How to Get Infinite Clients as a Video Editor

Summary

This YouTuber's script reveals the secrets to securing high-paying video editing clients, critiquing common outreach mistakes and outlining strategies to stand out. It emphasizes the importance of a strong portfolio, tailoring messages to clients, and leveraging social media for visibility. The script also advises against hourly rates, advocating for project-based flat rates to maximize income and scalability, and suggests optimizing workflow for efficiency.

Takeaways

• 😀 The YouTuber earns $1,000 monthly and receives numerous messages from video editors, but rejects most due to common issues.
• 🔍 The script outlines four levels of outreach for video editors to get noticed by YouTubers and secure high-paying clients.
• 📧 Level one outreach is often generic and ineffective, lacking personalization and proof of the editor's skills.
• 💼 To improve, editors should include a portfolio link and examples of previous work to demonstrate their abilities.
• 🎨 Building a portfolio should be a priority for new editors, even if it means initially working for free to gain experience and testimonials.
• 📁 Organizing the portfolio by editing style, niche, or other specifics can make it easier for clients to find relevant work.
• 📲 Level two outreach involves making the email more specific to the client and avoiding generic language that could apply to many recipients.
• 📱 Level three focuses on building social proof on platforms like Twitter and YouTube, allowing potential clients to discover the editor's work.
• 🤝 Long-term relationships with high-level clients can provide access to 'secret sauce' knowledge that can be valuable for personal growth and business.
• 🎁 Offering to re-edit one of the client's old videos can be a compelling way to demonstrate value and secure a response, as part of level four outreach.
• 💰 Instead of working hourly, editors should consider a flat rate per project, which can be more profitable and easier for clients to budget.
• ⏱️ Optimizing workflow to complete projects faster can significantly increase earnings by allowing more projects to be completed within the same time frame.

Q & A

What is the main issue with the outreach methods used by most video editors according to the YouTuber?

The main issue is that the outreach methods are too generic and do not stand out, leading to a high rate of being ignored by YouTubers who receive numerous similar messages.

Why does the YouTuber reject most of the video editing offers they receive?

The YouTuber rejects most offers because they lack a clear demonstration of the editor's skills, a portfolio, and social proof, making it difficult to assess the editor's capabilities.

What is the term 'level one Outreach' referring to in the context of the video?

'Level one Outreach' refers to the basic and ineffective method of reaching out to potential clients with generic messages that do not differentiate the editor from others.

What is the importance of having a portfolio when reaching out to potential clients as a video editor?

A portfolio is crucial as it provides concrete examples of the editor's work, demonstrating their skills and style, which helps in securing clients and jobs.

How can a video editor build their portfolio if they have no previous work experience?

They can offer to work for free in exchange for the opportunity to add projects to their portfolio, gain testimonials, and acquire legitimate work experience.

What is the significance of organizing a portfolio in specific folders based on editing style or niche?

Organizing a portfolio in this way makes it easier for potential clients to find work that aligns with their needs, increasing the likelihood of being hired.

Why should a video editor avoid using buzzwords in their outreach messages?

Buzzwords are often overused and do not convey specific information about the editor's skills or style, making the message less impactful and memorable.

What is the purpose of building social proof on social media platforms like Twitter and YouTube?

Building social proof on these platforms allows potential clients to discover the editor's work and expertise without the editor having to actively reach out, increasing visibility and credibility.

How does the YouTuber suggest making an outreach email more specific and effective?

By tailoring the email to the specific client, replacing generic buzzwords with a link to the portfolio, and making the message concise and easy to read.

What is the concept of 'secret sauce' in the context of working with high-level clients?

'Secret sauce' refers to the unique insights, strategies, and knowledge that successful clients possess, which an editor can learn by working closely with them and use to enhance their own success.

Why is offering to edit the first video for free not always the best strategy to attract clients?

While it can be a sample of the editor's work, it requires the client to invest time and effort in providing assets and feedback, which may deter them from responding.

What strategy does the YouTuber recommend to make it difficult for potential clients to say no?

The YouTuber suggests re-editing one of the client's old videos to demonstrate improvement and attaching it to the outreach email, providing a compelling reason for the client to respond.

Why should video editors avoid working on an hourly rate?

Working hourly caps earnings based on the number of hours worked per day, limiting scalability and potentially leading to burnout due to long work hours.

What is the alternative to an hourly rate that the YouTuber suggests for video editors?

The YouTuber suggests working on a flat rate per project, which is more convenient for both the editor and the client and allows for greater scalability.

How can video editors increase their earnings by optimizing their workflow?

By speeding up their workflow to complete projects in less time, they can take on more projects within the same time frame, effectively increasing their hourly rate without working more hours.

What is the 'magic cut' feature mentioned in the video and how does it benefit video editors?

The 'magic cut' feature is a tool that automates the editing process by removing silences, filler words, mistakes, or double takes, saving time and effort, and allowing editors to focus on creating better content.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Secrets to Landing High-Paying Video Editing Clients

This paragraph discusses the common mistakes made by video editors when reaching out to YouTubers for work. The speaker, a successful YouTuber, reveals that generic emails and messages are typically ignored due to their abundance. They emphasize the importance of standing out, showcasing a portfolio, and providing social proof to increase the chances of securing editing jobs. The speaker also introduces the concept of 'levels' of outreach, indicating that there are more advanced strategies to be discussed in the video.

05:01

🚀 Building Social Proof and Leveraging YouTube for Client Discovery

The speaker explains the importance of establishing a social media presence, particularly on platforms like Twitter and YouTube, as a means of showcasing one's editing skills and attracting potential clients. They highlight the benefits of using social media as a portfolio and a tool for demonstrating expertise in video editing. The paragraph also touches on the strategy of creating content that can attract clients organically, thus reducing the need for aggressive outreach.

10:02

💰 Maximizing Earnings with Project-Based Rates and Workflow Optimization

In this paragraph, the speaker advises against working on an hourly basis due to its limitations and the potential for burnout. Instead, they recommend charging a flat rate per project, which allows for greater scalability and profitability. The speaker also introduces the concept of workflow optimization, suggesting that by improving efficiency, editors can take on more projects in the same amount of time, thereby increasing their earnings significantly. They hint at sharing specific strategies for speeding up the editing process in a subsequent video.

Keywords

💡YouTuber

A YouTuber is an individual who creates and shares video content on the YouTube platform. In the context of this video, the YouTuber is the target audience for the video editor's services. The script discusses how video editors can effectively reach out to YouTubers for potential collaborations, illustrating the importance of standing out in a crowded market.

💡Video Editor

A video editor is a professional who edits raw video footage into a finished product, often using software like Adobe Premiere Pro or After Effects. The script focuses on the challenges video editors face in attracting high-paying clients and provides strategies for successful outreach and collaboration.

💡Outreach

Outreach in this video refers to the process of contacting potential clients, such as YouTubers, to offer video editing services. The script outlines different levels of outreach, from generic emails to more personalized and effective strategies, highlighting the importance of standing out to secure work.

💡Portfolio

A portfolio showcases a video editor's previous work and skills, serving as proof of their abilities. The script emphasizes the necessity of having a portfolio to demonstrate expertise and secure editing jobs, suggesting that editors should build their portfolios by offering free work in exchange for testimonials and experience.

💡Social Proof

Social proof is evidence of a person's or product's credibility, often in the form of online presence, testimonials, or endorsements. The script discusses using social media platforms like Twitter and YouTube to build social proof, which can attract clients without the need for direct outreach.

💡Buzzwords

Buzzwords are trendy or fashionable terms that are often used to describe services or products. In the script, buzzwords like 'seamless editing,' 'smooth motion graphics,' and 'professional color grading' are mentioned as examples of generic language that can make outreach emails less effective.

💡Level One Outreach

Level One Outreach, as described in the script, refers to the most basic and generic form of contacting potential clients, which often results in being ignored. It involves using standard phrases and not providing any unique value or proof of skill, making it easy for recipients to overlook such messages.

💡Hourly Rate

An hourly rate is a method of charging for services based on the time spent working on a project. The script advises against using an hourly rate for video editing services, as it can limit income potential and create inconvenience for clients, suggesting a flat rate per project as a better alternative.

💡Flat Rate

A flat rate is a fixed price for a service or project, regardless of the time taken to complete it. The script recommends using a flat rate for video editing work as it allows for scalability and can be more profitable and convenient for both the editor and the client.

💡Magic Cut

Magic Cut is a feature of the online video editor v.io, mentioned in the script as a tool that can automate parts of the video editing process, saving time and effort. It is used as an example of technology that can help video editors work more efficiently and increase their income potential.

💡Secret Sauce

In the context of the video, 'secret sauce' refers to the unique insights, strategies, or techniques that successful YouTubers or clients may possess. The script suggests that by working closely with high-level clients, video editors can gain access to this 'secret sauce,' which can be valuable for their own success.

Highlights

YouTuber earns $1,000 monthly and receives numerous messages from video editors, rejecting most for common reasons.

Talented video editors are offered secrets to securing high-paying clients and maximizing earnings.

Most outreach attempts are generic and ineffective, leading to being ignored by YouTubers.

The importance of standing out in outreach messages to get a response from busy content creators.

The lack of correlation between years of experience and editing skill, emphasizing the need for a portfolio.

Suggestion to offer free work initially to build a portfolio and gain testimonials.

Organizing a portfolio by editing style, niche, and detail for easy client access.

The evolution from generic outreach (level one) to more personalized and effective communication (level two).

Building social proof on platforms like Twitter and YouTube to attract clients without direct outreach.

Utilizing Twitter for showcasing editing skills and establishing a professional presence.

YouTube content creation as a strategy to attract potential clients and demonstrate expertise.

The concept of 'secret sauce' - unique insights gained from working with high-level clients.

Advancing to level four outreach involves re-editing a client's video to demonstrate value and secure a response.

The strategy of offering the first video edit for free as a sample to hook potential clients.

The recommendation against working hourly due to limited scalability and the risk of client mistrust.

Advocating for a flat rate per project to increase earning potential and client satisfaction.

Introduction of Vi - an online video editor with a 'magic cut' feature to streamline the editing process.

The potential to increase earnings by optimizing workflow and reducing the time spent on each project.

Encouragement to watch a follow-up video for specific strategies to speed up editing work.

Transcripts

I'm a YouTuber making $1,000 every

single month and I get hundreds of

messages every single day from video

editors and I reject

99.99% of them for the exact same

reasons if you're a talented video

editor which I know you are I'll give

you all of the secrets to getting as

many high-paying video editing clients

as you can handle by the end of this

video and as a bonus I'll also show you

how to make the most money possible with

these clients but first here's how most

people reach out to YouTubers that they

want to edit for and why it doesn't work

most people either reach out through

email or Twitter DMS which don't get me

wrong is totally fine if it's an email

the subject line will usually be

something like video editor professional

video editing services or something like

get more views on your videos and then

the body of the email will go something

like this hi my name is whatever I'm a

video editor and graphic designer of 7

years with experience in Adobe Premiere

Pro and after effects I saw your channel

and was truly impressed with the quality

of videos however I noticed some things

that could be improved and I'm reaching

out to offer my editing Services here

are some key points of my services then

they'll list a bunch of buzzwords like

seamless editing smooth Motion Graphics

professional color grading and so on I

truly believe that we can work together

to boost the views of your channel if

you are interested in collaborating

please do not hesitate to reach back out

your name now there's a lot wrong with

this and I personally ignore every

single email or DM like this that I get

this is what I call level one Outreach

as a video editor and throughout this

video we're going to go through four

different levels to eventually get you

to a point where you can reach out to

Big clients with a ton of money and get

a lot of jobs really easily but first

let's break down why this message is

getting ignored 100% of the times it

gets sent out to start it's super

generic people who need editors are

getting reached out to by way more

people than they can or even want to

hire so if your message doesn't stick

out you'll never get a response this

particular email looks like every single

other video editor in my DMs so there's

zero chance that I'm going to respond

second I have literally zero idea if if

this video editor is even any good he

says that he has 7 years of experience

editing but the number of years one

works has almost zero correlation to

skill in the world of video editing

because a it's really easy for people to

just lie about their experience and B

years of experience is going to be less

or more depending on the style of

editing that one has experienc in for

example a veteran filmmaker might have

20 plus years of experience editing

films with simple jump Cuts but would be

completely lost if you asked them to do

an Ean godi style edit with crazy after

effects Motion Graphics and smooth

transitions this particular editor lacks

any kind of portfolio or social proof

besides the claims that he makes about

himself which practically mean nothing

because anybody can say anything about

themselves so let's add a link to this

editor's portfolio to the email and also

some previous work experience to prove

that he's legit if you're watching this

right now and don't have a portfolio or

previous work experience then getting

those should be your next step start by

reaching out to clients and say that

she'll work for free and in return

you're able to have projects to add to

your portfolio folio as well as

testimonies and legit work experience

that you can use later on this will pay

off for you when you're able to use your

portfolio and work experience to get

editing jobs like I'm demonstrating

right now so it's not bad or anything

but ideally you're working for others to

build your portfolio to actually host

your portfolio Google drive or a site

like behance works as long as you

organize things properly put things into

specific folders based on editing Style

Niche or however detailed you can be to

give your clients the easiest route to

finding something they like in your

portfolio for example example if you're

reaching out to a client that makes

faceless videos in the finance Niche

you'll probably want to have a folder

with faceless edits that you link them

directly to or even better have a

subfolder in your folder of faceless

edits of faceless edits in the finance

Niche to be even more specific this

makes it so much easier for you to get

hired revisiting the email that we wrote

earlier we can honestly just replace

that whole part with all those buzzwords

and add a link to our portfolio so the

email will now look like this let's also

make the email more specific to the

client because because like we've gone

over it's very easy for a YouTuber to

ignore your message if it looks like all

other 1 million emails in their inbox

and it's also usually pretty quickly

obvious to a YouTuber that you've just

blasted the same email out to a billion

other YouTubers and changed a couple

words which again makes it so much less

likely for you to get hired this email

is also super wordy and could be written

a lot shorter to make it easier for the

client to read here's how I made it

shorter and more specific to an example

client in the gaming Niche with all of

those changes in the books we've now hit

level two and it's already so much

easier for us to get a bunch of video

editing clients this leads us into level

three which in contrast to the previous

levels actually doesn't involve us

reaching out to anybody with an email or

a message we'll come back to the email

in level four for this level you're

going to build social proof on social

media platforms like Twitter and YouTube

that allow potential clients to discover

you without you having to discover them

I personally make content on YouTube and

post on Twitter and even though I don't

take very many freelance jobs anymore I

get hit up all the time for work in

addition to my actual portfolio these

social medias act as further social

proof and a portfolio in the sense that

they show people everything I've done

and what I know having a Twitter in

particular is useful because you can

post a portfolio of your edits and also

informational threads that show the

world that you know a lot about editing

and YouTube this also gives clients that

need editors an easy way to message you

which means you don't have to send out

as many emails yourself and if you want

to learn how to grow on Twitter then pop

my video on the subject open in a new

tab to watch after this one in addition

to my strategy with Twitter I obviously

make a lot of content on YouTube and so

does my business partner SL editor Maro

on his channel we always have people

reaching out to us asking for editing

and we've been able to make a ton of

money off of this through our strategy

specific to YouTube giving us 110

potential editing clients with just

three videos I'll let him explain the

rest obviously first you need to make

out for example the first time I I get

one client was literally with Nate and

was because I was making out and you

need to build obvious a let's say a

reputation but you can do it and how

many submissions does

say if you're able to get to level three

you'll definitely have a ton of good

editing clients however every editor has

a person or people that they dream of

working for and if you don't then you

should because some clients are going to

be able to offer you more than just

money if you're able to establish

long-term deep relationships with big

YouTubers you'll have access to all of

the secrets they have that nobody else

does we call this secret sauce if you're

able to pick up on these secrets by

working for exclusive highlevel clients

then you're able to use said knowledge

to start businesses on your own level up

your YouTube and editing skills and

overall get rich and just be successful

overall the kicker is most clients that

will give you the keys to success on

YouTube or whatever already have editors

so to lock them in you're going to have

to advance to level four which basically

makes it impossible for the people you

reach out to to say no here's the deal

our current email is good but it's still

possible for potential clients to ignore

it or say no especially if if they

already have editors or if your

portfolio doesn't have anything close

enough to the editing that they want you

can always offer to edit the first video

for free as a sample but this is still a

lot of work for a potential client that

you haven't hooked in to respond to your

message give you the assets wait for you

to send it review it give you feedback

and all that instead you should

take one of their old videos re-edit it

to make it better attach it to the email

and say something like hey I'm blank I'm

a video editor and I want to work for

you I took x video of yours and

re-edited it to make it better and if

you like it should reply to this email

and we'll talk about how we can work

together in the future your name it's

short simple and gives the person that

you're reaching out to literally zero

reason to say no if the video that you

re-edited looks better than it did

initially combine this with good social

proof and previous work experience and

you're guaranteed to get high level

clients responding to you the only

disadvantage of this is that it's a lot

slower than just blasting out emails to

a bunch of people but I promise you long

term it is so worth it and when all said

and done you're going to end up with a

lot more value than if you did anything

else but now that we have all these

clients I'm going to share with you the

secret to making the most money off of

them like I'm talking thousands of

dollars first don't work hourly it might

seem impressive if you're able to land

your first editing job at $30 an hour or

so but this means that for example to

make $300 you have to literally work 10

hours on a video this means that to make

more money you are literally forced to

work more hours leaving very little room

to scale with only 24 hours in a day in

the case of a $30 an hour job you're

capped at $600 a day if all you were to

do was work and if we being realistic

you're probably limited to one job a day

at Max so that's around $300 a day but

that's even with working long 10 hour

shifts every day which is brutal and

will burn you out quickly so

realistically it's probably going to be

a lot less plus this is super

inconvenient for your clients because a

they have to trust that you're not just

going to slide in that you worked a

couple extra hours when you really

didn't and B imagine they have a budget

for a video and you work over that

budget with the number of hours that you

put into the project and they don't have

a finished video by the end of it okay

it's just not a really good way to go

about things so instead you want to take

a flat rate per project this is easier

for you and your client and it also

gives you a lot of room to scale if you

follow my specific strategy but before I

share my secrets let me introduce you to

v. vi. is the most convenient and

comprehensive online video editor for

you and your next project with vi. I's

new magic cut feature you'll be able to

Simply drag and drop a clip into the

editor and with just one easy click of a

button on Magic cut voila it does the

work for you saving your time and effort

go on other days of worrying about

silences filler words mistakes or double

takes when recording your videos and

also gone are the days of spending hours

manually editing your own videos just to

find the right mesh of Clips because v.

io's magic cut has got your back for all

of that and gives you the perfect video

just like that and the best part the

magic cut feature works on videos of any

length no matter how long they are so

podcasts presentations webinars social

media shorts or whatever these v. I's

magic cut has you covered so what are

you waiting for ready to transform your

next editing project with magic cut and

v.o click on the link in the description

to find out more about v.o if you're

interested but let's say you estimate a

job will take you 10 hours earning you

$300 with an hourly rate of $30 an hour

what you're going to do is tell the

client that you'll probably turn it

around in about 10 hours for $300 which

for you is likely a couple days of work

then instead of taking 10 hours to

finish you're going to hyper optimize

your workflow and get back better at

editing to finish it in only 5 which

leaves you 5 hours to take another job

or just chill and do something fun that

makes you happy and keeps you safe

imagine you speed up your workflow so

much that you're able to turn around

that 10-hour job in just an hour you've

basically turned what used to be a $300

set of 10 hours into a $3,000 set of 10

hours because you're able to crank out

10 1H hour projects within that time

frame and I know that seems like a crazy

thing to do but trust me it's possible

and if you want to learn my specific

strategies to speed up as an editor you

want to watch this video next