Video Strategist - An additional income stream for videographers? EP #165 - Ben Amos

G', day, guys. Dan, Lenny here with this week's shorty for the how to Scale a Video Business podcast, episode number 165. And we've got a little something different for you this week. Instead of me just jumping in here and giving you some of Den wisdom, I've got my good friend, my colleague, my lunch partner From Innovate Media, Mr. Ben Amos, here to share some of his wisdom with you. Because Ben and I had lunch a few weeks ago here on the coast, on the Sunshine coast, and he was mentioning some really cool stuff he's doing for the online video strategy blueprint that is starting with a free training today. So g', day, Ben. How are you doing, man?

You know, Dan, it's great to be back on your show, hanging out with you and your audience.

Thank you. So let's just jump straight into this. We've spoken about the online video strategy blueprint before, but if someone's listening to the show and they've not heard of you and they've not heard, which I find hard to believe, but if they haven't, why don't you just give a little bit of an intro into you and what you do and let's just share with the audience what's happening this week.

Sure, yeah. Thanks, Dan. Thanks for the opportunity. Look, yeah, as you said, my name's Ben Amos and I run a video production and strategy agency here on the Sunshine Coast. We've been here longer than you have, Den, before you even migrated. Yeah. So 12 years in business here, running, running the business started out as a video production company, but over the last seven years have transitioned what we do into what we call a full service video strategy agency, which we've talked about on your show before. But the other side to what I do is under the brand of Engage Video Marketing, and that's my way of getting out there and helping other people just like who I was, video producers, helping them understand the world of video marketing and video strategy so they can do better for their clients. And that's, as you mentioned there, my main program is the online video strategy blueprint now with over 100 other video producers, 103, in fact, have made their way through that program and changed the way that they do business as a result. So, yeah, can you share a bit more about, about what we're doing here?

Well, I would just, just jump in here for the, for the audience and let them know that, you know, Ben is someone I admired for many years. Before I moved to Australia. We happened to live about 40 minutes from each other. Soon to be about 10 minutes from each other. Actually, I'm moving in a couple of weeks time, but when we, when I met up on the coast, I got to know Ben's business and Ben's approach. And actually what was interesting is a lot of clients in my Mastermind program have done your program or if they haven't, they come from my Mastermind and they do your program as well. Because I've seen it as a really complement.

Side to what we do in the video business accelerator. We focus on business strategy and growth strategies for running a business. But what I've seen is my members who've done your online video strategy blueprint are taking that and it's adding even more value to the business.

And most of them start by doing some kind of free training with you. The thing that I've always admired about you, Ben, and probably the reason we get on so well, is that we're both of the opinion of Lead with Value first. Yes, we both run businesses and yes, there is a way for people to work with us if they want to do things faster. But you've always given away an enormous amount of value for free. And that's kind of what you're doing this week, isn't it? Do you want to talk a bit about how you're doing it this year and what's different and how someone who's sitting listening to this might be able to come and get a lot of great advice without having to invest anything?

Yeah, definitely. Look, I run my business off the motto Lead with Value. You can't see this as an audio podcast, but there's a sign on the shelf behind me that says exactly those three words. And that's how we attract business to our video production. Business is leading with value and also exactly the way I approach things with engaged video marketing. And that's what I'm doing this week starting today. As of the release of this episode, I'm actually just investing four days into going live every day within a specific Facebook group, the Video Strategists community on Facebook. Free to join for people to jump in to these four days of live masterclass Video Strategy for Video Pros training. That's what I'm calling it and that's what I want to teach you guys. Understanding what video Strategy for Video Professionals looks like and how you can implement this for your clients to add an additional skillset to your video production bow. Right. So we know how to make videos. People listening to this podcast, they run video businesses of various scale and we know how to create content. But in many cases, my own experience and those of the many people have been through the program as well.

That's where they stop with their clients, is delivering great videos. But then the frustration comes. I've heard this story time and time again. The frustration comes from the client's not knowing what to do with those videos. So there's no strategy behind those videos and there's no assistance to help them distribute and implement those videos to get results. That's what we're going to talk about in this training. So I'd love for anyone that is interested in this idea just to jump in and there's, there's nothing to lose. Just to pick up some valuable information this week.

Well, I just want to slide this in because this. One of my clients, Caleb, was on a call with me last week and they're going out and charging two and a half thousand dollars for a strategy day session. And it's a billable thing that they build to a client and it more often than not leads to the client then wanting to implement the strategy. So, you know, this is something that has a very solid and proven business case. So I just wanted to slip that in there because, you know, this is a podcast about making money in your video production company. So this isn't just another kind of like, hey, come and watch a free training. And we're going to try and, you know, you're going to try and sell them a course. Of course there's a program available for anyone who gets to the end of the four days, wants to work with you independently and in part of that group and do it faster. So that's, that's a given. There's no point in us pretending otherwise because that's. We're all about authenticity and being upfront. So, so what I'd love to do, Ben, is just, just walk me through what someone can expect over the four days. Because, you know, everyone's busy and they want, you know, is this another course? Why should they come and spend half an hour to an hour with you over four days? What can they expect to learn?

So I'm really holding up nothing back in this training. I plan on giving away as much value as I can to people so they really understand the opportunity that's available to them. So on day one, for example, we're going to look at what I'm calling the rise of the video strategist. And I'm sure many people who are listening have felt that there's more that they can do for their clients. So we're going to be looking at the bigger picture here of how our industry has changed and how we can better show up for our clients by considering the role that video strategy might play within your video production business. That's day one. Then day two, we're going to be going deep into what I call the seven elements to an effective video marketing strategy. That's understanding how each one of these elements fit and work and interplay within each of the other elements. And specifically the tactical approaches and tools and ideas that you can use with your clients to help unpack each of those seven elements to ensure that the videos you create.

Are strategic and not just tactical.

Right.

Day three, this is where kind of I guess the rubber hits the road, particularly for people who are looking at scaling a video business, which is the idea that there are business models that you can build around video strategy and there's not one size fits all when it comes to the potential way that you can integrate video strategy into your video business. So I'm actually going to unpack the three video strategy business models that I see as being most appropriate for businesses. Depending on the type of business they are, whether there are solo videographer or freelance video producer, or they have a team of people in their video company, there are different types of approaches to business, I guess to monetizing video strategy that we're going to unpack on day three and then day four, I'm going to actually break down a full video strategy sales funnel. So this is how as a video strategy company you can actually sell video strategy services. And you mentioned Caleb before implementing one of the tactics that we talk about in, in the course. Caleb's been through the program as well, where you can actually monetize the strategy session well before you even get to the production stage with your clients. This is one example. So day four, we're going to break down a full video strategy sales funnel. So I really feel that you could go away from this week and take a lot of what I'm going to share and implement it, make changes in your business, go and do it. And obviously there is an opportunity there to have some hand holding and to do it fast.

Absolutely, absolutely. And I guess a question that some people might have listening to this is that, you know, who's this for? What, what size of business does the video business seem to be to start offering video strategy? You know, if you're a one man band, is this something that feels like a bit of reach or is this something you could actually reach for and add income and services to your business that could help you grow.

So it's a great question, Dan. And you know, the joy of being able to put this program out into the world over the last three years is seeing the people that have been attracted to the program and the success stories and case studies have come through, which to be honest, in many cases I wasn't even, you know, sure that that was the right person for the program, but they've taken it and they've made it work for their business. For example, working from everyone, from Susan in the Netherlands, who was basically a video producer who worked solely with female entrepreneurs to create video course kind of content. And that was her specialty, working with females in that space. And so she was working with DSLRs and ring lights. That was the quality of content, which was great. But now she's positioned herself as a video strategy consultant. She barely produces content anymore, for example, or up to Doug in Winnipeg in Canada, who was one of the earliest students in the course, who has a team of, I think it's around about 10 people in his team now. So they're an established video production company and he's actually just hired a full time video strategist or someone to handle the strategy side in their business. As a CEO, Doug went through the program to develop his own understanding and then he brought on a full time person to his team to implement this for their clients and then put that person through the program as well. So really anyone from a solo videographer, video producer who wants to do better for their clients up to, you know, a larger production company with a team, you know, I would say that it can be valuable for anyone in between that.

Well, I know, I know people have gone through and we've spoken about it a few times and it's, it's a very valuable program for people who want to learn more about it. And I would just encourage anyone who's, you know, who is even remotely interested. I'll put a link below the podcast here on the website@denlenny.com so you can kind of just go to the website and there'll be a link that will take you straight to the Facebook group. Ben, I'm really excited. You know, we've done a few things in the past around this together and I always love working with you because you just deliver so, so much value to people. And I love the fact that we have this, this great relationship where we, you know, I don't really get involved promoting anybody else's products except yours. And it's because I know you deliver incredible value to people. So guys, I hope that's given you some insight. Ben, any last thoughts that you can recommend before we wrap this up?

Look, this is the first time I've done this, this type of training live in a Facebook group over four days. And I'm excited because I'm going to be in there interacting with people, interacting with other people within the comments and within during the live broadcast. But I know it's hard for people to get to live opportunities like this. So I'm also releasing over the course of next week or this week as a release of this podcast, I'm releasing a private Facebook. Sorry, a private podcast just for people who are in the Facebook group as well, so you can catch up on anything that you missed out on.

That's very cool guys. I will link everything below and I look forward to seeing you inside the group. You've been listening to the how to Scale a Video Business podcast with me, your host, Dan Lenny. If you're a video business owner, it's hit a ceiling and we benefit from mentorship, support and coaching. Then check out how you can work with me over@denleny.com don't forget to subscribe and rate the show over on itunes and we'd really appreciate you taking a few minutes to leave a review. And don't forget to share. If you feel you've gotten value from this episode and you think it would be useful for other filmmakers you know, then please do me a massive favor and share it on social media and in groups that you might be in. So thanks for listening. See you in the next episode.