FYI: The Knot is bad news

Jason Robinson · September 26th, 2008, 01:31 PM

I actually have my first delinquent client. Never paid remainder of balance day of. I sent notice & copy of contract and haven't heard anything back. Left phone message too (their name was still on the answering machine).

So I'm just shelving their edit till I get paid. I have clauses for late fees & fines for not paying... but I don't feel like hassling them just yet.

Travis Cossel · September 26th, 2008, 01:41 PM

I had a delinquent client once. Took them 2 1/2 years to pay me. It was one of my first weddings .. before I had late fees and such built into my contract. Not a fun situation. When the bride finally showed up to make her final payment and pick up the video, I casually asked how they were doing and she broke down crying in front of me because they had separated. Awkward ....

Jason Robinson · September 26th, 2008, 02:21 PM

Yikes! Well, considering that I've had two good friends of mine split after <1yr and a good friend of my wife had the same thign happen..... it isn't as we used to think.

I suppose that is all the more reason for me to get my turnaround times quicker to avoid the awkwardness of these situations.

Noel Lising · September 26th, 2008, 02:38 PM

I have 2 Brides that I know of that's divorced. Sad considering how sweet they were during the time of the wedding.

Scott Hayes · September 27th, 2008, 05:20 AM

at that point, contract or not, i would have cancelled on her. the knot in my area is a waste.
brides wotn pay more than $800 for a video. It's funny going through there reading threads about awesome new videographers, posted by brides who are their "cousins" and their work totally sucks ass.

Chad Dyle · September 27th, 2008, 06:38 AM

I've been using The Knot for over 2 years and I've had a lot of luck with them. I have noticed on their forums that when someone asks for a videographer suggestion, the brides will suggest who they are using whether they advertise on The Knot or not (Knot ;)
So I will agree with the previous poster who said that if you keep your brides happy, they will be your best advertising.
The only problem I do have with them is that when I started, it was $85/month. I'm now paying $100/month, but I never received an email telling me that the rate had increased.

Kevin Shahinian · September 28th, 2008, 10:21 AM

We've had pretty good success with The Knot in our Southern California market. Personally, I wouldn't have signed their contract if not for a reduced rate offered at a trade show we attended.

Nathan Nazeck · September 28th, 2008, 08:44 PM

I've been using them for about 3 months, netted two leads both of which were useless... I'll give it a little more time though...

William Smyth · September 30th, 2008, 01:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tom Sessions

I've never spent $$ on advertising with the Knot, but have shot about 4 knottie weddings over the last 2 years. Three of them wanted me to discount my prices from a $1795 package I had. The fourth bride got her's for free because she gave me this sob story about how her fiance spent all of her "video" money and being the softy that I am, I fell for it. (I usually give one free wedding a year anyway, but this one got her's under disengenuous pretenses). Two weeks later I'm reading on the local Knot boards that she saved so much money on her videographer that she was able to upgrade on several of her other vendor services....That just steamed me big time.

Man, that's a horrible story. It's nice that you offer a free wedding from time to time, but I've found that it's true that no good deed goes unpunished.

We're still new in business for ourselves, but I require brides to pay in full before the wedding.

September 26th, 2008, 01:41 PM	#17
Travis Cossel Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Miami, FL Posts: 2,933	I had a delinquent client once. Took them 2 1/2 years to pay me. It was one of my first weddings .. before I had late fees and such built into my contract. Not a fun situation. When the bride finally showed up to make her final payment and pick up the video, I casually asked how they were doing and she broke down crying in front of me because they had separated. Awkward .... __________________ Black Label Films www.blacklabelweddingfilms.com

September 27th, 2008, 06:38 AM	#21
Chad Dyle Major Player Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: New Orleans, LA Posts: 410	I've been using The Knot for over 2 years and I've had a lot of luck with them. I have noticed on their forums that when someone asks for a videographer suggestion, the brides will suggest who they are using whether they advertise on The Knot or not (Knot ;) So I will agree with the previous poster who said that if you keep your brides happy, they will be your best advertising. The only problem I do have with them is that when I started, it was $85/month. I'm now paying $100/month, but I never received an email telling me that the rate had increased. __________________ www.chaddyle.com www.chaddyleproductions.com

September 28th, 2008, 10:21 AM	#22
Kevin Shahinian Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Southern California Posts: 116	We've had pretty good success with The Knot in our Southern California market. Personally, I wouldn't have signed their contract if not for a reduced rate offered at a trade show we attended. __________________ www.PacificPictures.net

September 28th, 2008, 08:44 PM	#23
Nathan Nazeck Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Columbus, OH Posts: 80	I've been using them for about 3 months, netted two leads both of which were useless... I'll give it a little more time though... __________________ I'm watching television... in color http://www.prodigyvideo.com

September 26th, 2008, 01:31 PM	#16
Jason Robinson Trustee Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Boise, Idaho Posts: 1,997	I actually have my first delinquent client. Never paid remainder of balance day of. I sent notice & copy of contract and haven't heard anything back. Left phone message too (their name was still on the answering machine). So I'm just shelving their edit till I get paid. I have clauses for late fees & fines for not paying... but I don't feel like hassling them just yet.

September 26th, 2008, 02:21 PM	#18
Jason Robinson Trustee Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Boise, Idaho Posts: 1,997	Yikes! Well, considering that I've had two good friends of mine split after <1yr and a good friend of my wife had the same thign happen..... it isn't as we used to think. I suppose that is all the more reason for me to get my turnaround times quicker to avoid the awkwardness of these situations.

September 26th, 2008, 02:38 PM	#19
Noel Lising Major Player Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 789	I have 2 Brides that I know of that's divorced. Sad considering how sweet they were during the time of the wedding.

September 27th, 2008, 05:20 AM	#20
Scott Hayes Major Player Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Lexington, KY Posts: 692	at that point, contract or not, i would have cancelled on her. the knot in my area is a waste. brides wotn pay more than $800 for a video. It's funny going through there reading threads about awesome new videographers, posted by brides who are their "cousins" and their work totally sucks ass.