I can, and keep reaching out.

Businesses are a funny thing. They are just like people the run them in the sense that they resist change. I have a really good track record once I get someone to actually sit down and meet with me, tell me about their business and goals, and see the quality of work. The hurdle is getting to that point.
 
I think what you're alluding to Jeremey is customer loyalty to a developed relationship that in more cases than not allows the client to overlook small inconsistencies or even lack of talent. The relationship is either so strong or has existed so long the client is willing to overlook a few things or it's not worth the risk of trying someone else. "The devil you know, versus the devil you don't know".

Think about those types of relationships in your own life, business or otherwise where you accept a little less than you might could get elsewhere or you pay a little more but "John's a great guy" or "ABC Camera makes up for their poor service by having better inventory or prices".

Sometimes there is nothing you can do to pry that relationship apart. Hopefully, your clients won't consider someone else either. The door swings both ways.

What you can do is stay in touch, always respect the existing relationship and hope one day that the existing vendor is not available or they finally have "over-drawn their relationship account" with the client. You happen to call or send a postcard / email on that day or week when there is a slight opening of the door through which you step in and get a shot at it. Consistency and persistency pay off that day.

Go back to the beginning of this thread and look at what qualifies someone as a potential client. If they are using services you provide, even with someone else and they are paying a rate you're good with then by-god they are a QUALIFIED PROSPECT. It's your job to stay in touch, learn about their business, find someone who can personally introduce you and just stick with it like a pit bull until you get your opening.

A great case example was my wife when she was Managing Director of the Florida office for a large architectural firm. She had been there a long time, ten plus years, had good pay and benefits and had good and bad days like all jobs. Job recruiters were constantly calling her trying to lure her away. She had been offered double money, Hawaii, all kinds of things but she was comfy with the "devil she knew" and she is a very loyal employee by nature. One day someone caught her at just the right time where she was open minded to LISTEN and that person LISTENED to her. After six months of negotiations the deal was done and we were relocated to Las Vegas. That recruiter made a nice commission and she nailed a great new job.

Your job is to listen, keep in touch and be there. Here's a line I use in follow up correspondence / emails.. corny but it works.

"I plan to stay in touch and ready to go at a moments notice"

Robert Starling, SOC
Steadicam Owner Operator
 
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Robert: Thank you for taking the time to reply. You are dead on, and after re-reading my post I do realize it comes off that way. I am firm believer in building relationships with clients and would not want to interfere with someone else's relationship for that very reason. The whole "once a cheater..." outlook, you know?

When speaking with a potential client, if they do mention they have a relationship with "X" company (or something along those lines) my reply is always "Well I definitely do not want to interfere with a solid relationship. Those are the types of relationships I look to build with all of my clients as well." I am not sure if that is the "right" thing to say or not, but I wouldn't want my client being swayed by every breeze that blew through.

One thing I do run across is that most anyone who would qualify as a "potential client" (at least for me) is always working with another company already. That can be a sticky situation to make yourself known but yet not seem too "cut throat".

No one every said it would be easy, did they?
 
digitalinnovations said:
One thing I do run across is that most anyone who would qualify as a "potential client" (at least for me) is always working with another company already. That can be a sticky situation to make yourself known but yet not seem too "cut throat".
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Not sure I'm following you on this? Are you saying the people you run across or meet are situations where you are there working for their vendor as in another production company? Or are you saying the most everyone already has a vendor?

The differentiation in this is that if you're on-set working for a Producer or someone, it's definitely wrong to solicit work from your employer's client while they are still an active client as in they were not fired or something of that nature. Even then it would be the above board thing to do prior to call the former vendor and your contact and do a very simple "heads up, I'm thinking about contacting them but wanted to run it by you first". You'll probably get an earfull of the dirt on whether they're insane to work for or slow pay or whatever but at least you called.

I've had clients call me back directly after other operators have referred me to cover for them and I always tell the client I'll have to check with my friend who referred me the first time; and I do. Referrals from your competitors can be a great source of business but only if you stay honest 110% on everything, else you'll get a bad reputation. I got the MTV Cribs Steadicam gig on a local Vegas crew call and the next week MTV called to book me direct for three more Cribs episodes in LA. My first call was to the booker in Vegas to run it by them even though LA is not their market. They were totally cool with it and I promised as well that any Cribs shoots in Vegas I'd book through them as my agent.

Referrals are a great source of business but you've got to play fair above and beyond when that work comes your way. Thank you notes and special gifts are in order whether expected or not.

If you don't have a relationship with their vendor, pretty much all's fair as long as you keep it positive and professional.

If someone steals your client, they really were not your client after all.

Robert Starling, SOC
Steadicam Owner Operator
 
Brilliant thread! Thanks so much Robert for your help and advice.

It's always been my dream to run a multimedia company, be it video production, sound production, live event, whatever. I was just hired by my alma mater to produce promotional videos for them (they came to me with the job offer!) and the funny part is--I don't have any experience with video or promotional stuff! But they've hired me on salary and they're actually paying me salary while I learn how to do what they've hired me to do. In a way, they're kinda fulfilling my dream in that they're paying me to learn what I've always wanted to do, and while I'm working for them I can be building a demo reel and learning on equipment that I didn't put down a penny for.

I'm hoping in a couple years to start my own company (on the side--I've got a lot of loyalty to my alma mater and I'll likely continue working for them for years to come, even if this job constitutes only a small percentage of my yearly income) and this post has been incredibly helpful to me. I've been in the sound production business for almost six years now, just working part time while going to school, and I never took the steps to make it take off. Now I know how to make it happen when the time comes.

Thanks so much Rob!
 
After almost a year of following this thread and re-reading it several times I finally jumped off the deep end and into the world of calling potential clients. I only managed to call 10 companies today and yikes , what an experience for someone who doesn't like to talk on the phone much, ha.

The first call of the day went something like:
(pick up)
"So and So Company" (no hello, no name)
"Hi, how are you doing?"
".......(2-3 seconds go by) fine...how can I help you?"
"I was wandering if you could help me out with something"
"......OK"
"I was trying to find out who is in charge of your marketing department at So and So Company"
"(real fast) So and So IT"
"Excuse me, what was that"
"So and So IT It"
"Oh ok, thanks. Do you happen to have their number?"
"123-4567"
"Thank you, and is there anyone in particular I should ask for?"
"Sandi, or Rick, or So and So"
"Oh ok, so there's no one person who is in charge?"
"You could as for Sandi, or Rick, I mean anyone will pick up if you call"
"Alright, thank you very much for your help"

Haha, the rest of the calls went similar. I never got to anyone that could actually help me, just a few voicemails. After the first call which was to a company I really want to target and have researched alot, I realized that I needed to heed Rob's advice and start calling random companies first just so I can get comfortable talking on the phone in these situations. It's also motivated me to join the Chamber of Commerce and do other casual, face to face networking situations, so I don't have to just rely on phone calls.

*funny side note: On one of my calls I was leaving a voicemail and started to leave my new business phone number and then realized that I didn't know it and didn't have it written down on my notes I was working from! I scrambled looking through my cell phone for the number and when I couldn't find it, I hit #1 on the phone in hopes of re-recording the message, but was greeted by an automated message saying "message sent" haha
 
Nice work Chris! Thanks for sharing your experience. Sounds like you've successfully made a start at it. I'd like for you to try it for at least ten days and ten calls or more a day back to back. Your comfort level and confidence will improve as will your results. Keep in mind, you're listening (sometimes between the lines) for information that either qualifies them as a prospect or disqualifies them; both are successful calls. If it sounds like they don't have a marketing plan or advertising program, you know not to waste time with them.

Be prepared to blow a few calls too when you finally get through to someone who says "yes, that would be John Smith, our Director of Marketing and he picks up". Remember to talk slow, relax and refer to your notes so you gather information. If John says he's using someone else, ask who he uses and offer to send John your card as a backup.

Voicemail is good too and even if they don't call you back, they're still a suspect until you can prove otherwise.

It would be very nice if you'd write back again after your first 100 calls... only 90 more to go!

All the best!

Robert Starling, SOC
Steadicam Owner Operator
 
Thanks again robstar

Thanks again robstar

Well, we got some great looking business cards and direct mail flyers made, our website should be up and running shortly, and I'm making the calls. I made about five on monday, and mailed out four flyers with biz cards.

This is the challenge for me and many others out there. Phone calls and business prospecting.

I'll be specific about this. Our business specializes in settlement videos for personal injury attorneys. Some use them, some don't. It is a challenge to get past the secretary sometimes, and when I do, I don't want to launch straight away into a "here's a speech about me" kinda thing. The ones that use them will take interest, and a few already have, but it's the ones who don't use them, or might use them that I need to practice on.

I know a few things about our services to tell them if I can ever get to that point.
1. We offer a valuable cost effective tool for their case.
2. Our product is bad ass, at a very competitive rate.
3. Customer satisfaction is our ultimate goal here.

The problem is actually getting to that point in the converstation. How do I turn a "I'm sorry, I'm very busy, into a conversation?
 
pulpwoody said:
1. We offer a valuable cost effective tool for their case.
2. Our product is bad ass, at a very competitive rate.
3. Customer satisfaction is our ultimate goal here.

The problem is actually getting to that point in the converstation. How do I turn a "I'm sorry, I'm very busy, into a conversation?
Click to expand...

None of the three items above are unique; all your competitors will say the same thing. None of the three above are BENEFITS they will experience if they hire you. What will hiring you do for them is the bottom line and the bottom line, is the bottom line financially. What differentiates you from the last caller?

You've either got to save them a ton of money, make them a ton of money or make their lives incredibly easier. The best scenario would be all of the above; we can help you make more, keep more of it and you won't have to do anything in addition to your regular job. Hit all three of those and you've got a no-brainer... or a suspect/prospect that doesn't have the sense to understand it. In that case, you move on.

If this type of work is your vision and you believe you can help these attorneys make more money you should get involved in the local and State Bar Association, join as an affiliate member, attend their functions, write a story for their newsletter, give a demo or talk at one of their meetings. Get involved with your client base. Go back and read from the top of the thread.

A great example is a local friend of mine who specializes in insurance for law offices and attorneys. It's all he does and he makes a fortune but he lives and breaths their industry and their functions. This is what you have to do. It's what we all have to do if we want to have exceptional work to do.

You can be an "Artist" all you want but you don't have to be a poor artist if you don't want to... or you can if you want to. That decision is totally yours. To be, or not to be? I know a ton of extremely creative "artists" that can't afford the steam off a hotdog while they're waiting for the phone to magically ring.

Stay with it....

Robert Starling, SOC
Steadicam Owner Operator
 
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