One of the best ways to do this is to videotape local competitions and high profile events for FREE. You can choose an event or topic you enjoy or feel strongly about, although that is not a requirement.
This is an easy way to promote your video business. Since you will typically be shooting with professional equipment from a highly visible location, people will see you and think about video services. They’ll ask you for a business card. Bring lots of cards and literature. Be sure to get their name and phone and don’t forget to call them as soon as possible. Many have done this work solo, but an assistant can be a big help. Of course you will also want to sell the DVD you produce and, at the very least, take advance orders. But the biggest value may be how much this will promote your business.
One man has turned this strategy into a surprisingly large event video business with little or no post production. His name is Bob Anderson. He covers local and regional competitions and has sales of up to $20,000 in a weekend. One reason for this success is that he sells “Instant DVDs.” The participants can buy a DVD minutes after their event ends. Without that instant gratification, a lot of sales will be lost. To do this you need to set up a table with a good monitor facing the public and a number of fast finalizing DVD burners.
Bob says read the local papers and look for public events and competitions where video coverage would make sense. Contact the promoter and explain that you are willing to produce a professional video of the event at no cost to the promoter. The video coverage makes the promoter look good.
You can also check in with your favorite local non-profits, the YMCA, Red Cross and other organizations. Offer to film a public event they are planning. Offer it for free. Editing is another issue and you may want to offer so many hours of editing in your free offer. Or tell them you’ll do the filming for free and the editing at a special hourly rate for non-profits. There are a lot of variables here, but just starting this conversation can lead to good things for all.
The best thing to have is a portfolio.