Make $250,000+ a Year … With Your Video Camera
by Paul Lawrence
When my two partners and I agreed to pursue the venture, we thought of it as almost a hobby. We all enjoyed combat sports and thought it would be cool to sell related videos. And, if we made a few extra dollars by doing it … even better.
This article appears courtesy of Early to Rise [Issue #1888, 11-16-06], the Internet's most popular health, wealth, and success e-zine. For a complimentary subscription, visit http://www.earlytorise.com/.
When my two partners and I agreed to pursue the venture, we thought of it as almost a hobby. We all enjoyed combat sports and thought it would be cool to sell related videos. And, if we made a few extra dollars by doing it … even better.
Fast-forward a few years and the enterprise we started
is anything but a hobby. It now employs 10 people. People who now own
it, it’s a very serious business that nets over $250,000 a year!
But what I find really incredible about this story is that we started this business with only a few hundred dollars.
For the first videos we produced, we just rented the
lowest-level broadcast-quality camera for $50. And we hired a service to
do some simple edits for about $100 more. After that, we placed some
small ads and created a website. The rest, as they say, is history.
Naturally, if you’re financially able to purchase all
the equipment, it makes the whole thing more convenient. Still, I
recommend producing a video or two first. Then, once you’ve got some
cash coming in, go ahead and buy a video camera, a computer, and the
appropriate software. You should be able to get everything you need for
about $6,000.
There is an almost unlimited opportunity to produce
videos, because there’s a demand for them in just about every area of
interest. Since my experience with that first partnership, I’ve created
and produced a variety of other videos that have all been extremely
profitable. (By the way, I eventually sold my share for a nice profit.)
Some of the best kinds to produce are instructional videos. Because people are buying information – not special effects or
top-notch acting – your production doesn’t have to be perfectly
polished. It shouldn’t look like you shot it in your garage with a
camcorder, but it doesn’t have to look like a broadcast television show
or blockbuster Hollywood movie.
You may already have the technical know-how to create
your own instructional video, and you may even feel comfortable being on
camera yourself. If not, no problem. All you have to do is hire people
who have the skills or knowledge you lack.
In one instance, I became acquainted with a fitness
instructor who had developed an awesome technique for stretching the
back that really helped me. And because so many people suffer from back
pain, I figured there might be a market for her system. So I hired her
to host an instructional videotape that I produced.
The results were nothing short of fantastic. I made a
$5,000 profit within days of putting the video up for sale. And I did it
without having any personal expertise in videography.
And I’m definitely not the only one who’s been able to
turn instructional videos into a profitable business. KH came across a
man who, in his 60s, was in better shape than most 20-year-olds. His
muscles were toned and he had amazing energy and vigor. The man agreed
to turn his personal exercise regimen into an instructional video (with
KH as the producer) – and within 30 days of shooting it, KH had made a
$10,000 profit. The best part is that KH had started with a mere $250
investment.
If you have your own area of expertise that you can transform into an instructional video, so much the better.
As I’ve mentioned several times in ETR, I taught
ballroom dancing for years. And I’ve earned a nice stream of income from
an instructional dance video I created during that time. Because I
featured my own skills in the video, my investment was even smaller than
it would have been had I needed to hire an outside expert.
One of the best things about creating and selling videos
is that they can provide a continuing income stream. Once you’ve made
the video, all you have to do is fill orders. And if you have a topic
that continues to interest people – and you continue to market it – the
video can sell forever.
Here’s how to get started with your first “how-to” video:
1. Choose a subject.2. Either plan to be in the video yourself or hire a qualified expert.3. Rent or buy the camera and editing equipment.4. Shoot and edit.5. Using the direct-marketing techniques you read about in ETR all the time, sell the video to your target customer.
Producing and marketing your own videos is not only
exciting and fun, it can also be very lucrative. Plus, this is a
business where you can quickly get your foot in the door with a very
small outlay of capital. Just take an inventory of subjects you know
already or find interesting … and you could be a video producer in a
matter of weeks.
[Ed. Note: Paul Lawrence is a produced screenwriter, direct-mail copywriter, and business author.]
__________________________________________________This article appears courtesy of Early to Rise [Issue #1888, 11-16-06], the Internet's most popular health, wealth, and success e-zine. For a complimentary subscription, visit http://www.earlytorise.com/.
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