What clients really want (it’s not your camera)
I compete on reliability and that’s the difference.
When I started my video production business in 2019, I wasn’t the cheapest.
I wasn’t the most skilled.
I didn’t offer everything under the sun.
But I focused on one thing: reliability.
Why?
Because I worked at agencies before starting my business.
I saw the chaos, the flakiness, the missed deadlines, the ego.
I saw clients get burned over and over by creatives who disappeared, overpromised, or delivered late.
I made reliability my competitive advantage.
Here’s what I committed to that made all the difference:
Fast replies
No surprise delays
Clear communication
Organized delivery
Professional energy on every shoot
I knew everyone else was so focused on pricing, gear, and strategy.
I wasn’t focused on that.
I was only focused on being the best option by being the most reliable.
And that alone helped me grow faster.
I left my agency job July 1, 2019 and in the next six months that followed I made my annual salary…
Yes, I made $55,000 in the next six months.
Actually, more than my agency salary of $52,500.
And the next year (2020) I made $140,000 in profit ($183K in revenue).
Was I more skilled? No.
Was I cheaper? No.
Did I have nicer gear? No.
I became the most reliable in my market.
I showed up on time. I provided a plan and I stuck to it. I promised edits within 14 days and often delivered in 7. I lived up to my word.
That was the difference.
People took me serious, liked my work, and wanted to hire me back because they instantly trusted me after that first project.
Clients want a vendor they can count on.
If you’re building your creative business, reliability will get you further than your gear, your edits, or your pricing.
Here’s how you can apply it starting today:
Reply fast. Even if you don’t have an answer yet, acknowledge the message.
Set clear timelines. Tell your client exactly when they’ll hear from you next.
Deliver on time (or early). Hitting deadlines builds instant trust.
Send proactive updates. Don’t make your client chase you. Keep them in the loop.
Make delivery clean and organized. File names, formats, and easy access matter more than you think.
The goal?
Make working with you the easiest part of their day.
If you’re not sure how to build this level of trust into your business, I can help you.
On my Creator Clarity Calls, I help creatives like you build businesses that are profitable and reliable.
[Book a Creator Clarity Call here]
Let’s build strong businesses together.
—Trent
Hear from someone who recently booked a call:
