Re: New Independent Marketing Executive Program for Videographers

If he's following his rate card and budgeting right, the $6k is what it costs plus his markup and profit, and not much more. His choice is then to add on your commission to his 6k price, making his cost higher, or take a 1200-dollar hit on the 6k job *somewhere* in his budget. Now I suppose that's "possible". But. Where does he take that money from? The margins are pretty tight already. He's got sunk costs to cover, and opportunity cost for the time the job will take. Does he hire a cheaper, less capble assistant, to save that cost? Or does he get lesser lighting gear rental? Maybe he budgets less time on he compositing work and goes with common templates rather than more customized effects? Needle-drop music, instead of custom? Suddenly, he's charging more than he usually does, but delivering "less" product. In a subjective sense, that is.

You seem to be suggesting that he only pays your commission once for the initial contact, then he's got a new client and he can spread that acquisition cost over several jobs? Maybe.

The most expensive "free" gift I got was this classic antique RC model sailplane a friend spotted at an estate sale and gave to me, gratis. To get it in flyable condition, I had to buy double it's value in new radio system components, plus spend quite a bit of time sanding down the fiberglass and re-finishing it, installing the new gear, plus additional money for a new launching system because this thing has a 13-foot wingspan and is too heavy for my existing launch mechanism. So the "free" plane, while awesome, so far has got me sucked in for $400 and it's yet to fly.

You can also go with a "restore this FREE 66 Mustang" analogy, in that yes, you now have a free Mustang but before you enjoy using it you're going to drop about 20 grand restoring it. How many trips do I drive the Mustang, to spread out that investment?