Solving problems is the way all business works. A client comes with a problem and you offer them a solution through your skills, expertise and use of equipment. Then they pay you for your work, shake hands, walk away, and everyone’s happy. It’d be great if that’s how it always worked, but times change and so does business. You might not get that easy job, that pleasant hand-off, or even the pay you were promised for reasons beyond your expectations. 

Here are some tips, some solutions to uncommon problems you need to know to keep your business around for the future.

Give Your Client Some Work

One of the biggest reasons for work being rejected is that the instructions were not understood. And if you did everything you were asked of on your end, then it comes down to the client not communicating correctly. Do you criticize them? No, you work with them. Offer a proposal of your solutions to your client and let them pick through what you can offer so there’s no confusion. Be up front with what you offer and give your client the power to pick what you do for them so there’s no understanding to be had.

Be Ready For The Future

It’s hard to expect the unexpected. We were on track for a nearly universal economic rise until the pandemic hit. Everyone had to adjust on the fly, except for the smart people who had precautions in place to keep their lights on and business active. Keep your ears open to the recent trends in tech. Just like how iPhones have edged out professional-grade cameras in quality, AI editing software might replace entire editors for content creation. Get used to it soon so you can market with it later.

Structure Your Pricing

If you charge by the hour, but finish a job in 30 minutes, is it free? Or is the client expected to pay for a wasted half an hour? Make sure your pricing is perfectly clear and every option you offer through your service has an accepted price attached to it. The client will know what everything costs so they can plan out a budget in advanced, which gives them control, and assures that you will be paid reasonably if they suddenly need something extra after the order is begun. Make it clear, stay consistent, and that will keep the clients coming back.

Podcasting as a Service

Podcasts are the new infomercials, radio dramas and talkshows. They can do everything, and for a business, that means they can help generate an audience. Podcasts are easy to make if you’re used to editing and timeline management, but people running a business don’t have the time to do that. Branch out - take in something easy that you can do while waiting to reel in the big fish projects.

Price For Performance

When dealing with packages for jobs, price yourself based on the work that is expected and clarify what that work should be with the client. Maybe they want a product shot - just a simple static image, well lit, of their product. That can be a basic job, but additional angles, touch-ups, extra effects like “condensation” on the side of a beer glass or makeup on a model to make her skin catch the light better can be extras on higher-cost packages. Don’t give away your work for free - even if it’s work you don’t expect to be doing.