Unless you are a remarkably good salesperson, your potential client will want to see some of your work. Of course, since this is your first paid gig, you won't have much to show, so what do you do?

First, polish any completed video productions you currently have by re-editing just the parts you want to show until they look and sound their best. If you find you don't have enough, or it's not the type of video work you want to attract, find out who needs that type of production and offer to do it at no charge, so you can add it to your demo.

Contact your local film commission and volunteer to produce a special short project. Local churches often have events they need covered. Or simply go to the places where the action you want to cover is happening. If it's what interests you, what could be better than spending a day at the yacht club, baseball field or BMX course and putting together a cool short video? Above all, remember to keep your demo short.

Next, invest in a good DVD labeling system. Direct-to-disc printers can make professional-looking DVDs for very little cost. In fact, your current ink jet printer may already have this option, so be sure to look for it. Your objective is to create a unified professional package that includes custom letterhead, demo DVD and even a logo.

Last, do some research before submitting anything for review. Find out everything you can about the company and what problem the client hopes to solve with this video. Include those insights in a cover letter that accompanies your demo.

Congratulations! You got the job, did the shoot and now the most important thing you can do is exceed your client's expectations. You want to be sure you can use the client as a professional reference. That means doing the best you can with editing, completing the project early and delivering your final project with a professional presentation via overnight courier. Or, if you have a really nice home theater setup, and you think it's appropriate, invite your client to a premiere at your place, where you can control all aspects of the viewing environment.

So you now have a taste of what it's like to work under the pressure of doing something you love for money. Did it come out all right? Was your client happy? Do you still enjoy producing video? If so, getting Gig Number Two just got a lot easier.

Contributing editor Brian Peterson is a video producer, production consultant, trainer and lecturer.

Getting your first paid gig often requires you to do much of the groundwork for getting future jobs. If you want to give it a serious shot, you need to develop a business plan. While there is software to help you do this, it really comes down to asking yourself the following questions, answering them as completely as you can, then reviewing your answers to assess your strengths and weaknesses.

• What are your professional and financial goals, and how will you achieve them?
• What is your core product or service, and what unique properties does it offer?
• What are your strengths and weaknesses?
• Who is your competition, and what are their strengths and weaknesses?
• How will you fund the startup of your business?
• For more information, check out www.sba.gov/smallbusinessplanner.

www.kiwanis.org
www.soroptimist.org
www.chamberofcommerce.com
www.rotary.org
www.letip.com
www.bni.com
www.filmcommissionhq.com