Many people think that the only way to get clients for their video production company is by advertising. The truth is, this isn’t how you should be attracting your client base. Advertising can generate some leads, but it won’t guarantee a solid client base. You need first to understand how to attract your desired audience and then communicate with them effectively before they will want to work with you.
Find Your Audience
The best way to get clients is to focus on the actions of your desired audience and provide them with content they want to consume. To do this, you need to know who they are and what products and services will be their top priorities. It would help if you kept in mind that the more specific you are, the better results you will get. For example, if you are editing footage your production company shot, you wouldn’t tell your editor to just cut the shots together. You would want to be specific, are they hard cuts, cutaways, or jump cuts. The more specific you can get, the better off you will be. Figuring out your ideal audience or client base is a critical step, so don’t rush the process.
Start by working backward. Figure out what type of production your company is going to do. This will give you the base for figuring out who your larger audience is. Remember that the smaller you can segment this audience, the more effective you can market to them. Now, let’s take that larger audience and break it down. Here are just a few questions you could ask, but be very specific with your answers.
- Is there a specific age range of people I am targeting?
- Does my ideal client have a particular geographical location?
- Is there a specific business size I am looking to target, so their budget aligns with what we are doing?
Be creative with the questions you ask. These questions will help you come up with your core group. If you have multiple people in one segment, then you can probably be more specific. One tip I’ve heard before is to think of yourself as an “interested party.” If you were to hire yourself, what would be important? Doing this will help keep your mind focused on the value that you provide.
Content For Your Ideal Client
Now that you know your ideal client, it’s time to put together some content for them. Think about informational topics these specific clients are interested in, but more importantly, what they need to know. An excellent place to start is by looking at website analytics. These numbers will tell you what type of information and topics people are seeking out the most.
You will need to publish content to get more people interested in what you are doing. Simply having a portfolio is not enough. I always recommend the following types of content: how-to articles, tutorials, blogs posts about industry news, case studies and testimonials, and infographics. You can create each of these types of content in different ways. Be sure to vary what you are putting out, but not losing sight of the topics related to your narrow target audience.
Keep in mind that most content will be for your website or blog posts. But, you can also create a presence on social networks. These sites are a great way to connect with the types of people you want as clients. Just as important as the content you publish is making sure that it reaches the right people.
Always Add Value
A crucial step to finding the ideal client that is also loyal to your production company is by adding immense value; doing this is how to get clients for video production. Just doing a good job is not good enough. The client needs to see the value your production company adds and feel like they are getting more than they expected. Adding value is one of the best ways to make a first-time customer become a repeat customer.
Creating a unique product is an excellent way to add value to your ideal client. For example, let’s say you are shooting weddings. Offer an additional video that goes through the process of getting ready for the big day. This is great because it shows you are willing to give them more at no additional charge. In the long run, getting that client at the cost of an extra hour of work is well worth your time. Some production companies will add value by offering discounts on future services after the initial job has been completed successfully. Doing this incentivizes the client to use you again, knowing they will get a discounted rate.
Remember that you never want to appear to be money hungry. If you need to charge a higher price based on a client’s change or requests, that is ok, make sure you are transparent, and they understand why it costs more. Most clients know that this can happen and accept it as long as there is transparency and honesty.
Communication is Key
By now, you should have an idea of who your specific audience is and have found ways to add value for those clients. Even though your job may be done, your work is not done. Like any relationship, communication is vital. Keep an open, ongoing line of communication with all of your clients. Know about their business, their successes, congratulate them, compliment them, and send them a Christmas card. Yes, you are a nice person, but more so, you want them to think of you next time they need something done. You want your production company to be the first to pop into their head and the first one they contact.
This is beneficial to your business because they will call you, but don’t forget about their network. They have friends and colleagues with work also. Your name will be the first one they mention when asked. There is no better way to get a job than from a personal recommendation. The person they recommend will be an easier client for you to close as long as you continue adding value and maintain good communication.
In Conclusion
The first step to building a client base for your video production company is knowing how they think. The second step is how you can attract them, and the third, how you provide value that makes them want to return again and again. Communication with clients about their needs and wants will help build lasting relationships and ensure that you always provide for their needs. Following these steps will grow your client list quickly and give you repeat customers for years to come.
