CF | Chaze Films, LLC | Boston Video Strategy, Production & Marketing

March 10, 2021 by CF

How To Reach Out To Potential Clients On LinkedIn

We all know LinkedIn is the social media platform for professionals so that would be a very good place, to not only find jobs, but find potential clients as well.

Of course, there are different strategies to utilize the platform to benefit from and we’ll get into one in this article – How to reach out to potential clients on LinkedIn.

We’re still in the process of testing different types of strategies out on LinkedIn and there’s just too much to cover so we’ll post more very soon (as well as include free message templates to use on LinkedIn on our email newsletter) but in the meantime, let’s get into reaching out to potential clients the right way so you actually get responses.

Before we continue, there is a difference between a free LinkedIn account (which limits you on a lot of things) versus Premium. We’re writing this article assuming you only have a free account in case you never want to pay for their Premium plan.

How To Reach Out To Potential Clients On LinkedIn

Do A Little Research First – If you’re contacting them with a generic message, anyone can see it’s not genuine and you’ll miss the connection. Do a little research first, especially if it’s someone you randomly added as a connection.

Find out what type of work they do, what their goals and skills are, if they are even active on LinkedIn (it’ll show their activity on their profile), etc.

Just imagine if you sent them a generic message and their current job is exactly what you do. That’d be embarrassing.

Warm Up To Them – If you’re sending a random person a connection, try to attach a personalized short message as it’ll probably help them accept your connection request.

Once you’re connected, do not send them a private message immediately. Instead, plant seeds to warm up to them. Engage with their posts by liking and commenting with thoughtful messages. Often times they’ll respond to you in their comments as well.

This will help you get noticed and if you engage thoughtfully, you’ll slowly turn a cold lead into a lukewarm one. Eventually this will open the door for it to be acceptable to bring the conversation over to a private message and they’ll be more keen to reply now that they have an idea on who you are and that you had thoughtful things to say to connect.

Find Common Ground – If you’ve warmed up to them already and they’ve been replying to your comments on their posts, now you have some common ground interests to work with.

If you still don’t have common grounds, find some. It makes it easier. Whether it’s mutual interests, connections, groups that you’re both in, things they’ve posted that you’re also interested in, it could be anything.

Just the other week I had a Zoom meet with a founder of a new company and they brought up that their business partner went to the same university I went to. Imagine if I didn’t have someone introducing me, I could’ve mentioned that we were both alum and connect that way.

Keep It Short – Remember the platforms you’re connecting on, especially when it’s through private messaging. You don’t want to write a novel to them, you want to save that conversation for a meeting or a phone call with them. The private message should be short with the intent of connecting outside of private messaging.

Some people like to transition to emails, some like setting up phone calls or Zoom meets and some try to schedule to meet in person. Either way, keep it short so you can save the long conversation for the next step.

Do NOT Sell Them Anything, Learn About Them – If you’ve gotten to the point where they’ve cracked open the door for you to send them a private message, don’t instantly become a salesperson!

One of the biggest mistakes I’ve seen (and I’ve definitely been guilty of this) is being a salesperson from the get go. This is often a turnoff to them and they may even just delete you as a connection.

Instead, put your description of what you do or your title as your tagline on your profile. When they hover over your profile, that information is shown.

Try to find more about them, their business, their position in the company, etc. Learn about them and more often than not, they’ll want to find out more about you in return.

Think about it like this… if you ask someone “how are you?” and they answer, odds are they’ll probably ask “how are you” as well.

Give Them A Reason To Reply – If you don’t give them a reason to reply, why would they? Asking questions, pulling them into the conversation, set them up so they want to reply to you.

If you write a sentence or two as a statement, that pretty much ends the conversation as it doesn’t give them room to reply.

Conclusion

There are a lot of different ways on how to message potential clients on LinkedIn but since everyone is different, there’s no universal way of doing it.

Some people automate (which I wouldn’t recommend as your messages end up getting hidden and marked as spam), some people try to sell on initial conversations and I’m sure others try other ways. I’m sure some have gotten responses but the conversion rate is probably very low.

We’ve been experimenting on trying different strategies and thinking out the box so we’ll continue to post updates so make sure you’re subscribed to our email newsletter so you don’t miss out!

Hope this helps!

February 18, 2021 by CF

Why You Should Include An “Artistic Release” Clause In Your Video/Photo Contract

When you’re in a creative profession such as being a videographer, filmmaker, photographer, designer, artist, etc, and you’re working with clients, chances are you’ll run into someone that hires you because they like your creative style.

That’s great! But in rare occasions, there are some who slowly want to take over the creative process of the project while changing your style, which is the same reason why they hired you in the first place.

And in some cases, if your clients don’t like your creative style (again, the same reason why they hired you), then they may withhold payment.

Well, make sure you’re including an “Artistic Release” clause in your contracts to help avoid that.

Now, before I continue, I’d like to say that if you’re being hired to produce paid client work, you should produce what they actually want, no matter how bad you think their idea is. All you can do is give your professional feedback and suggestions and hope they will take your expert input.

But these are things you’ll want to find out before signing a contract to see if they’re the right fit for you as a client. If you don’t think it’ll work or you’re getting a lot of red flags, you don’t have to take them on as a client.

With that said…

Why You Should Include An “Artistic Release” Clause In Your Contract

Keep Your Style The Way It Is – If you have a specific style, and most artists (photographers, designers, etc) do, you may not want to change your style as it takes away from your brand and what you’re known for.

When people reach out to you, they should be able to see your portfolio and get a sense of what they would receive if they hire you. They shouldn’t expect you to change your entire style. Having this in your contract to help reiterate that.

Art Is Subjective – Many things in life are subjective but it doesn’t mean one thing is right and one thing is wrong. But when working with clients, there may be a time where both feel that is the case.

Having this information on your contract will inform your client that you’ll do the best to incorporate their feedback but at the end of the day, it shouldn’t take away all of your creative style that they originally hired you for.

Not Valid Reason For Termination Or Refunds – If a client disagrees with your style, your aesthetic judgement, or artistic ability, they shouldn’t have hired you to begin with. And if they use that as an excuse to try to receive a refund or terminate the contract, having this in your contract states they cannot do that and they agree to that when they signed.

If they hired you, they should’ve done enough research to see your portfolio and know what to expect.

Conclusion

In any creative profession, you’re bound to run into this type of situation at least once. Having an “Artistic Release” in your contract will help save you in this type of situation.

Obviously, I’m not a lawyer so you should consult with one on the specific text to include within your contract, but I’ll be providing the specific verbiage I use on my contracts to my email subscribers to use at their own risk (feel free to subscribe below).

At the end of the day, make sure you’re also looking out for you and your company or you may find yourself in a situation where you would may not be in.

February 4, 2021 by CF

How To Find Videography (And Photography) Clients

How do I find video and photo clients? I see this asked a lot. Whether you’re just starting out in the videography or photography world or you’ve been at it for a while, finding clients can always be challenging at times. And more importantly, finding the clients you actually want to work with can be that much tougher. But let’s get into how to find videography and photography clients.

Things You Need To Do Before Finding Clients

Have A Portfolio Or Examples Of Your Work – Even if you were the best salesperson out there, in this industry, you need some sort of portfolio to back up the quality of your work. No matter how much they may like you, they’re probably not going to hire you based solely on that.

If you’re just starting out, go film or take photos of people you know and focus on the type of work you’d want clients to hire you for. If you’re looking to create videos for businesses, they won’t want to see wedding videos you’ve created.

Create Social Media Accounts And Website – You need some place to showcase your portfolio and often times social media will help you do that. But don’t forget to create a website too!

I see a lot of people that skip that part but potential clients will want to do their own research before hiring you and your website is one of the first places they’ll look. If you don’t have a website, at minimum, they’ll be skeptical.

A Professional Way To Contact You – This is obvious but they need to get in touch with you if they’re interested. But, say, you’re sending a cold email from a Gmail account, that doesn’t help build trust sending from a free email provider.

If you have your own website, you’ll have your own domain. Create a professional email such as YourName [at] YourDomain [dot] com. That in itself builds trust and looks professional.

If you’re contacting people in person, make sure you have a business card to give them. Your first impression shouldn’t be you telling them to add you on social media or you writing down your number for them.

With that said, let’s get into some ways on how to find videography and photography clients.

Social Media

This is super vague and I’ll be going into more details on future posts (make sure to subscribe to the newsletter so you don’t miss out) but social media is a great way to research, engage and contact potential clients.

If you’re subscribed to our newsletter, you already have some tactics to contact specific businesses but here are some general tips.

Don’t Sell But Rather, Engage – One of the things I see people do (and we were guilty of it before too) is basically selling our services like a salesperson right from the beginning.

No one wants to be spammed with your sales pitch on their first meet.

Provide Value – When you engage with people’s posts, offer tips and suggestions as well, build trust by networking and then they’ll likely want to check you out and talk about how you can help bring them value.

But offering tips, suggestions, and providing value will show them you’re an expert in your field by showcasing your knowledge.

We’ll get into specifics with Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and more on future posts.

From Their Ad Marketing Campaigns

Have you ever seen ads pop up on your feed or while searching for something and think “oh man, I could definitely help them better their videos and photos for their marketing”? Well, that could be your selling point and be your next client.

They’re already advertising but we all know first impressions mean a lot so if they could use some help with their digital media, I’m pretty sure they’ll take you up on your offer.

Join Groups And Communities

Joining groups and communities will help a lot as long as you’re not spamming. Even if someone you’ve talked to and networked with doesn’t need your services, it doesn’t mean they don’t know someone that does.

Plant seeds and watch them grow.

Networking Events

During the pandemic, most networking events are online now but that shouldn’t stop you from attending. Search forums, event calendars, social media groups, etc, and then attend ones that are specific to the ideal client that you’re looking for.

If you’re interested in real estate, attend some networking events specific to that.

Of course, when it’s safe to do so, attend networking events in person as well! But again, make sure you’re not selling, but engaging. Like the previous point, plant seeds and watch them grow.

Review Websites And Search Engines

Google My Business, Yelp, a specific niche review website, those are all great places to find potential clients. Not only will you see what they’re good at, you’ll also see what their customers are saying they’re lacking. You can use their pain points to help bring them value and make their business that much better.

Simply search for your ideal client in Google (ex. Architects near me) and you’ll see a listing on Google My Business with reviews/ratings as well as specific review websites. Check them out and reach out to them.

If they’re not on Google My Business or anything else but you still find them, that’s another selling point that you can bring up that it’s beneficial for them to list their businesses.

Here are some tips on sending cold emails to businesses.

In Person

When it’s safe to do so, finding clients in person will go a long way. I know a bunch of videographers/photographers who go into the place of business and simply talking with the owner or someone in charge.

Again, have a conversation, make sure you do some sort of research beforehand and have your business cards ready!

Conclusion

There are plenty of ways on how to find video and photo clients but ultimately, you have to be patient, do the work and don’t give up.

We’ll be going into more depth on future posts but wanted to warm you guys up with a more general version. Stay tuned and subscribe to our newsletter so you don’t miss out!

January 21, 2021 by CF

How To Create An Efficient And Effective Client Email Workflow

Are you receiving a bunch of inquiries from potential clients? Are you having a tough time tracking everything? Is it affecting your efficiency with your client relationship? Well, it’s time to get organized so you can help streamline some of your email workflow to stay efficient and effective.

Now if you’re thinking “I don’t have to worry, I only receive a few inquiries here and there”, and you may not think it’s a big deal but what if tons of inquiries come all at once? Will your efficiency still be the same if that happens?

Don’t wait until that happens. Start your client email workflow now to get yourself organized but also so you can handle the efficiency when you do get flooded with client inquiries.

Here’s a good general client workflow that should help you out now as well as in the long run:

Responding To Inquiry

This seems like a given but believe it or not, there are some people who do not always respond to inquiries, especially if they are not interested in the client’s project.

On top of that, first impressions, even through emails, go a long way. If you don’t respond or respond unprofessionally, that creates a lasting impression on you/your company and that may become your reputation with them and everyone they tell.

You should always respond whether or not you are interested, and even more importantly, respond in a professional manner.

Find Out More About Their Inquiry Through A Questionnaire

When you receive an inquiry, often times people will include some details on their project but probably not enough for you to know how much time/work is involved as well as be able give an accurate estimated quote.

This is when your questionnaire will help you gather some more general details.

This will save you both time from going back and forth, flooding your inbox with numerous emails.

In my client email workflow, I often merge the “responding to inquiry” email while attaching my questionnaire to it (unless it’s not a good fit, then I don’t attach the questionnaire).

If you’re looking for a questionnaire template, we share ours with all of our email subscribers. Also, our blog post titled “6 Reasons Why You Should Send New Clients Questionnaires Before Meeting” be help out too.

We also use HoneyBook as our CRM, which has tons of features including keeping track of all emails for each project in one place but also one that sends out our questionnaire automatically for us (Get 50% off your first year by signing up through our referral link) saving us even more time.

If you’re looking for a free option, Google Forms can work too (but you must use Chrome for it).

Following Up To First Email Response/Questionnaire If No Response

Sometimes emails get lost in the shuffle or people get busy and forget to respond so we usually send out a friendly email reminder to nudge them. We usually send this out a week after sending our questionnaire to give them some time.

When we do receive responses and filled out questionnaires after the reminder, they usually let us know they either were busy or they overlooked that initial email.

In other cases where we don’t receive responses, we move on, but we didn’t lose or spend much time due to the email workflow setup.

Schedule Discovery Call

So, after a client fills out our questionnaire and we have the general idea on the project (as well as if we would be a good fit for the project), we send an email to schedule a discovery call to go more in depth.

This gives us a way to officially talk and meet the client, which is a great way to start building a relationship. You get a chance to find out about one another as well as their business, rather than being a random person behind a computer screen.

I mean, wouldn’t you feel more comfortable talking with someone you’re about to hire rather than just exchange a bunch of emails? Us too.

Not only that but it’s a great way to easily answer questions they may have, demonstrate that you’re an expert in your field and help them relieve any doubt they may have in potentially looking for another videographer/photographer/your competition because they’re comfortable with you.

Meeting Recap

There will probably be a lot of things discussed and a lot of questions asked so sending a recap email highlighting the details of the meeting is beneficial for both parties because you have everything in writing.

We do this to make sure we’re both on the same page, have their approval in case there was anything missed and use this to highlight the scope of work for the contract.

Send Proposal/Contract/Non-Refundable Retainer Invoice

Once the client approves the details from the meeting recap, which is pretty much the scope of work, it’s time to officially lock in the project with a contract and non-refundable retainer.

We attach the contract and invoice for the non-refundable retainer all in one email. And this is another reason why we like HoneyBook because they make this all easy for us.

Check-In Before Film Day Shoot

This is especially important if they booked you a month or longer in advance because people tend to lose track of time and the point is to give them a heads up so they’re all ready for the film day.

This can also be used as a reminder in case they have any last minute requests or if they were supposed to do certain tasks in preparation for production day (such as getting the proper employee who will be on film or cleaning up their workspace to be presentable on camera).

Delivery Of Drafts/Final Product

It’s always nice to send emails with updates to clients, especially if it’s a longer project so it shows you’re proactive and want to keep them in the loop. It also gives them an idea on when the project will be done (unless you guys agreed to a set deadline already).

Obviously sending drafts (with watermarks) to get approval from the client is a given but make sure you received their changes in writing so you can reference it.

Final Invoice

Before delivering the final product, make sure the remaining balance is paid. Again, since we use a CRM with HoneyBook, there’s an option for auto-pay and if it hasn’t been paid, HB automatically sends a reminder email to the client on your behalf so you don’t have to do anything.

Follow Up To Make Sure Everything Worked Out With The Final Product

It’s always nice to send a follow up to check to make sure all went well with the final product. This can vary depending on the type of project but generally speaking, it’s nice to build a relationship with them so they have a good experience with you.

If they had a great experience, you could always ask them to do you a favor and leave a good review because reviews go a long way in helping your business.

Conclusion

There will constantly be tweaking to client email workflows but being organized, providing good service to your client and saving yourself time will all help you in the long run.

This general workflow is something that has worked well for me and I continue to tweak it as I go but hopefully it helps you guys!

And if you’re interested in some email templates for each of these situations, I’ll be providing those free email templates on my email newsletter so if you’re not already signed up, don’t miss out! You can subscribe below!

December 30, 2020 by CF

Video Pre-Production Items (Checklist): The Extra Work Clients Don’t See Or Know You Do

Often times I see videographers and filmmakers overlook the pre-production side of things and more than likely they’re doing a bunch of this work without incorporating the costs within their pricing. In fact, clients probably don’t even know you do all this additional work because they assume it’s as simple as showing up with a camera to film followed by editing the footage.

Well, it’s time to inform them so they won’t be surprised when you’re incorporating these costs into the project. After all, this additional work is needed to help the client get the best results from the production.

Here is a general pre-production checklist that will vary depending on the type of video shoot you’re producing.

Pre-Production Items

Research – This applies to any niche or genre but any video production work will require some sort of research. Whether you’re doing research on your client’s company to get a better understanding on how you can help their business gain new leads through video marketing (finding out their demographic, how their service/product works, their challenges/pain points, etc) or researching the specific types of video examples of their vision they’re wanting you to produce, this is a pretty essential part of the pre-production process.

Creative Development – This comes after research because once you understand the clients’ needs/wants, now you’re able to come up with ideas and concepts on the video project to help them separate their business/video from others.

Scripting – The idea/concept comes from the creative development process but structuring the narrative/message/story of the video is all part of the scripting process.

Say you’re conducting an interview for a documentary or a brand message video, you’ll want to come up with questions to ask so you can get authentic answers you’re looking for to be able to tell the correct message for the client and control the narrative, which will help in the post-production process.

But if you’re writing the actual script for a commercial, this all falls under the scripting process.

Logistics of Video Shoot – This can include location scouting, securing film dates/times, creating a production schedule, looking for help or talent, prepping the necessary gear for the production and renting equipment needed, obtaining permits, and any other details for the video shoot.

Storyboarding/Shots List – I always recommend creating a storyboard or a shots checklist so you’re not going blindly into a video shoot. This will help you save a lot of time if you have a vision and are prepared.

Personally, I only storyboard for short films and bigger commercial work but I always create a shots list for any video project so I don’t forget the minimum shots needed.

Here are some things to include on a shots list: scene/sequence, shot number, location, description, camera angle/movement, actors/props and dialogue.

Often times the projects I work on require b-roll so I’ll make sure to list the minimum shots that I would need to create the vision of the video. While I’m on set, I always end up filming more and try different shots out as well so I have options to work with during post-production.

Budget, Contract Terms And Invoicing – We always suggest asking your client what their budget is but that doesn’t always mean your production and prices will fit within that number. Find out what they’re looking for and adjust accordingly.

For instance, if you could produce their video for $2,000 but their budget was $3,000, you have more to work with now to produce a better video for your client. You can rent some additional equipment, hire talent, maybe have a personal assistant on set to help setup and work your B-cam, etc.

Once you figure out the budgeting, now you need to create a contract highlighting the scope of work and terms as well as invoicing (we always recommend taking a non-refundable retainer to reserve the film dates).

Conclusion

There are items that we probably left off but these are the majority of pre-production items we often do before any video shoot that we go on. Some aren’t always necessary for every video project but these will definitely help prepare and make your production go a lot more smoothly.

Are there specific pre-production items that you find yourself always doing? Let us know!