How to Find Offline Video Marketing Clients – Part 1
One of the most lucrative opportunities in video marketing today is local video marketing. By this I mean finding offline clients that need customers and selling them your online video marketing expertise. It sounds easier than it is, but it is pretty easy.
Getting Started
To get started building a portfolio of clients, you might offer your services for free to a local charity. They would probably be grateful, and you would feel pretty good too. A non-profit can be a real goldmine of community connections. You might just hit the jackpot in terms of recommendations, while acquiring valuable experience.
After that, you could select, say 2 – 3 new local businesses and help them develop a video marketing campaign, create their videos, distribute them and then report your results. This can be a great way to develop a trusting relationship and develop a long term relationship with the business.
Granted, this is all work you’ll be doing on spec, but the odds are good that these gambles will pay off. (unlike betting your rent at the dog track)
Selling Yourself
Word of mouth is a great way to get business, often the best clients are ones I met through a mutual acquaintance or upon striking up a casual conversation with a friendly stranger. The point is to be open to possibilities and have an “elevator pitch” at the ready. An “elevator pitch” is a brief 30 second description of what it is that you do, and who can benefit from it. You never know when you’ll have the opportunity to sell your services, so be ready!
The local chamber of commerce is a good resource for selling your marketing services as well. If you contact them about presenting your business services at a chamber of commerce meeting, you may get the opportunity to spread the word to your local business community as a whole. If you do get a spot presenting, be sure you are prepared to answer the questions that may arise, and have promotional materials ready to distribute. Often times, a good strategy is to present some educational content around internet video marketing to the group. You will be seen as an authority on your subject and it may lead to other presenting opportunities. A quick slideshow on the 10 most asked questions about internet video marketing is a good way to get people’s attention.
In part 2 I’ll cover local publications, direct mailing and taking care of your established clients.