How did you convince your first couple of clients that they can trust you with their precious video without a heft portfolio?

I am in the infant stages, and am no where ready to begin my venture but would like to hear some tips for when I am ready.

Give them away!
Find a friend who knows someone... charge nothing (or next to nothing) and make no promises. Do about 2-4 like this... have a nice demo reel, charge accordingly and keep your fingers crossed.

Good luck!

Also, try checking out Craigslist, you may find someone that can't afford a video, but may have a little money to throw your way. Deliver more than they expect, it will generate great word of mouth.

Particularly for the first couple of outings (while you're finding out whether or not you can hack the gig), do them for friends/acquaintences or maybe find a videographer who needs a second shooter "for experience" not pay...

Get a reel together of other things you've shot, show you can frame, compose, edit and mix down a good product.

For the first few times, shoot and edit like you're being paid thousands even if it's for a free meal at the reception or a "wedding gift" for your friends, and the biz will come. Plus you'll get a demo or two that will show off what you can do for a paying client.

We had a couple of friends with kids getting hitched that we did for the cost of tapes and other supplies. By the time we got around to doing these freebies we had already contracted and completed four other paying weddings. We met up with a local photographer at one of the paid gigs who instantly started lining us up with referrals.

How did you convince your first couple of clients that they can trust you with their precious video without a heft portfolio?

I am in the infant stages, and am no where ready to begin my venture but would like to hear some tips for when I am ready.

easy... they wern't going to do a video anyway and I volunteered to have a go at it. If someone actually had listed a video as important, then they already would have looked around for a seasoned pro. Otherwise, the offer of "hey I'll learn and give you what I can" is a tempting offer for the couple on a budget.

Like the others suggested do a freebie or close to it. My first wedding was a freebie.

Hook up with a photographer, tell them they can offer Videography for free for 1-2 weddings they are quoting on as you are starting out. That would almost certainly land them the business plus you'll build business realtionship.

yup - do one ( and only one) freebie to get something in your portfolio. Also put your absolute best into that one. I spent a crazy amount of hours editing that first free wedding. I can't stand to look at it today but I'm proud of the effort I put in and it got me 12 paid gigs within the next year - good luck!

I agree, under promise, over deliver.

I am still learning and have to say I am glad I did not charge much of anything my first several, and made it clear what they were getting. So far they have all been happy, but I was not. Just so much to learn and you want to do what you see on here and it just does not happen like that. I did invest in the correct equipment to get the audio under control that was an editing nightmare for me until I added a pro mixer, now I can concentrate on shooting more.