Re: Professionals poll....Please participate.....PRETTY PLEASE, PLEASE......

Okay. Michael. I'll bite. But like Tim, my answers may not be appropriate to what you're looking for.

1. What state/region are you currently working in?

I reside and have offices in Maryland on the east coat of the US. But because of the industrial/technical nature of what I do, and that I have an expertise in a couple of niche markets, my clients are all over the place: Virginia, New York/New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Illinois, California -- I go where the companies are. The furthest client I ever had was in NSW, Australia and for a number of years I had several clients in the Northeastern Caribbean. Caribbean clients resulted mostly from the fact that I was there calling on them on a regular basis while my competitors were either local (and of limited skills) or tourists who were opportunistically "hitting on" them rather than actually working in the market year in, year out.


2. What is your going rate for a single hour of non-linear editing? (not including logging and menial tasks.)

Gee. I never sell a single hour. But seriously, I fight like hell to keep hourly rates and prices in general inside the "black box" of an all-encompassing project. That and the fact that different clients, with different requirements and different budgets pay different rates. Sorry to be obtuse, but for my business there is no easy answer. I've been know to work for free and known to grab the really big brass ring when it was passing by.


3. What is the "going" rate in your market for a standard "concept to completion" :30 second spot?

Sorry. Not in that business, so I wouldn't know.


4. What is your most common task?

Unfortunately for the past several months I have to say that it's been writing proposals and marketing plans to secure more business. Like many of us, I go through a feast/famine cycle wherein when I'm very busy I don't take the necessary time to develop new business and when I'm not busy that's about all I do do. (One of my many failings which I will seek to correct with my next set of New Year's resolutions.)


5. How do you feel about your position in the market? (bear in mind that you don't need to be a business owner to have an opinion about your market.)

In one of the niches I am clearly the quality leader, yet second in sales volume. (I've always said --or is it rationalized-- that I would rather serve fewer clients better.)

In the other niche I am probably near the bottom of a very big pile. But those things I do work on are profitable, and I have no desire to have the hundred+ employees needed to be near the top, and again, I make money doing what I do, so I'm happy.


6. How do you compete with people that you view to be at, or around, your level of experience and strength in the marketplace?

By getting as involved as possible with my clients' businesses. By being visible in the niche's conferences and trade shows. By maintaining regular and active contact with many different people. I also try to remember birthdays and, every few years, send out a fairly extravagant promotional piece.