First videos, the status that lets you invoice, realistic rates and the first paying clients: here is the order to follow.
1. Shoot three or four example videos
That is the only starting point, and it costs nothing.
Take products you already own, and cover three formats: the in-hand demonstration, the piece to camera, the unboxing.
Three technical rules are enough to be taken seriously: daylight from the side, phone put down, sound recorded close to the mouth.
Do not chase perfection: a plain edit and clean sound are worth more than a successful effect.
2. Settle the tax question
Two steps, in this order, not the reverse.
First the initial jobs under the occasional framework described above, long enough to check that clients pay.
Then opening a business, as soon as orders become regular or the ceiling comes close. That is also what opens the doors of companies, which can only work with a supplier in order.
One technical point to know: electronic invoicing is compulsory in many cases, and a badly issued document blocks payment far more surely than a commercial disagreement.
3. Set realistic prices
Three benchmarks, to adapt.
Count half a day of real work per simple video, preparation and exchanges included.
Invoice the rights separately: use in paid advertising is not the same price as an organic post.
And keep a floor price. A first job accepted too low sets your rate for the whole relationship, and the client will mention you to others at the price they paid.
4. Make your profile findable
Four elements, and nothing more.
A folder of six videos that opens without sign-up.
One line stating your city, what you film and your usual lead time.
Your invoicing details ready to be given.
And a presence on two or three matching platforms, long enough to get your first reviews.
The first four weeks
| Week | What you do | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Two videos with products already at home | The start of a portfolio |
| 2 | A complete profile and a price | A page you can send |
| 3 | Ten messages to active brands | The first replies |
| 4 | One order, however small | A real sample |
What is decided before writing to anyone
A category, a city, two formats, a price. Without those four answers, every exchange costs one more round.
What you do not pay for in the first year
A website, a logo, expensive gear. Three sharp videos are worth more, and are made with what you already have.
5. Land the first order
Three channels, from fastest to slowest.
The brands you are already a customer of: you have the product, the proof of purchase and a reason to write.
The shops in your town, which answer for themselves and decide within a day.
And agencies, which pay less but order regularly once trust is established.
The message that works fits in four lines: what you noticed about them, what you propose, a link to two videos, a starting price.
Count between three and eight weeks between first contact and the first paid order. Those who give up almost always do so before the thirtieth application, which is just before the moment when replies start coming.
Sources
Checked on 26 August 2026. Thresholds and rates change: where this guide and the official source disagree, the official source is right.
