Shortly after signing up for the Travel Videos for Profit program, I was having a chat with one of my best friends who runs an ad agency. She asked if I thought video could help one of her clients gain more visibility for a product, and I was able to tell her what I’d learned from chapter one of the course, “The Demand for Tourism Videos.” Much of this chapter’s advice applies to businesses outside of tourism as well.
By its very nature, video can keep visitors on a website longer, raise the buyer’s confidence in the product, and result in increased sales. My friend asked me how much I’d charge to make a short client video, just to see what would happen.
As the course recommends doing two or three projects for free to gain experience, I offered to do this project as one of my practice videos. She insisted on paying me something, though, as she felt this would benefit her client, and he had an advertising budget. With a couple of minor revisions, she and the client were very happy with the results.
I’ve been playing with cameras since elementary school and ended up getting a bachelor’s degree in photography, but I never studied video. Now my DSLRs have video capability.
I’ve had several requests for video work over my years as a photographer, but I never felt comfortable offering it on my menu of services since I did not have the training. I thought this course might help me find my way in the world of video.
Travel Videos for Profit advertised that students can use a DSLR or even a phone to get started. I figured that if people can make money with phone videos, I might have a chance to go a step further since I have been doing still photography for so many years with a DSLR.
I also liked the focus on making sales. It’s one thing to be proficient with a camera, be a great editor, and know about lighting. It’s another thing entirely to get people to pay for these skills and services. I wanted a course to help me with my business, not just add another skill or certification to my resume.
I’ve been pleased by the course so far. Especially since I made my first sale within days of signing up for it!
Here’s some take-away advice I have after selling my first video:
- If you enjoy taking videos on your phone and want to learn how to make some money from them, you’ll enjoy this course.
- You can get started from home. Don’t wait until your next great travel adventure; local businesses need affordable video, too.
- Pay attention to your audio! That is proving the biggest challenge for me as it is not something I have had to deal with in my day-to-day photo work. With the money from my first sale, I invested in a lapel mic for interviews.
- Don’t be afraid to try some footage with your phone camera. I was skeptical about using my phone for a professional job. However, based on this course I decided to risk it. Part of the first video I sold was shot on a DSLR, and part was shot on my phone.
- When you start the course, tell your friends about it. You may find that you have paid work sooner than you think!
[Editor’s Note: Learn more about how you can fund your travels and make an extra income with photography, travel writing, blogging, and more in our free online newsletter The Right Way to Travel. Sign up here today and we’ll send you a new report, Three Fun Ways To Get Paid To Travel: A Quick-Start Guide, completely FREE.]
