Obtaining New Clients

[Tim Morris]

I would like to pose a quick question to others in the REDuser Community. How do you guys get the bulk of your clients? I'm sure that your geographical location plays a big part with obtaining opportunities. I am currently in Chicago and I wanted to get some feedback from others throughout the country as to how clients are secured. Are you guys using any third party platforms such as videopixe, production hub or even crew connection?

The areas that I am referring to is corporate, business, commercial spots, music videos, BTS or even short films.

Do your leads come from:

a) 3rd party sites web and/or social media platforms (videopixe, production hub, crew connection etc)
b) personal website
c) word of mouth

Your feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Tim

 

[Terry VerHaar]

Kind of depends on what you do, doesn't it? You might want to get more specific.

 

[Tim Morris]

The areas that I am referring to are corporate, business, commercial spots, music videos, BTS or even short films.

Do your leads come from:

a) 3rd party connection sites such as (videopixe, production hub, crew connection etc)
b) personal website
c) word of mouth

Your feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Tim

 

[Jarek Zabczynski]

I don't know how others get work, but I would say 99% of my jobs have been through word of mouth referrals. The other 1% being stuff like randomly running into people, getting to talking and passing along my card or someone randomly reaching out online.

 

[Rakesh Malik]

I don't know how others get work, but I would say 99% of my jobs have been through word of mouth referrals. The other 1% being stuff like randomly running into people, getting to talking and passing along my card or someone randomly reaching out online.

You're in my old 'hood! I grew up in that area.

I'm relatively new to finding my clients, so far it's been a mix. I got hired to shoot a feature film because the director/producer was looking for a cinematographer and found me at an even where a film I'd shot was being screened and we started talking. He ended up liking my work enough to hire me. I got another feature film as a referral from another cinematographer that I've been crewing with now and then.

I've gotten a few projects through StaffMeUp and Craigslist.

 

[Nick Morrison]

All my clients are relationships I've developed and cultivated over the years.

We get new clients yes, but those are also built up slowly. Maybe I meet them somewhere, we get a coffee, we start small, someone recommends us, etc etc.

Almost all my clients started on something very, very small. Or met me on something big with someone else.

But its the personal, the meetings, the coffees, the connections, that drive the work.

I've rarely found the internet good for anything except showcasing work - that I'll point to while I'm having coffee with someone.

But on it's own?

Not so much.

It's a place for people to find you, see your work, yes. But once that's done, everything else is face to face.

At least has been for me.

I recommend networking and going to as many events that suite your interests as possible.

For reference, I try and go on a networking "coffee" with old or new clients at least once a week.

It's a good habit to get into.

Hope this helps.

 

[Tim Morris]

Thanks guys I appreciate the information. Networking of course is essential and its a must. My production company is my side business and most of the jobs have come through a contact that was made. So I totally agree. I am just curious to see if any of these 3rd party platforms have benefited anybody through out the country.

For example.....I joined productionhub and I have seen several postings where they specifically look for camera operators to rent and/or shoot with REDs on site. I have seen postings only in New York, LA, Atlanta and a few in Florida. I missed out on a job here in Chicago do to a scheduling conflict.

 

[Louis Maddalena]

For me its all long time connections... 2 of my biggest clients who spend the most money with me on a yearly basis I went to high school with.

my next biggest clients I was introduced to from the same guy who I knew when I was in in college.

I still get new stuff but I don't go searching for it... its all word of mouth.

Casey Neistat said "if you do good work, they'll come to you" and I believe that to be true. I'm booked solid most of the time, and all because I did my best work even when the budget wasn't there and now that I'm older, I have very little holes in my schedule. So start small, build up relationships, and do your best work no matter what and you'll be remembered. Also don't discount your self too much if you want to end up on the higher end stuff, people will think of you as the budget guy and not hire you when the budget is there.

 

[Darius Lyles]

All great stuff here of course but I want to stress relationships..never do anybody wrong and never bad mouth someone else. Also what I learned a couple years back is don't pass your card out on others people sets unless you have their blessing. Its not a good look to be hired on by another shooter/company and you poach their clients. Now if the original point of contact does a horrible job and the client severs that relationship that is a different story be ready to step up and always treat people fair.

 

[Louis Maddalena]

All great stuff here of course but I want to stress relationships..never do anybody wrong and never bad mouth someone else. Also what I learned a couple years back is don't pass your card out on others people sets unless you have their blessing. Its not a good look to be hired on by another shooter/company and you poach their clients. Now if the original point of contact does a horrible job and the client severs that relationship that is a different story be ready to step up and always treat people fair.

Oh god if you poach my client or hand out cards at my job, I'll never hire you again, and I'd make sure my friends know that you tried to poach my client.

Now if you're a grip or something like that and you give your contact information to my gaffer thats a different story.. I understand they might like each other and try recommend each other again.. but if you go for the / my client then I'll be upset.

 

[Nathan Apffel]

Louis and Nick nailed it.

Most of my clients have been long term, we slowly grow together over the years, developing a close working relationship. I pickup 1-2 clients a year, through handshakes and referrals. Trust and relationship are the two most important parts of this business.

I dropped a client because someone I hired to work on my set poached them (they are on this forum) promising lower cost.

A few months later the client circled back around, saying how this individual dropped the ball... So I raised my budgets higher to fix the issues, and they pay those higher rates to this day. It's a small world we all play in.

 

[Nick Morrison]

It's a small world we all play in.

Yes it is. I started by creating trailers, for very big shows, for 10 years. It's a small biz. We all know each other. All my old colleagues call me now with work. But it's a tiny world. And I'm very mindful, respectful, and courteous of everyone I work with, and speak highly of all. It's always far more productive and rewarding to stay positive, and be generous.

At least has been for us.

 

[Tim Morris]

This is good dialogue and great information.

 

[Josh Wilkinson]

I'm a lot more indie than most of the guys here. I work mostly in the under $5000 market. Mostly solo or small crew. Music Videos, Commercial, Fashion, Fitness, etc.. plus a little real estate.

I'd say about a 1/4 of my clients are new, mostly through job boards, but also some work of mouth (craigslist, thumbtack, radar, etc..)
about 1/2 comes from work for hire stuff done for a couple of different ad agencies, all corporates. (pays the bills)
and about 1/4 is from repeats, I have a decent roster of clients that come back monthly/quarterly.

Im in Dallas, so there isn't a ton of high dollar stuff being made here. So i have to be somewhat diligent about landing new clients. I've found profession jobs boards to be a good source for landing new clients. A lot of them end up becoming repeats as well.
The majority of my clients are indie musicians, so hopefully as some of them get signed some of this may change for me.

 

[Tim Morris]

I recently found out about Thumbtack 3 weeks and I have been connected with several leads here in Chicago. I learned that you have to move quickly.

 

[Darius Lyles]

Oh god if you poach my client or hand out cards at my job, I'll never hire you again, and I'd make sure my friends know that you tried to poach my client.

Now if you're a grip or something like that and you give your contact information to my gaffer thats a different story.. I understand they might like each other and try recommend each other again.. but if you go for the / my client then I'll be upset.

Yep loyalty is everything and doing right by people is not only a good thing to do it's a must in this biz

 

[Tony Reale]

The advantage to being in a smaller market is that it's easier to rise to the top. I've been able to bring our company to the top of Google searches in our state organically. That's where we get the majority of work.

 

[Tim Morris]

@ Josh Wilkinson

I recently found out about Thumbtack and I have been using it for about a month. I must say.....I have had numerous leads sent my way that I otherwise would not have gotten. I am curious to see who else uses this platform.

 

[Darius Lyles]

I use it and it has led to a couple of gigs.

 

[Josh Wilkinson]

@ Josh Wilkinson

I recently found out about Thumbtack and I have been using it for about a month. I must say.....I have had numerous leads sent my way that I otherwise would not have gotten. I am curious to see who else uses this platform.

I've been hired around 60x in 2 years, some pretty high budget work even. Its a pretty good tool if you can figure out how to make it work for you.