Re: Need lots of help...maybe a sanity check?
 

Thanks for your reply Steven. What I think is tough today is that many folks think they are tech savvy because they use an I-phone but that is where their tech ends. If you happen to be selling to the general public, the idea of a digital download or Flash drive can be a bit complicated to many.

When I work with companies, it is easy to delivery in any format and medium. When I shoot live events, it is all optical discs. They are the common denominator. If you go too far towards new media I think you will alienate as many or more as you help out.

I am all for customer service and being on the forefront, but new and complicated just makes things worse imho.

Re: Need lots of help...maybe a sanity check?
 

I agree with the thoughts about "general public".

If you're producing a product for a wedding video or some other type of family event...DVD's are probably best...for now.

I rarely do weddings or events like that. Most of my clients are business people and they are the ones I was referring to, who prefer non-DVD end products...for the most part.

They are also repeat customers. Which is why I go after them.

Most wedding clients are a single hit...at best. They might refer you but bottom line the volume of work from that kind of client is going to be very low compared to business/corporate clients.

Nothing wrong with shooting weddings. It's a tough gig.

Even though I'm based in Miami, Florida, I have two regular medical device clients in California who have been steady customers over the last couple of years. They go overseas for trade shows and have booths which play the final edited product I produce. They also like being able to give away those videos showing their product to doctors and hospital executives on flash-drives with their company logo and contact info engraved on it.. Business clients like this will always lead the way to change. I have the same type of clients who deal in real estate. Deals move to fast to wait for DVD's sent by snail-mail. Whoever closes the deal first, wins. Again, they love the idea of a digital file they can put up on a secure server for a client to see or hand off a thumb drive which can play on any computer and there's no search for a handy DVD players to see what they want to see.

Best of success to all as we all try and stay ahead of the curve...and make a buck doing what we like to do for a living.

Re: Need lots of help...maybe a sanity check?
 

John,

Agreed. Every word of what you just said is my work flow. Just because I defended DVDs does not mean it is currently a common format for my corporate clients. It is not. And yes, there is a big difference between what the business environment wants and an individual consumer client.

My point has always been about not understanding guys that say "i will only do it this way, take it or leave it". That sounds crazy to me.

Steve

Re: Need lots of help...maybe a sanity check?
 

Thanks Steve,

I always worry the tone of a post I make will sound arrogant or just plain stubborn...which is why I probably over-respond too much, to make sure people understand why I'm posting a certain point of view without, hopefully, coming off like a jerk! ;)