How This Videographer Closed A $21K Retainer - Master Filmmaker Review

What's going on, guys? I'm here with one of our clients, Christian, who just closed a 21k retainer, I guess for anybody who doesn't know you, do you mind just giving us a little kind of backstory on yourself, how you got into this, how you got started in video, and just give us a little bit of backstory there.

How's it going, everyone? My name is Christian riego. I own 500 Grand Studios. It's a company here based in Michigan. You know, we do the social media kind of done for you service and essentially helping local businesses take care of, you know, social media needs.

I love it, man. And what was kind of like the biggest problem you had prior to jumping into the program were some of the things you were looking to get tackled. I know obviously we're still going through the program, but like, what are some of those initial things you're looking to get help with?

Yeah, so before getting into this program, you know, I felt like I did a good job creating videos, creating high quality videos, but at the end of the day, I didn't have business knowledge, you know. And I guess what you guys have been able to help. Help me with and, and just providing me with the framework and having that community, you know, that essentially does the same thing.

100%. Yeah. Getting surrounded by other people who are doing those kind of bigger deals as well. Had you done a lot of retainers up to this point or is this kind of your first time doing retainers or so how did that start?

No, so I just kind of started locking in retainers about six months ago, I would say. And to be quite Frank, honest, this 21k deal is kind of like a upsell.

Nice.

So, yeah, that's kind what that is 100, man.

And I guess like going through the program again, we. We still have a lot more to go. There's a lot more to do. Has there been anything that's been kind of particularly helpful for you going through the program up to this point or anything that you feel like has really helped.

The biggest thing that you guys have been able to help me out with is just again, understanding the business side of creating videos. And you know, the biggest thing was like creating that offer sheet at first, you know, before getting into this program, I didn't even know how to essentially create a good offer. Yep. Yeah, that's really the biggest thing also.

Were you just doing everything custom before? Like you're just doing a bunch of custom work, just working custom quote? Yep. Had that been working pretty well for you? Or you're like, like do you see a difference between like doing that and then having more of like an offer.

Sheet actually in a conversation with another company here? But yeah, I feel like going through the sales script I feel like helps you out a lot in terms of, you know, asking the right questions because that was the number one thing I didn't know how to ask the right questions, you know.

Yeah, like, like what? You know, where is your business at now? Where do you want it to be? What's that gap? What does that look like? What kind of questions were you asking prior when you were talking to clients.

Before asking, you know, like when I would first get my clients it was just always like talking about, you know, creating the best videos and this type of stuff and essentially, you know, a business owner doesn't care about any of that stuff.

Yeah.

Want to see a return on their investment. You know, they're, they're essentially investing on you as a video production company or whatever your Right. Yep. Yeah.

Well, no, and you're right there because it's like you could, you could work really freaking hard making a really nice piece of content, but they're not going to care. And I think a lot of people are like like damn, dude. But I, I created something that's looks so nice. It's like it doesn't make them money, they don't care. Right. And you could do like less of a job. Not that we want to do a worse job for the clients but like you could do not as good of a job and charge way more, make way more money for less work. It's like why wouldn't you, you know what I mean?

Like before back then I was doing a lot of one off projects. I wasn't essentially focused on locking in more retainers.

Yeah dude, one offs are tough because it's like you don't have that consistency within.

First the consistency and then just feel like yeah, you can have more money at some point but then you're stuck with a lot more work. Unlike retainers, you know, getting into the contract beforehand, you know that you're going to be doing this amount of work.

Yeah, I mean it's, it's like doing those one off projects where you're doing a lot of like Cinemat content. It's kind of like digging a hole with a shovel versus retainer work. And charging based on the outcome that the client's gonna, is gonna get is like digging with more of like a backhoe. Right. It's way easier. Same work. It's just you're using a better vehicle to make more money and grow the business at the end of the day, which is huge. And then just like building a gap in that conversation where it's like, hey, we're talking about this. This is where you're at. This is where you want to go. Here's the type of videos we can use to get there. And becoming more of like that consultant versus than just like a, like an order taker, where it's like, hey, what's your budget? Here's what I can do, you know, does that work for you? And then you're in that like, lower status frame than they are and it's really, really difficult to get out of that, you know. Yeah, a hundred percent, dude. And I guess, like, as a, you know, as a result of the program, like, how do you feel about business now? Like, do you feel like it's a little bit easier for you? Like, how do you, how do you feel within the business having these kind of assets and tools?

Most definitely. I feel like I've improved a lot, you know, from last year versus now with the program. It did it a lot faster for me. You know, essentially having the frameworks, just me now. I'm at a point now where essentially I just know I have to tackle these things. And it's just like, how, how can I do that as fast as I can on top of, you know, doing the business itself? So. Right.

It's like working on the business versus just working in it. It's like because you got to do some of that stuff in it to get past a certain point and then you got to hire people to do it. And that's something obviously we'll help you with within the program as well. But it's like you gotta hire people for that so you can work on the business, which is actually growing the thing.

And that's the thing too is, you know, six months ago I would have done literally everything from the scripting, the, like the scripting, the shooting. Because right now, you know, working with like a roofing company, for example, providing like drone videos, they have a lot of projects and they want to showcase a lot of those projects. And I don't have time to essentially do some hire some other shoots. And yeah, I got this one guy that helps me out with the drone. I got a couple of guys that helped me with the social media management aspect. And so, yeah, slowly but surely, like growing out that team and yeah, got.

To buy the time back, man. You can't do everything yourself. It's like you want to get to, you know, 100k, 200k, 300k a month. It's like you got to have people that can work in the business and buy your time back, so you're not doing all that work yourself. I love it though, man. One last question. I guess maybe if anybody's on the fence, you know, now that you've taken the leap, which is obviously a scary leap, but like if anybody's maybe on the fence about booking a call and just like speaking with us, knowing what you know now, what kind of advice would you, would you give them, you.

Know, to other agency owners or to anyone who wants to get into this and really want to make it? I would say just book a call, man. You know, it's, you know, there's really nothing that you're, you're not going to, it's not going to hurt you if you book a call. These guys are only going to help you essentially. And yeah, I did it a lot faster for me. So if you're looking to grow really fast, these guys are able to provide the frameworks and the processes for, for you guys and, and on top of that, help you out with it as well.

So you got gotta do the work though. Not a magic pill. You gotta show up. You gotta show up for yourself and, and do the work. And that's ultimately what it comes down to, you know. But dude, I am super excited to do another one of these. When you're hitting 40, 50, 60k a month, we're cruising from there and, and highlighting your journey, dude. So I'm super pumped.

It's awesome, man. I actually have another. So there was someone that had reached out and so I don't know. I hope to put another win in. We'll just wait.

Go. I love it. Post it in the wins in slack. I love it, man. Well, dude, I appreciate your time. I'll let you get back to closing some deals here and, and we'll do another one of these when you're, you're crushing even more. So I love it.

I appreciate it, man.

Awesome, dude. Appreciate you.