Getting started selling travel videos is often the most difficult part for a videographer. Really, you need to land that first contract to gain real experience and confidence.
I’ve found that offering short videos for social media – Facebook, Linked In, You Tube – is a great first step.
Typically these videos are only one minute in length, and they’re easier to sell because they’re cheaper. They’re also a great way to approach clients who might want a full video once they’ve seen your talents.
Step 1: Educate your client to the laws of marketing
Videos and social networks are now major marketing components for companies trying to reach new customers. The average internet user has a limited attention span. Videos grab them in their busy lives.
Suggesting that you can create a short video for a company will definitely grab the attention of a marketing manager or director. You just have to ask.
I find that offering a client a three-month package to start is best.
For $300, I give them three short videos they can use on their website, Facebook page or Linkedin. If they have a YouTube channel, they can put them there. I make each one dedicated to a specific part of the hotel – the pool, the tennis courts, the rooms, etc.
Step 2: Keep it short and sweet
Once you’ve signed an agreement, here’s how to get started…
Take half a day to shoot the entire hotel, piece by piece; the reception and lounge area, a couple of different bedrooms, the swimming pool area, the kids playground, the restaurants, the bar, the sports installations, and the animations in the hotel.
Carefully choose nice frames, include a few panning shots to keep some movement, and be sure to show a few clients in there, so it doesn’t look deserted. Just make sure you film them from a distance so you don’t need a release.
For these short videos, keep the editing light. Only give them a teaser, because you want to keep them yearning for more!
Clean cuts and gentle transitions (nothing too fancy!) will do the trick.
Each video should be about 1-minute long, and if you’ve done a good job, you should end up with about 8 mini videos. Send one a month for your three-month contract. And when it’s done, you still have more to offer.
This is the perfect way to fill up your portfolio for your next prospective clients – and you might also sell a full video to your first client later on. You’ve already got some of the work done.
For them, it’s a small and clever investment. For you, it’s like a trial… but you get paid!
Most of all, it’s a lot of fun. Read on for the best way to plan your video shoot and have fun on the job.
[Editor’s Note: Learn more about how you can fund your travels and make an extra income with photography, travel writing, blogging, and more in our free online newsletter The Right Way to Travel. Sign up here today and we’ll send you a new report, Profit From Your Photos: A Quick-Start Guide, completely FREE.]