Parc Entertainment - A Video Production Company - Birmingham, AL

During my high school acting days I remember one rehearsal in particular when my director was giving me specific notes about my performance. I felt that her criticism wasn’t justified and I tried to defend myself. She gave me some advice that day that I always apply to my business. She told me simply to listen to direction and not to make excuses.

In your career as a business owner or freelancer, you will have clients who aren’t entirely satisfied with the work. That can be a harsh fact, because of the pride people take in their work. However, when a client has concerns, it’s important to remember that the client doesn’t want to hear excuses - even when the problem is not your fault. Here are some things to remember:

RESPOND PROMPTLY - Avoiding a discussion with your client won’t make the problem go away. Acknowledge their concerns by returning their call and/or email quickly.

LISTEN ATTENTIVELY - You might not consider the client’s concerns to be very serious, but they do. Listen to what they have to say and don’t dismiss them. Ask questions. Make notes. Show them that you are eager and willing to correct the problem.

OFFER SOLUTIONS - Give your client options as to how the problem can be rectified and assure your client that you will take the steps necessary to ensure satisfactory results.

It can be very difficult to accept criticism, but running a successful business depends on your ability to meet those challenges and satisfy your clients.

Getting started as a freelancer or small business owner in the creative field is definitely exciting. Whether you are in video production, graphic design, photography, web design, etc. emotions become a mixture of anticipation and anxiety. As you grow your business, you will always be on the lookout for new relationships and new opportunities. But as you promote your busines, it’s important to keep some ethical guidelines in mind.

At some point in your career, you will be hired out as a sub-contractor for another company. You may be hired to go out and shoot some b-roll footage or you might be asked to shoot some stills of a particular event. During these jobs, you are representing some one else - not your own business. You should never use it as an opportunity to hand out your own business cards and gain clients for yourself. This can be difficult to do, especially if you are first starting out and the client is pleased with your work. Remember, how would you feel if you had an established relationship with a client and a freelancer you hired was on location promoting himself and not your business?

In other situations you might be brought in on a project because you have a specific skill set. For example, let’s say a marketing project manager has a client who requests video production work in addition to the website that’s already being designed. The project manager might pull you in to handle that aspect of the job. In this particular scenario you should try and meet with the client only when the project manager is present. Remember, it’s the project manager’s client, not yours, and he/she should definitely stay in the loop. If you have to email the client directly for any reason, always Cc: the project manager. There are two more things to keep in mind with this particular arrangement:

1. Never discuss payment terms with the client. That’s between you and the project manager. Remember, you are a vendor.
2. Never accept payment directly from the client, unless you have permission from the project manager. Usually a project manager will include a markup into the budget to cover his/her time and overhead. Never give the impression that you are trying to conduct business behind the project manager’s back.

I know that as a freelancer or small business owner, it’s important to be zealous in your marketing efforts. But what’s more important is that you remain ethical.

Part of being a successful freelancer or small business owner is having a specific vision for the type of work you want to go after. Early in your career, however, you might have to take jobs you wouldn’t ordinarily accept. But what happens when you are a few years into your career and a job is offered to you that doesn’t exactly fit with your vision? When should you take it and when should you pass?

1. Consider the Contact - the job itself might not be attractive, but if the individual offering you the job is someone who can offer bigger and better jobs in the future, it might be wise to take it. Do what you can to establish that relationship. If he or she is pleased with your work on the smaller jobs, they’ll be more inclined to come back to you later.
2. Consider Your Finances - Keeping an eye on your cash flow is important. If the three-month outlook isn’t where it needs to be, consider taking those smaller jobs to make ends meet.
3. Consider the Timeframe - How soon does the prospective client need the final product? If you can come through in a pinch with a quality product, your client will see you as a reliable resource and will be eager to hire you again.

Always consider the kind of reputation you are building. Evaluate it and make sure it’s a reputation that fits in with your goals.

I first saw this presentation at Doc Yankee’s Marketing Mojo blog. You can also follow Doc Yankee on Twitter. The slide show presentation is from Jay Conrad Levinson and features 90 things you can do to market yourself and your business in low-cost, but creative ways. Some items on the list won’t be for everyone, but I’m sure you will be able to find a lot of useful information.

As you market your services to potential clients, it’s important to remember that perception is everything. If people see you as knowledgeable and experienced, they will be more inclined to listen to what you are offering. Image is key.

I recently came across a website promising visitors that success can be found in a video production career. On the home page is a brief video, featuring a spokesperson who covers a few introductory items in a “how-to” lecture format. The spokesperson was well-prepared and, based on what he said, seemed knowledgeable.

But something wasn’t quite right with the image they were presenting. This is a site for a company that wants you, the viewer, to consider them as a valuable resource in your fledgling production career. However, the quality of the home page video was unimpressive.

It was shot with a standard consumer camcorder under flat lighting conditions. The camera was pointed at the spokesperson standing in front of a dry erase marker board, creating a presentation that failed to engage the viewer.

It seemed that the on-board camera mic was used, rather than a lavaliere or shotgun mic. Therefore, the audio sounded thin and the levels were too low. The auto-focus was left on, meaning that during the video the whole scene would fall out of focus as the camera tried to calibrate itself.

Visitors to the site might come away from watching this video with a little less respect for the company, because little consideration was given to the image being portrayed to potential clients. A more effective video would have included behind-the-scenes footage of the production process: on location shooting with high-end equipment, in the studio working with the lighting gear, in the edit suite putting everything together, etc. This would have given the viewer a general overview into the production world and would have been far more engaging than a single shot of a spokesperson in front of a marker board.

Remember, perception is everything when it comes to marketing. Position yourself as a knowledgeable expert in your field and constantly re-evaluate the image and brand you are communicating to potential clients.

A few weeks ago I was contacted by a client in need of some footage that was shot back in 2005. I went through my archives and found the footage in question. It seems that my client, during a recent office restructuring, had misplaced their original copy. They indicated that they would be happy to pay for the replacement copy.

I made the transfer, packaged it, and shipped it along with an invoice that reflected my standard charges for time and materials. I received a call shortly thereafter from the client who was surprised at the cost of the transfer. I could tell she was unhappy. I did my best to explain my rates and why she was seeing this particular amount on her invoice. She paused, then said, “Well, seems like there’s not much I can do. I guess you’ll be getting a check.”

I could tell that the conversation didn’t end well. She just wasn’t satisifed. I hung up, the tone of the discussion still looming over my head. “I need to make this right,” I thought. This particular client had given me an opportunity to do some work for them back in 2005 and were pleased with the results. Now they have expressed interest in hiring me again for upcoming video projects. I didn’t want to do anything to jeopardize this working relationship, so I sent my client an email, along with a revised invoice. In my email I apologized that the price caught her off guard and that I wanted to maintain good relations with her company by reducing the amount of the transfer.

It’s important to get paid for the work you do. And it’s important to know what you’re worth. But what’s most important of all is customer service and the rapport you build with your clients. Exceptional customer service will go a long way and it will prompt your clients to hire you again and again for future work. You can afford to make short-term sacrifices for long-term gains.

When I first started in my business, one of the biggest things I worried about was the caliber of my work. After landing work with those early clients, I was afraid that they would hate the final product once it was delivered. I was unsure of my abilities. I was faced with a lot of doubt early on. Although I had plenty of production experience as a college student and as a freelancer, I knew that there was a lot yet to be learned. And I knew that working for someone else on a particular shoot is a lot different than running your own business.

Perhaps you are currently facing a similar situation. You’re passionate about your creative work - whether it be video production, writing, graphic design, web design, etc. - but you’re just getting started and don’t yet have a strong reel or portfolio. You want to make it on your own, but struggle with self confidence. If you’re in this situation, remember the adage, “Never let them see you sweat.”

It may be simplistic to say this, but despite your own fears, you have to maintain a self-assured appearance. Always portray confidence, no matter what. A potential client can pick up on self-doubt from the moment of the first hand shake. Here are a few reminders:

1. KNOW YOUR STUFF - When a potential client starts asking you questions about your particular field and what you have to offer, you have to respond in a clear, confident, knowledgeable manner. Read books if you feel as though you need a little more education. Get out there and practice your craft, even if it’s on your own time. Talk to more experienced people in your field and ask them questions about their particular style.
2. GET SOME BUSINESS CARDS - It’s professional and it provides your potential client with all pertinent contact information. And if you can, get rid of that email address from your high school years - the one that says “misshottie123@yahoo.com.” You don’t have to have a business domain, but everything about you should be professional.
3. GET A REEL - If you haven’t edited a demo reel, do it. Even if all you have are some short films from college, it will give a potential client an idea of your particular style of writing, cinematography, editing, etc. Believe me, in three years you will look back on that first reel and gag with horror as you see the quality of your work, so that’s why it’s crucial that you keep the reel up to date. And always put your contact info on the reel and on the disc label.
4. NEVER SAY NO - Some people debate this point, but I think it’s important when you’re first starting out to accept any job, even if you feel as though you don’t have the resources. Go ahead and take the job, then hire others to come on board to help in areas that might be beyond your level of expertise. You can build their cost into the budget, then mark that up 15% as a commission for yourself (after all, it’s your client). There are always a number of available freelancers out there. You just have to know where to look. And working with people more experienced than you will only help you to learn more about your field.
5. FREELANCE FOR OTHERS - I did this a lot when I was first starting out. Landing my own clients was a rare occurrence in the early days, so I would jump on board with any other production company hiring freelancers. I worked as a PA, cable wrangler, camera assistant, camera operator, etc. just to fill in the gaps. Once you have built up your own client base, you can slowly cut back on how much you have to work for others.

Remember, the more confidence you demonstrate to your leads, the more inclined they will be to hire you. It won’t be easy. It will be slow and sometimes it will be very discouraging. But don’t let those slow periods drain you of your own self-worth. If you’re passionate enough about what you do, it will pay off.

When you finally meet with potential clients interested in your creative services, it’s easy to sit back and allow them to describe the project for you. It’s easy to listen as they tell you what they would like. But what do you do when your contact turns and says, “I’d like to hear some of your ideas.”

One of the best ways to attract new work is to spend some quality time preparing for that first meeting. Research your contact’s company. Learn what you can about the way they do business. Examine their current brand and their current marketing efforts. Read what other people are saying about them. And see what their competition is doing. If you take the time to do your homework then you can be better prepared to ask relevant questions offer creative solutions to their marketing problems. It’s a great way to establish a strong business relationship.

Many of my larger projects are built into phases. This is done mainly for two reasons: it helps my client’s budgeting needs and it provides them with peace of mind, knowing that I am making constant progress on the video. If you are working on a project that is built into phases, it’s important to thoroughly describe each phase in the contract and when that phase will be completed. Be up front with your client in regards to payment. I usually request a deposit when the contract is signed and then partial payments upon delivery of each phase. Asking for progress payments will help your cash flow and will help defray production costs and the cost of your time.

When that first phase is delivered, however, it’s important that you and your client are both on the same page before the project moves forward. It would be disastrous to move toward completion of a project when your client hasn’t even approved phase one. That’s why, in addition to the original contract, I always provide my clients with written approval agreements that they must sign before I continue with the project. These don’t have to be complicated. All it needs to say is that the client acknowledges that phase one was delivered on schedule, that they have thoroughly examined all elements, and that those elements meet with their approval. This will give you the green light to continue your work, knowing with certainty that the client is completely satisfied with the project thus far.

Remember, never assume. Even if you talk with the client over the phone and they say, “Hey, this looks great! You’re on the right track. Keep going,” you need to get their approval in writing. I have learned this the hard way, dealing with clients who give verbal approval, only to recant it later. That resulted in more work for me, for less pay (because I still had to stay within the specified budget). Maintaining good client relations is all about giving due diligence to proper communications.

Everyone has their own system of filing and archiving, but whatever that system is, be sure to adhere to it. Otherwise things could get messy down the road, because you never know when a previous client will call you up and ask for a file on a job that’s at least five years old. That’s when your filing system is put to the test.

This morning I came in to the office and checked email (as I always do). There in my inbox was a message from a one-time client, needing files for a job I did back in 2005. I immediately thought, “There’s no way I have a copy of that. I gave everything to her.” So I went and checked the job file, and sure enough, I had filed away an extra copy for my own records. Let that be lesson #1 - Always keep duplicate copies for yourself. Don’t give everything to the client.

Here’s a quick run-down of how I store and archive client projects:

• Once the job is complete, I leave all elements on my hard drive for 45-60 days.
• When I get approval from the client and I see that no more work is needed for that particular project, I do two things: 1) Make a master copy of the project onto both tape and DVD, and 2) move all raw elements to an external hard drive for archiving.
• Over the next several months, I wait and see if the client will use any of these elements for various projects. If there are no repeat jobs for this client, I usually remove all the raw footage from the hard drive to free up space for new jobs. However, I still retain all the project files from my editing system. That way, if I need to revisit this project again, all I have to do is reload all the old footage. My logs, edit points, effects, titles, etc. remain intact because I saved the project files.

In video production it becomes very important to have an efficient and organized archiving system, because video files take up so much hard drive space. Your system is probably different from mine. Some people put everything from a single project onto an external hard drive, then label the drive and store it on a shelf. Some people use big rubber maid tubs to store everything from a particular client. Me? I use a CD/DVD tower to organize my clients’ master DVDs, tape racks for all raw footage and master tapes, and file folders for all paperwork. It’s important to find a system that works for you.

I’d be interested to know what everyone else is doing to archive old projects.