The first job almost never comes from a big brand. It comes from a company small enough that the person reading your message is the one who decides.
The question is which one, because writing to everybody amounts to writing to nobody.
Who to write to first
Brands claiming French manufacturing are the best entry point, and almost nobody mentions them.
They have a story to show: a workshop, a material, a gesture, an origin. That story does not fit in a product photo on a white background, and it is exactly what video does well.
They sell online, often with no internal team, and the person in charge is reachable. The decision cycle is short, sometimes two messages.
Finally, they need content continuously, not one annual campaign. That is what turns a first client into a regular one.
What to have before writing
Three videos, not ten. A single-take demonstration, a piece speaking to camera, and one shot outside your home.
A link that plays in one click, with no access request, tested from a phone that is not yours.
A price. Not a range, a price. A range forces the person to negotiate before even knowing whether they want you.
The message that works
Four lines. What you noticed on their product page or their site. What you propose to film. The price and the lead time. The link.
No personal introduction, no history, no "I am passionate about". The person is trying to find out whether you solve a problem they have, and they know within ten seconds or never.
Send the message in the morning, early in the week. That is when this kind of mail is dealt with, rather than postponed.
The offer that unlocks the first yes
One video, a low but real price, a short deadline. Nothing free: a free job creates a client who will never pay and will not recommend you.
Add a sentence that removes the risk: if the video does not suit, you deliver a second version, once.
That wording costs little and lifts the only real objection of a brand that has never bought this kind of content.
How many to send, and for how long
Five a day, five days a week, for a month. Written one by one, never as a mass send.
Note what you sent, to whom, when, and the answer. Without that record you will chase the wrong people and forget those who said "not now".
Because "not now" is the most frequent answer, and it is a good one: it is followed up three months later with one sentence, and it often turns into a job.
What happens after the first client
Ask immediately for two things: permission to show the video in your portfolio, and a short sentence about the lead time and the way you work.
Then propose what comes next before being asked: three videos a month, at a fixed price. An existing client costs infinitely less energy than a new one, and that is what turns one job into a business.
Where to find the first ten clients
| Source | Effort | Reply rate |
|---|---|---|
| Shops in your own area | One visit | High |
| Brands that have just opened | A targeted message | Medium |
| Specialist platforms | A complete profile | Steady |
What is enough to start
One sample, a price, a lead time and a clear sentence: the rest is built after the first order.
What turns a trial into a habit
Delivering before the date, naming the files, proposing the next subject and invoicing without delay.
Meanwhile, make yourself findable
A complete profile on a platform, with category, language, rate, city and recent pieces. It works while you write your messages.
The two channels do not replace one another: outreach brings the clients you choose, the platform brings those you would never have met.
Sources
- Urssaf, official auto-entrepreneur portal
- Service Public, how to become a micro-entrepreneur
- Service Public, crossing the micro-entrepreneur turnover thresholds
Checked on 4 September 2026. Thresholds and rates change: where this guide and the official source disagree, the official source is right.
