Proposal for Event
 

I am preparing a bid for an event promotional video. I'm looking for key ingredients to include in the proposal to give the clients an offer they can't refuse, other than a low budget.

Thanks in advance,

Dutch

Hard to tell how much to charge, dependent on a lot of factors like, the going rate in your area, your level of experience, the equipment your using, number of cameras being used, the hours of coverage, and post editing that is included.

My rates are on the low end and I start at $400 for an event and rarely go up to $1,000 where warranted. That's for a single shooter, one attended camera, one unattended, using prosumer 3-chip camera Z1 & FX1. One way to bring customers around is to show them the cost of simply renting the equipment. Each camera would be $250-300 per day, and the cost of all your other equipment including your editing system, all of which depreciates in value rapidly. After they understand these costs they will have a different perspective on the rates you charge.

I wouldn't get too much into these details but would rather sell them on the quality you offer by providing them samples of your work. All the customer is really interested in is whether you can provide a service or a solution to their needs and that they are getting value for their money. Clients who don't see value in your work @ your rates after you have educated them should be left to find someone else who can work with in their low budget.

key ingredients. depends on what kind of coverage you need to provide of course but I always include things like the number of cameras and operators they contract for, any audio gear contracted for, the time, the place, the hours and the type of event it is as well as what I'm going to be doing as specifically as I can. Something like "the vendor will supply 1 digital video camera with 2 wireless audio systems and lavalier microphones for the presenters use-audio to go to house system-all video and audio to be recorded to DVD with no editing, titles, graphics, lower thirds or music as per client. vendor to deliver 1 copy of DVD to client at end of day."
Then I put in the price. Other things like (if you're going to tape especially) who has the rights to the taped material, who supplies any voiceover, music, number of copies if applicable, if DVDs what they want on the face, type of packaging. Anything that I am supposed to do for their job is listed out along with pricing. There is also some legalise my attorney insists on.
It gets pretty detailed but that for their benefit as well as mine.

Your rates are so low end you need to give them a serious reconsideration. By only charging $400 when rental on the equipment you provide is $500-$600 for the same time period, you're working for free AND giving them free use of your gear. Suppose one of you cameras died the morning of the shoot and you had to rent a replacement? Does your day rate cover the cost of replacing the cameras due to the wear and tear they're accumulating due to their use? How about setting aside a reserve for repairs? You need to be charging fair market price for the equipment plus a fair wage for your professional services.

For example for a standard 10 hour day if you charge $40 per hour plus gear say (just for math purposes) $400 per day then you're at a minimum of $800 for the 10 hour day.That includes setup and strike say 1 hour each side so you get 8 hours of shoot time including meal break.
I agree with Steve 100% if you have to rent gear or hire people you need to charge enough to 1) cover your costs and 2) make a little profit.We are after all we are in business to make money.
Ask the client LOTS and LOTS of questions-get the information then tell them you'll get back to them with a quote. Don't rush it you don't want to miss anything. You can always lower your quote but it's very difficult to go up with it.

Exactly - $40 an hour isn't too bad a wage but you have to add the cost of purchasing, maintaining, repairing, and eventually replacing your equipment on top of that - plus all of your other business expenses, transport, taxes, utilities, etc - if you're going to stay in business and have your video interests be self-sustaining, much less actually pay any living expenses.

The $400 is for 1 hr dance recitals anything with lots of hours of coverage would be more. It's been a part time gig for me but I should charge more.

For the most part I have my budget set but what about things like distribution and outreach? Are there more enticing ways to get their video to their audience? Local TV, website, youtube, ect.?