How to find high paying clients

Hey — Ben Here!

In today’s email:

• How to find high paying clients 

• Advice on nurturing relationships

• Mistakes to avoid 

• and much more…

Deep Dive

How to find high paying clients

If you believe it or not, 2 high paying clients can be enough to make a great living.

Let’s say your goal is to make $10k per month.

To reach this number, you either need

• 10 clients which pay $1k a month each

or

• 5 clients which pay $2k per month each

or

• 2 clients which pay $5k per month each

or

• 1 client which pays your per month $10k 

To be realistic, it’s mostly something like

• 2 clients that pay $1k per month, 2 clients that pay $2k and 1 client that pays $4k.

Now, let’s say you want to avoid future market risk.

That means you want to put some money aside.

Here we’re talking about around $20k a month.

Seems unreachable?

BS.

If you can reach $10k per month (which is totally realistic if you live in the US or EU), you can reach $20k too.

Even $30-40k is reachable if you know how to scale horizontally or vertically (you will hear more about this in an upcoming issue).

The only big obstacle can be time.

It is immensely time consuming to nurture 10 or even 20 clients at a time.

Traveling, planing, editing, talking, filming… All this takes a lot of time.

That’s why you should aim for high paying clients.

4 clients that pay $5k per month each..

There you have your $20k.

With way less work than with 10-20 clients.

I know… easier said than done.

But there is absolutely no rational reason why you shouldn’t reach this.

Even if you don’t have the business knowledge, you can learn it in 3 months.

The internet is free…

General Rules for landing high paying clients

Spoiler: It’s all about relationships (here’s what you need to know about nurturing relationships)

The first pitch

One of the biggest mistakes videographers make with high paying clients, is pitching them a deal on the first meeting/call/contact.

Only do this during the first contact when the client asks for it!

In most cases, it makes way more sense to nurture the relationship first with some free work and interesting conversations.

For sure, you need to have a sense for the chance of the businesses potential of becoming your client.

Does it generate enough money to afford your services?

Does the owner show interest?

Does the business need new customers (or is it happy with it’s recurring clients)?

Decision makers

Don’t be nervous around decision makers.

You need to feel confident in what you are doing.

You are the expert in terms of videography (and your other services like social media).

So show your knowledge.

Most small business owners know almost nothing about it.

You can show off your knowledge really easily.

But don’t brag.

Show it while doing it (free work).

How to appear more professional

One of the fun little tricks I do to appear more professional, is just have my camera with me every time the business owner sees me.

It’s actually so dumb but obvious.

It’s like wearing a white coat making you seem like a scientist or a doctor.

Regarding your clothes, don’t make it all black.

I know it’s common in videography, but when you meet a business owner for the first time and you want to impress him, don’t make yourself look insignificant.

Try something cool.

When you love to wear black, do it at least with some special black clothing.

Also, while talking about your work, be serious.

Before and after that, show your fun side (which is super important for good relationships).

But while talking business, be death serious.

You need to show that you aren’t just a silly videographer, you are a businessman too.

Where to find these high paying clients

If you don't want to niche down, go drive around business areas.

Look which businesses have expensive cars in front, or a nice building or anything that tells you they make money.

Make a list with these businesses, then do the Walk-In.

Alternatively you can do the same with google maps.

You should do this to see which businesses have the money to afford your services.

Don’t let yourself scare off by thinking this don’t need your services because they already are very successful.

Every business owner wants to grow.

It’s very very rare that they don’t want any new customers.

Check out this issue for a list of high paying niches.

Thanks for reading, that’s it for this week!

I’m thinking about writing an issue about gear / what most videographers get wrong about it.

Reply to this email with your setup for simple client shoots.

Do it.

Thanks

Until next week!

— Ben