The relationship between clients and videographers can either be transactional or relationship-based. I’m going to focus on the latter because this dynamic breeds a loyalty that can sometimes stunt growth in an organization if it’s not addressed.

My hope is that the perspective I am about to share helps people on both sides of this because we all deserve to do the work we want to do, not the work we feel obligated to do.

As someone who has held a camera most of my life, exercising this skillset professionally throughout my career, I have a good understanding of the dynamic clients and videographers inevitably experience.

Solving unique business problems often involves a range of potential options to get clients the results they want. These options often present some hurdles that come in the way of professional partners and/or vendors that need to be addressed.

We are either inheriting existing relationships clients value or we’re there to help deal with the breakup of one that didn’t go as expected.

Sometimes these relationships are managed smoothly with only a few minor adjustments, but other times they end.

I will say it is never my intention to see people get fired or miss out on opportunities to serve their clients that they’ve been there for long before someone like me showed up, but sometimes it does happen. More often than not, people end up becoming better and relationships get stronger. On top of that, the client feels a renewed sense of confidence moving toward their goals.

I want to share some things that I’ve picked up on in my career that can help any decision maker understand how the right communication in these relationships can really help during this stage.

First let’s look at a typical scenario for context:
Let’s imagine a videographer who has been working on projects consistently with a company for a few years. He’s always been available and his price hasn’t changed. He even delivers on time and is extremely responsive. This dynamic breeds loyalty and offers price certainty clients love.

But one day he stops being as available as he once was.

He becomes less responsive and projects are taking a lot longer than they once did.

Here are some reasons why this dynamic may be playing out:

• The videographer is trying to find themselves
• They value their relationship with you, but don’t know how to have “the conversation” yet
• They want to get paid more
• They don’t want to film those types of things anymore
• They have taken on more than they can handle
• They’re making destructive health choices and struggling with some bad personal habits that they need time to sort out
• They feel like they owe you something

These are just some of the reasons that your videographer is letting you down. If they’re just a vendor to you then you likely don’t care too much about why this is happening and go find their replacement. If however, you actually care about them and/or feel somewhat invested in the professional relationship, let’s talk about some solutions that can create the WIN WIN.

The first thing you can do is be intentional about having an open and honest conversation with them.

Ask yourself this, “When was the last time I asked them about their goals?”

If you never asked them this, perhaps it’s time. If you haven’t in a while, just check on them and see how things are going for them professionally. Get them to look into the future and share some things that would have to happen for them to be happy. (This is a fun exercise I learned from a book called, “The Dan Sullivan Question”. It’s essentially a conversational framework that works wonders for ideal relationships.)

A lot of videographers struggle with positioning. A common pattern, especially early in their careers, reveals all types of different projects they get involved in.

(Just a reminder that my perspective was born out of once being one of the people I’m speaking about.)

Thinking back on the foundation of your relationship with them maybe you looked at their portfolio and saw a style you liked and that’s all you needed, But chances are you saw a scattered portfolio consisting of a blend of music videos, wedding videos, product videos, fitness videos, testimonials, etc. A natural evolution born from the demands of the attention economy.

Either way, you saw what you needed to and the relationship was born.

If the person was early in their career, they likely served anyone that needed a video. This is beneficial as it sets up the experience needed to establish the necessary positioning they’ll need later.

The point is, they may not really know what they truly want to do and that’s ok. It’s important to recognize that this is a common occurrence that should be embraced for what it is. Understanding the journey of a videographer you trust, and acknowledging the shifts in their professional path, is key to maintaining a healthy and productive relationship.