Revenue $30,000 - $800,000

Profit (Pre-tax) $20,000 - $250,000

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A Market With Continued Major Growth

New video technology of recent years has created opportunities

for a new segment of professional videographers. While certain

types of video-taping will require a highly skilled videographer

in assignments such as sports events, or a stage presentation,

other assignments such as the taping of individuals for a dating

service, legal depositions, insurance matters, and most social

events will mostly require good knowledge of the equipment,

experience, and the ability to work with various groups.

The marketability and demand for various services is almost

unlimited. Video presentations are more commonly used now on

sales presentations of all types, various insurance claim

matters, real estate sales, all types of training material and in

a variety of other situations. The market is really only limited

by the ability of the videographer to sell his services for a

variety of purposes.

Finding Customers Who Need Your Services

The Individual who has a good personality and enjoys mixing with

people will have a marked advantage in this field. Since many

individuals, organizations or companies may never have considered

to utilize video for their event or presentation the trick is to

create the demand through the sale.

Networking your services through a group of friends and

associates will be most effective along with advertising.

Advertising may be used to reach the social event buyer as in the

case of wedding and barmitzvahs and advertising in business

publications for a variety of business services. Yellow Page

advertising will also be an excellent way to get known in your

community. Direct mail properly followed up in personal and

telephone sales contacts will also be quite effective.

Churches, hotels, restaurants, florists, jewelers, clubs and

other organizations and businesses servicing the social market

will also be able to generate new leads. Getting your name out to

as many of these companies as possible will be a major plus. It

is easy to track social events yourself. Check the social pages

in your newspapers for engagement announcements and synagogue

records for upcoming batmizah . You can then match names against

those in the phone book and will be able to mail your brochure or

flyer.

You may even consider specializing in a certain market segment

as, e.g. legal videographing. Before you embark on this market

find out what laws are in your state pertaining to videotaping

for legal purposes. They differ substantially by state. An

excellent way to get started may be to try associating with court

reporting service. In states where it is legal, many of these

services now tape the deposition in addition to keeping a written

record of it.

Another fertile market may be to initiate a direct marketing

campaign to an affluent neighborhood to sell video-taping

services of valuables for insurance records.

In your sales presentations to various businesses, the time

savings that can be accomplished through video presentations

should be stressed. A real estate agent can save hours of time

which can be utilized to generate more sales by utilizing video

presentations of residences rather than driving potential buyers

all over town.

You may be able effectively use bartering to get your business

going. For example, you may want to video-tape one or more

catering events for a carter and in return have the carter

recommend your company. The free video-taping of a social event

for the owner of a graphic design business or for a printer may

get you a free brochure.

The Operation of Your Video-Taping Business

Operationally it will be rather easy to get started. Depending on

your budget you have the choice of buying equipment outright

which can be quite expensive, or you can finance, or rent it. If

you are on a relatively tight budget, or are not quite sure if

you want to pursue this business long term it would be

advantageous to go with the rental option. You will be able to

rent all the basic equipment required for the taping of most any

event, such as as camera, player, color monitor, lights and sound

equipment. You can even rent editing equipment, or you may want

to utilize an editing service in the beginning. A van or station

wagon to lug the equipment round will be very helpful.

Other expenses will be for basic office supplies, telephone and

answering machine, a professional brochure or 2 to 4 page flyer,

business cards, etc.

While specializing in a given area such as social events,

business services, or something else will probably make good

business sense over the long term, it may be advantageous to

pursue all markets during the first year. This will build revenue

quicker and you will be able to determine which market you enjoy

most.

Working social events can be trying. Some knowledge of social

etiquette and how a certain event should be conducted will be

very helpful. Even more, be sure you know who is truly in charge

of the event. Each event will have is own little idiosyncrasies

depending on the participants. It may be that a given relative

should be taped more than someone else. Whoever calls the shots

will be able to direct you.

Surely this business is ideal to be started from your home. As

your business grows a design a design studio can be rented. Once

you have the basic equipment in place, most of your revenue will

go to the bottom line, unless you are renting equipment. It is

therefore often possible to generate a profit relatively quickly.

While it may be necessary to grant credit to established

businesses and organizations,it is not recommended that you grant

credit for social events. To do so is not commonly done even by

hotels and restaurants and is generally considered quite a risky

practice.

Resources

Books & Publications: An excellent book is: "How to Capitalize on

the Video Revolution", Holt, Rinehart & Winston, New York, NY

Videography Magazine, 50 West 23rd St.,New York, NY 10011

Broadcast Week, Box 5727, 2500 Curtis St.,S-200, Denver, CO 80205

Organizations: Women in Film & Video, 27 West 20th St.,New York,

NY 10011-212-206-8555

Film councils can be found in most larger cities.

For additional information helpful in setting up your new

business, information about licenses, permits, the legal

structure of your business, taxes, insurance and much more refer

to the Business Start-Up Fact Finder Manual.