Betterme Productions

Case study

How this small service business grew 2.3x in 6 months

Industry

Video production

Size

Local team of 5

Pricing

$1,500- 25,000 per project

Growth

From $80K to $183K in 3 months

“I am on track to triple my business this year, and I credit Rahib for a big part of that growth.”

The Challenge

Clients didn't recognize the ROI of his services

After 8 years in his video production agency, Chris was burnt out and drowning in work.

For years my business had coasted along on word of mouth referrals, but never growing substantially from year to year. I wavered between confidence and doubt in my business. I wasn’t sure exactly what I needed to grow, and I needed someone to help me figure out how.

Each passing year got harder due to rising competition, new video technologies and AI.
Clients would scoff at his quotes. “We’re not sure any video you make could be worth $15K.”

Chris was spending $2-6K a month on marketing, but the leads weren’t reliable. His margins were inconsistent, making cash flow a constant headache.

Clients love our videos. But for most it’s a want, not a need. They often see it as a vanity project for when business is going well.

With the birth of his second child, Chris found himself taking lower-paying jobs just to stay afloat. With such a limited budget, Chris had to do it all himself, working longer hours for less pay.

Clients love our lead cinematographer. At $120/hour, he’s great value, but I could only afford him on the bigger projects. So I was getting less experienced guys and micromanaging them to keep costs lower.

His business, once a source of pride, now felt like a constant struggle. His dream business was slipping away, and Chris wasn’t sure why. The harder he worked, the less he seemed to get ahead.

Chris is obviously great at what he does, as evidenced by the number of glowing reviews on google. But he’s not seeing the sales or profits to match.

Common Misconceptions

1. Work quality is more important than marketing

If we become best in class, people will hear of us through word of mouth.

2. Omnipresence is essential

We need to be on every channel, especially if our competitors are already there.

3. Our USP is service quality for cheap

Businesses buy from smaller companies like mine because we go the extra mile for less.

4. We need volume to grow the business

We need more cheap entry level services so clients can experience our services and refer others.

The Solution

Reframe what Chris does and communicate his real value

Step 1 - Define the ideal customers

Creating a video costs Chris the same time and effort, regardless of who it’s for. But the value different clients get from these videos varied greatly.
So first, we identified which clients get the most value from Chris’s efforts. Then we chose a niche where Chris’ unique skills and experience would be truly appreciated and rewarded.

They have an ongoing need to communicate their research so they can get funding, recruit students, and maintain their reputations.

They have dedicated budgets for communications, and are used to spending $20K+ for campaigns. However not many communications or marketing firms work exclusively with academia.

Decision makers are easy to identify and can be reached in several ways. They have strong industry networks and can refer to other organizations.

Chis loves working with “do-gooders” and mission driven organizations. And he’s good at making complex scientific topics simple and engaging for non-experts.

Step 2 - Offer solutions, not services

The next step was re-defining what Chris’s agency does. We focused on the outcome clients can achieve (engaging policymakers). And we presented a new way (humanizing research) of achieving this outcome.

And instead of services we focused on:

the outcomes the ideal clients can achieve
and the headaches they can avoid.

It’s unlike anything they’ve ever seen before. As a result there are no price comparisons with other video production agencies.

This lets Chris charge for value delivered, instead of justifying prices, or haggling over production costs.

Step 3 - Design for Retention

Chris values sustainability. He needs more consistent revenue to be able to grow his team and invest in new equipment.
So we designed his service delivery to be able to retain clients longer. This way he maximized the lifetime value (LTV) of each client, and ensured smoother cash flow over the year.

RESULTS

Grew revenue 2.3X in 3 months

Chris re-positioned as an expert in Science Communications and got his first client in just 3 months.
By raising his prices, he can afford to work with fewer clients. This means he can focus more on each project, giving his clients the love and attention he’s known for.

As a result, Chris is developing a reputation among academics for his storytelling ability. And he’s getting more referrals from educational and research organizations. More importantly he’s attracting more “do-gooder” clients who care about making the world a better place. This shift has made work far more enjoyable and meaningful.

Chris’s revenue grew from $80K to $183K this year. And because he’s now retaining clients for 12-18 months, he doesn’t have to worry so much about new sales.

Chris has achieved work-life balance, without giving up growth or income. He’s able to invest more into his team and equipment, while still caring for his young family. And he has the runway to explore exciting new directions without worrying about short-term survival.

Chris C.

CEO & Producer Betterme Productions

“2.3x Revenue in 6 Months”

For years my business has coasted along on word of mouth referrals, but never growing substantially from year to year. I was not really sure exactly what I needed, but I knew that I needed someone to help me figure it out. I am so glad that I discovered Rahib about 9 months ago.
I am on track to triple my business this year, and I credit Rahib for a big part of that growth. Rahib looks at the bigger picture, before getting into the tactical stuff. You really need someone who can roll with the punches, provide creative ideas, and take action.

Want to 3X your annual revenue? You have 2 choices…

The “Hustle” Way

With the "Get Better Clients Program"

For B2B Service and Consulting Companies who are tired of see-sawing between “swamped” and “starving”