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"I'm trying to find focus in my life." |
analog Tom wrote on Sat, 09 October 2004 17:51 | ||
I think that this is important. You have both a lot of confusion and apparently some internal anger to work with. From the problems with a boss who doesn't know anything, to clients who don't care about quality, to solving problems by grabbing a piece of wood to knock that "bitch" down, you presnt a picture of someone who might have some difficulty getting clients to want to continue working with you. I'd address that quality-doesn't-matter idea, right off the top. If you're going to be selling your services, you want to sell them as good services. You want your clients to believe that they are choosing you because they have the taste and business sense to see that you will offer them something better. Starting out by saying that quality doesn't matter to them is both insulting and counterproductive - it takes away the prime reason for getting them to hire you. That boss who doesn't know anything seems to know enough to make the money, and grab the credit for your good work. Apparently, he knows good work when he sees it. Why not figure out what you are good at, and market that? Are you good at designing ads or directing the shoots, or editing them into the final product? If you can design and/or direct, your overhead will be minimal. But your schmooze time will go up, since a lot of that work involves networking and building relationships. If you're a good shooter or editor, you either have to have your own gear, or good relations with people who do have the gear. If you're really as good as you think, then get out and sell YOUR CURRENT BOSS'S company. Start building your network and reputation by building a customer list which thinks of you as a key part of their success in working with HIS company. Then, when you are ready to go out on your own, you have a book of customers to entice, who are already familiar with your work. this process might also help you develop a sense of respect for the customers who seem, right now, only to enjoy your distain. As well, having more customer contact would expose you to a better base of information about what recording needs there are actually in your "neck of the woods", and thus, a better idea of whether there is a market to support the kind of place you wish you could open. What do you mean by "go freelance"? Is there work available for wnat you want to do? Why isn't it coming into your current place of employment? How can you change that (back to the idea of building your own networking and contacts)? How your current boss take it if you brought in some of that business to him? (How do you know?) Cordially, Tom |
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"While I appreciate your advice on how to become a better salesman, I don't appreciate your armchair analysis of my personality or sense of professionalism. Personally, I would have preferred if you had simply answered my questions. If you could not answer them, then do me the favor of not responding at all. What I take from your post is that indeed being a salesman is a very integral component to operating independently. However, all of your perceptions of this regions media needs, perceptions of quality, my company, my boss and myself are incorrect. I don't tell clients that quality doesn't matter. In fact, I'm the only person at my company who believes quality matters and I am the only one at my company pushing to make better quality commercials. Quality matters to me as it should to the client, however I have seen time and time again that clients do not see a difference. Perhaps with my continued efforts there will one day be a change. By the same token if I am able to invoke this kind of change in the marketplace and it proves to be worth something, wouldn't it make more sense to pioneer this movement on my own so I can reap the bigger portion of the monetary rewards? My boss is a salesman through and through. He makes money for the company by being a salesman, not being a judge of quality. This reflects back to the demands of the customers. I'm sure if their was a demand for a certain grade of quality, my boss would be the first one to start addressing it. Is there a raise in my future if the company turns more profit? Who knows. What I do know is that the salary I make and the quality of work I provide don't equal out. As long as I'm working for someone else they never will. I assume you were joking about how I resolve my issues by beating people with sticks, however in an attempt to avoid future misinterpretation I will explain. My signature is the first verse of the song "Watch Me Kill" by G.G. Allin. If anyone wishes to further psychoanalyze me as to why I would choose that as my signature, then by all means continue. The results should be pretty funny." |
rvdsm wrote on Fri, 08 October 2004 15:34 |
I've got a question and I didn't know where else to post it since it really doesn't have anything to do with equipment, engineering, artists, sales, etc. I'm really looking for some sort of guidance and I guess this would be the best place to post my pleas. I've been hanging around this forum for a couple of years and I always believed that I would start my own studio one day. As time goes on I really have been getting into the video side of the A/V coin. I currently shoot and edit commercials for local businesses in my area and make pretty decent money doing it, but I still yearn to record for a living. My final question is simple: Is it worth it to go freelance? |
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I think that this is important. You have both a lot of confusion and apparently some internal anger to work with. From the problems with a boss who doesn't know anything, to clients who don't care about quality, to solving problems by grabbing a piece of wood to knock that "bitch" down, you presnt a picture of someone who might have some difficulty getting clients to want to continue working with you. I'd address that quality-doesn't-matter idea, right off the top. If you're going to be selling your services, you want to sell them as good services. You want your clients to believe that they are choosing you because they have the taste and business sense to see that you will offer them something better. Starting out by saying that quality doesn't matter to them is both insulting and counterproductive - it takes away the prime reason for getting them to hire you. |
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While I appreciate your advice on how to become a better salesman, I don't appreciate your armchair analysis of my personality or sense of professionalism. Personally, I would have preferred if you had simply answered my questions. If you could not answer them, then do me the favor of not responding at all. What I take from your post is that indeed being a salesman is a very integral component to operating independently. However, all of your perceptions of this regions media needs, perceptions of quality, my company, my boss and myself are incorrect. |
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If you actually have skills, and an interest in quality work, it's too bad that they risk getting overshadowed by that big chip on your shoulder. Rather than ranting at me for what I didn't say, you might spend some time going back over what I DID say. You don't want to be a salesman, but you want the income that successful sales provide. Reconcile that. |