Parc Entertainment - A Video Production Company - Birmingham, AL

Money, money, money. This is the one thing that most potential clients are concerned about when deciding whether or not to push forward with a marketing campaign. If you work in video production, web design, graphic design… well, just about any creative field, it can be frustrating when clients want more for less money. Somewhere along the way the true value of what we provide hasn’t been communicated. Maybe the fault lies not with the client, but with ourselves.

Let me explain. In a post last year I discussed the importance of knowing what you’re worth. As a freelancer and small business owner you need to be confident in the quality of your work and the value of your time. Your rates should reflect this view. However, during leaner times we sometimes find ourselves desperate to land the next job. And what do we do? We “low-ball” our bids in an effort to beat out our competitors. Over time, this approach has two effects.

• The marketplace is cheapened.
• The bar is lowered for everyone, creating a new price standard by which all other creative services are gauged.

Before you bid on a job, you have to decide what your ultimate goal is. If you simply want the job, so you can get something on your reel or in your portfolio, then you will probably try to undercut the competition. Keep in mind that if you cut your rates just to land the job, the client will expect more of the same from you down the road. They will continue to up the work load while trying to talk you down on price.

The alternative strategy is to let the quality of your work speak for itself. Communicate the value of what you will deliver. Tell your client that you want to provide them with the most competitive product, not a quick fix. Reinforce the idea that compromises both financial and creatively will ultimately compromise the end product. And if the client continues to balk at your bid, don’t be afraid to walk away. If the client’s entire focus is on money, then the relationship might not be a good fit for you.

As a small business owner or freelancer it can be very tempting to jump on any job opportunity offered up to you. That knee-jerk reaction to say “yes” to any and everything does communicate eagerness, but it can get you into big trouble down the road if you don’t carefully examine the situation before diving in.

In Luke 14:28 Jesus said, “For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?” Regardless of your spiritual beliefs, there’s some wisdom here that’s applicable in your personal and professional life. The moral is, think before you commit. If you make a promise to your client, it’s vital that you deliver on that promise. If you can’t finish what you start, it not only makes you look bad, but it puts your client in a very inconvenient situation.

Sometimes a potential client will come to me with a very attractive project and a very tight schedule. I have to carefully weigh the needs of the client, the scope of the project, and the time frame in which it has to be completed. If I’m confident in my ability to deliver, I move forward on the project. If I don’t feel as though I can deliver all that the client is asking in the time frame allotted, I don’t walk away. Rather, I work with the client to see if we can trim the scope of the project to a more manageable size. I almost never say “no,” because often there are solutions that can be made to the satisfaction of everyone.

To succeed as a business owner or freelancer, you have to deliver a quality product on time and on budget. Before you jump in, evaluate the situation carefully and make sure you always deliver on what you promise.

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.

I was listening to an internet marketing podcast recently and the hosts of the show were discussing how E-Consultancy is using Twitter to join in on public conversations related to their company. Here’s a quick synopsis of E-Consultancy, as stated on their website:

Econsultancy is a community where the world’s digital marketing and ecommerce professionals meet to sharpen their strategy, source suppliers, get quick answers, compare notes, help each other out and discover how to do everything better online.

Founded in 1999, Econsultancy has grown to become the leading source of independent advice and insight on digital marketing and ecommerce.

Our reports, events, online resources and training programmes help our 80,000+ members make better decisions, build business cases, find the best suppliers, look smart in meetings and accelerate their careers.

E-Consultancy searched for what people were saying about them on Twitter and placed a live feed of those tweets right on their home page. And there’s no content filtering, so if there are people out there with negative feelings toward E-Consultancy, those thoughts will show up right on the home page.

Just a few years ago, this practice of exposing potential customers to potentially negative reviews would be a no-no. However, in today’s social media world, this transparency might be refreshing. It demonstrates to the public that this company listens to their customers and strives to be prompt in addressing all concerns. It shows that they are engaged and tuned in to conversations about their brand.

This doesn’t mean that you have to put a live Twitter feed on your home page, but it does illustrate the point that as business owners, we have a responsibility to the people we serve. You need to be engaged in what people are saying about your brand. Listen to them. Respond in a timely manner. And always look for ways to improve your brand.

What are your thoughts about E-Consultancy’s move? Good or bad?

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.

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.