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Home: Video University Forums: Wedding & Event Videography:
for those doing this full time

X-Mark_Newman
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Nov 14, 2002, 12:53 AM

Post #1 of 10 (1574 views)
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for those doing this full time	Can't Post

I have a question, how many weddings do you shoot per year? I'm going to hit advertising hard and try and see if I can go full time so I can quit my other job.
Mark

X-Terry_T
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Nov 14, 2002, 10:00 AM

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Re: for those doing this full time	Can't Post

By the end of year 2002 I will have shot 57 weddings.
My goal is to shoot and edit a total of 25
weddings but make the same money as shooting
and editing 57 weddings.
From June 2001 - June 2002 I spent $10,000
in advertising.
My reason for stating my advertising expense is to
allow those just starting out to get an idea that it
takes more than a video camera and a computer
to not only "get" business but to "stay" in business.
In light of recent posts,
of course attitude is extremely important to
the life of one's business.
If you, as a business professional earn the respect
of other respected professionals in your industry,
besides the fact that you keep your clients happy,
then you have the right attitude and your business will prosper.
Be humble and live long,
Terry T.

X-Paul
Imported Account

Nov 14, 2002, 10:10 AM

Post #3 of 10 (1573 views)
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Re: How do you advertise..Terry [In reply to]	Can't Post

: By the end of year 2002 I will have shot 57 weddings.
: My goal is to shoot and edit a total of 25
: weddings but make the same money as shooting
: and editing 57 weddings.
: From June 2001 - June 2002 I spent $10,000
: in advertising.
: My reason for stating my advertising expense is to
: allow those just starting out to get an idea that it
: takes more than a video camera and a computer
: to not only "get" business but to "stay" in business.
: In light of recent posts,
: of course attitude is extremely important to
: the life of one's business.
: If you, as a business professional earn the respect
: of other respected professionals in your industry,
: besides the fact that you keep your clients happy,
: then you have the right attitude and your business will prosper.
: Be humble and live long,
: Terry T.

Hey Terry,
Can you give us a breakdown of where you spend your advertising dollars and what works best for you.
Thanks,
Paul

X-Judy_Handley
Imported Account

Nov 14, 2002, 11:12 AM

Post #4 of 10 (1573 views)
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Thanks for the info.... [In reply to]	Can't Post

Terry, Terry, Terry.....thanks so much for the details. My advertising budget for next year is set at around $5k and I was thinking that was extremely high. Knowing what yours is has made me decide that I'm right on target. If I get half the weddings you are doing I will be very pleased.
Judy

: By the end of year 2002 I will have shot 57 weddings.
: My goal is to shoot and edit a total of 25
: weddings but make the same money as shooting
: and editing 57 weddings.
: From June 2001 - June 2002 I spent $10,000
: in advertising.
: My reason for stating my advertising expense is to
: allow those just starting out to get an idea that it
: takes more than a video camera and a computer
: to not only "get" business but to "stay" in business.
: In light of recent posts,
: of course attitude is extremely important to
: the life of one's business.
: If you, as a business professional earn the respect
: of other respected professionals in your industry,
: besides the fact that you keep your clients happy,
: then you have the right attitude and your business will prosper.
: Be humble and live long,
: Terry T.

X-Terry_T
Imported Account

Nov 14, 2002, 3:52 PM

Post #5 of 10 (1573 views)
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Re: How do you advertise..Terry [In reply to]	Can't Post

We feel very lucky that there are several
local bridal magazines in circulation
here in New Orleans.
We advertise consistently in 3 of them.
We participate in at least 5 bridal shows a year.
Our local newspaper runs a bridal issue once
a year and we advertise there.
The local bridal magazines are the
"bride's bible" so that's where most of
our money goes.
Terry T.

X-Rick_K
Imported Account

Nov 14, 2002, 3:56 PM

Post #6 of 10 (1573 views)
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Terry, what is bridal show response [In reply to]	Can't Post

: We participate in at least 5 bridal shows a year.

Terry,
What kind of a response do you get from being in the bridal shows? How many bookings can you attribute DIRECTLY to being in a single show? They are very spendy, so we have not been in one yet, but if you are doing 5 a year, I assume that you find them to be beneficial, eh?
Rick

X-Terry_T
Imported Account

Nov 14, 2002, 4:16 PM

Post #7 of 10 (1573 views)
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Re: Terry, what is bridal show response [In reply to]	Can't Post

Greetings Rick,
It is true what most folks say,
"don't expect to book many at the show itself".
The flow comes days, weeks, and even months after.
For instance,
the show we did in Houston in July,
I put one of those cd's in a lady's hand,
she wasn't even a bride,
she gave the cd to her sister, who is a bride,
and now she wants to book us.
So 5 months later we're still booking weddings from it.
That show costs us $2000 after all was said and done.
So far we've booked 8 weddings at $2500/ea.
and now this 9th wedding.
It's not just good enough to show up and sit in a booth.
I believe one's appearance and attitude has a great deal to
do with one's success in a show also.
My type of video is not for everyone I know this,
but I do know that when brides choose us,
it's not because we're the cheapest, or the last
one with an open date.
They choose us because they appreciate our work
and attitude and it's nice that they choose us when
there are others in town with BestBuy camcorders
and pc's charging way less :-)
(cheap shot I know but I couldn't resist,
in light of recent posts)
And Rick, we've done enough shows to know which ones
bring in the high end/serious bride and we try to
stick to those.
Good luck,
Terry T.

X-Rick_K
Imported Account

Nov 14, 2002, 4:31 PM

Post #8 of 10 (1573 views)
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Thanks [In reply to]	Can't Post

Very cool... Thanks Terry!
Now if I just had a demo as good as yours to pass around, I would be set!
Rick

X-Rick_K
Imported Account

Nov 14, 2002, 4:43 PM

Post #9 of 10 (1573 views)
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Re: Terry, what is bridal show response [In reply to]	Can't Post

: They choose us because they appreciate our work
: and attitude and it's nice that they choose us when
: there are others in town with BestBuy camcorders
: and pc's charging way less :-)
: (cheap shot I know but I couldn't resist,
: in light of recent posts)
By the way, did you guys see that you can buy the VX2000 and XL1 online from Best Buy now? So, I guess many of us are using cameras that could just as well be "BestBuy camcorders"... kinda scary.

X-Dave_Z
Imported Account

Nov 15, 2002, 10:00 AM

Post #10 of 10 (1573 views)
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Low cost equipment [In reply to]	Can't Post

This was one of my points earlier.....
The gear doesnt make the artist...the artist makes the artist. If that artist can make money in his art, so be it. Money should never be the driving factor in art, lest the art suffers, for the sake of discussing art.
And I am still confused.....I see posts from folks talking about how artistic they are and using that to justify their prices, but also talking about how they aim to charge more for their jobs and cut the number of them in half....
Does this mean they will spend twice the time working on the edits they do to justify the upped cost, with a goal of getting "more artistic"? If so, thats very admirable....but I get the feeling this is not necessarily the case....I think it's more of a "I was able to get into a better market!".
Is it art or business first? My opinion? Both. I can be artistic and charge less if I have low overhead and care enough to give my best regardless of profit....
: By the way, did you guys see that you can buy the VX2000 and XL1 online from Best Buy now? So, I guess many of us are using cameras that could just as well be "BestBuy camcorders"... kinda scary.