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NEW IDEAS ABOUT OLD MODELS

How to find clients, after all?

>> In a hurry?

In the post, I share my experience regarding client prospecting in the video industry, highlighting that everything is about prospecting and that the world moves quickly. I explain that brand recognition is crucial; the more people know about what you do, the greater the chance they'll think of you when they need a service. I emphasize the importance of staying visible on social media, creating personal connections, and treating everyone with attention, as future relationships can arise from any interaction.

I also suggest that even without clients, you should continue showcasing your work through personal projects and sharing knowledge. In addition to more traditional strategies like cold calling, I advocate that combining various approaches is the best way to ensure people remember you when they need your service. The key is to be attentive to opportunities in your daily life.

 

My first job in the video industry was at a production company, doing client prospecting. Before that, I had been a Nutritionist for three years and was now just a film student.


Although I had some negotiation experience before, the market was completely new to me, and since I was inexperienced and this was the job I managed to secure, I quickly realized that this is also a job that no one wants to do. This is because going after clients the traditional way means dealing with many rejections and "no's" before you even get a chance to speak.



I spent a few years doing this work, and later, with my own company, I had no choice but to continue and discover the best ways to gain clients for a new and unknown business.


The truth is that my experience and this entire text could be summed up in two phrases:


Everything is prospecting.


The world moves quickly.


If you understand this, you will grasp how to acquire clients for your service. So, let me explain:


One of the key points in a purchasing decision is what brands call brand awareness, or brand recognition. It's the customer's ability to know what that brand is and what it does. The more we know about a brand, the more we trust it, and therefore, it’s the brand we think of when we need that service or product.


It's the same with everything! Even if you are just one person trying to sell a service. The more people know what you do, the greater the chance they will think of you when they need it. That's why I say everything is prospecting, and when you internalize this, the greater the chance to increase your brand awareness with every action you take.


Practically, what does this mean?


Starting with your social media, is it clear that you work in your field? Does your profile line state what you do, your company name, etc.? It doesn’t have to be overly formal; after all, it’s your social media, and it can be fun, but don’t forget to include that information.


Additionally, even when you make a casual post or share a random photo, is there a chance to subtly link it to your work? You don’t have to just post asking for work and advertising; that’s too boring. However, every post can serve as a subtle advertisement that attracts work. For example, on my last day as a Nutritionist, I made a post congratulating my former colleagues and sharing how my transition to the video industry had been. It was a personal post that suited Facebook's purpose, connecting with friends from both fields, and at the same time, anyone reading it would remember that I work in video. It may not reach many people, but sometimes it’s the right person.


In person, you can do the same without being pretentious. If you’re invited to a casual gathering with friends, some of whom you know and others you don’t, you can share a bit about your life and what you’ve been up to, including your work. With those you don’t know, you can start a conversation by asking what they do and then introduce your work, potentially making a new friend and maybe even a new client. And if they don't become a client, they might remember someone who could be. My experience tells me that this is a good way to start a conversation and is very useful.


That’s what I mean by "everything is prospecting." You can work all the time to ensure that everyone you meet or who encounters your work understands that this is what you do, so when they need it, they will remember you.


This ties into my second point: the world moves quickly. A casual encounter or a post can bring a good client directly to you without much effort, and it’s important to understand that all relationships are with potential clients, so you need to nurture them all.


Are you working at a company with an intern? They may not be a client now, but if they work in the same field as you, one day they could be.


Did you engage with a service provider? Today, they are your supplier, but the market is dynamic; tomorrow, they could become your client.


Did you meet a camera assistant on a film set? Today, they are your freelance colleague, but tomorrow they might land a permanent job and be the one purchasing your services at a company.


Don’t think I’m being overly cautious; these examples and many others that may initially seem unlikely have happened to me personally multiple times. It’s real; the world moves, and very quickly.


The opposite is also true. Sometimes you are hired by a client to do a job, and a year later, that same person works at a company that becomes your supplier, or they become a freelancer, and you can hire them. In other words, the roles have reversed; now they need you to get the job done, not the other way around. This has happened to me as well.


The important thing to remember is that the world moves, and you should treat everyone, regardless of their position, with genuine attention and care—not only because the world is a much better place that way but also because you will need these people at other times, and it's good for them to have enjoyed working with you. The chances of them seeking you out instead of someone else who does what you do increase significantly if you were a nice person!


Another important factor for your awareness to keep growing is not to forget yourself. It doesn’t matter if you don’t have any clients right now; you still have yourself, so what can you do to showcase your work?


Can you create a personal project that demonstrates your passion for what you do?

In 2018, during a transition period between jobs, I found myself without any clients for a few months (mainly because I had spent too much time not communicating what I did), and I decided to start filming friends I admired. With this, I created a project called SHOTS, and as I filmed and shared what I was doing, people began to see that I was back in action, and work started to come in. Additionally, I was able to practice many aspects of my craft (operating the camera, better understanding equipment, getting back to editing...), which later benefited my work. It wasn’t the ideal production, nor exactly what I intended to sell, but I tried to make it clear that it was a personal exercise, and it helped communicate my work and showed that I had the drive to make things happen.



This is also true: work attracts work, precisely because it increases the likelihood of people knowing what you do.


Another thing you can do is share your knowledge. More recently, I discovered the potential in simply talking about what you do and sharing knowledge. Not only does it help others grow, but it also informs those who see your tips that you have the expertise to perform the work you sell.


These are the most organic ways, in my opinion, to gain clients, but it’s also possible to be a bit more aggressive at times to expand your network and make your market aware of you. Knowing who your clients are, the most traditional way is to pick up the phone and call, ask for the relevant department, and start talking. This is also the scariest method because it involves speaking to a stranger whom you have no idea what they are going through when they answer your call and how they will react to your sudden approach.


I do not recommend reaching out to unknown clients via direct messages on social media or WhatsApp. People tend to view social media as a space for "friends," and asking for work there can come off as too invasive. One alternative, if you truly want to try this way, is to send a message asking for their work email. I can’t guarantee a response, but they may find it a bit less bold that way.


Finally, I don’t believe that any single prospecting strategy I mentioned here is effective on its own. I think the ideal way to secure frequent work is to do everything simultaneously. Stay active on social media, meet people and talk about what you do, create projects and work even when there’s no work, share knowledge, and when you find a new company that could be interested in your service, call them and set up a meeting. All of this, along with anything else you can think of that increases the chances of someone needing your service discovering that you are the one who provides it—not just discovering it, but remembering you when the time comes.

It may sound like a lot of work when I put it this way, but it’s just life going on as usual, and if you stay alert to opportunities, you’ll see.


Wishing you success!


Want personalized help? Get in touch, and let’s talk!

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