My post on Facebook
After I posted this on Facebook group I had an immediate Business Question and the response was, “This is useful and constructive”. So first here is what I posted with the question and followup below.
“At least 50% increase in customers who had no idea who we were because of the video.”
I am following up on each video I have done for businesses during the past few weeks. These were done to help them stay in business and navigate the “New Normal” with their clients.
Listen to Canita in her own words:
Watch the video that increased her new customers by 50% here:
Facebook Photo Business Private Group
Photographer Patrick Fallon asked:
So this seems relevant for a lot of photogs who are trying to scrounge up work right now and know local restaurants that are struggling etc. How did you go about putting this together? Did they approach you? Did you pitch them? What sort of budget and terms on payment? I imagine a lot of businesses are cash strapped so how you navigated that would be good to know. Barter? Thanks
My Response
I know from my training as a social worker and then for the past 35+ years of covering disasters for all types of media outlets that acts of kindness are magnified in my opinion ten fold or more during a crisis.
This means that if you were new to the neighborhood and I brought some cookies by to welcome you that would be considered generous and even memorable. However, if I came by while you are cleaning up after a tornado and I offered you a hot meal – the emotional impact is far greater and memorable.
For the past 12 years I have been on retainer with Chick-fil-A as a communications consultant for their corporate communications team. I got to know Truett Cathy a little and one of the things I learned that made them so successful was the concept of giving with no strings attached.
I really felt bad for my friends that I did business with for many years. I didn’t really have the finances to give them money, but I could give my best and that was my skills as a storyteller.
After a few of these I learned that budgets were cut for the foreseeable future with most of my clients. This is when I decided not to change so much helping businesses, but to just let people know that if they needed help with their business to contact me.
This is when I realized that the initial video wasn’t enough. I needed these testimonials to help those in crisis know they could really use my help to market themselves during these turbulent times.
So as I was doing these I realized I was pivoting. I was still wanting to help my neighbor and if I put strings onto the gift to them, then it really wasn’t a gift. I needed to be transparent and real. This is who I am and not everyone else can do this.
I am playing chess and not checkers here. I am seeing the long game.
All the restaurants gave us food, which we accepted. We never asked for it.
I think pricing going forward will be more like a sliding scale right now for businesses. I may even setup a Gofundme for people to contribute to me doing this for other businesses.
I do think we may have to take less, because they truly are taking a huge risk spending any money when most everyone has made huge cuts already.
Here are all the videos I have done for my town, the testimonials and even one video I did to talk about doing this for businesses.