Construction Time-lapse: Pitching to Clients in 2021
New to long-term construction timelapse?
Want to impress clients and win jobs?
Read this guide and learn how!
In this guide, we'll look at:
- How to be business-minded first, and creative second
- How to identify the gatekeeper and their unique needs;
- How to tailor your pitch to the marketing department; and
- How to tailor your pitch to the project manager.
Let's jump in!
Be Business-minded First
Photographers often explain the value of long-term timelapse in artistic terms to clients.
However, the majority of clients are business minded.
You can explain to them the nuances of dynamic range or frame blending.
But it will sadly go over their head.
You can offer them premium creative content with high production values.
But clients usually don’t see why that’s worth the price tag.
Often, clients won’t understand why they should go for your service over cheaper services.
As such, you need to be business minded first, and an artist second.
Get Inside Your Client's Head
Being business minded means identifying the needs, desires, and pain points of your audience.
You will need to convey the benefits, not just the features of your construction timelapse.
Features are factual information about what your service does.
Benefits are how those features make life better.
A pitch to the marketing department will look different to a pitch at the project manager.
Explain how your service solves their problems.
It’s the tool that’s been missing from their toolbox.
But how do you know that you're appealing to the right person or department?
Identify the Gatekeeper/s and Their Needs
Who is the gatekeeper or decision-maker? Who gets the final say on whether to hire your services?
Remember that the gatekeeper and the person/s you will pitch to might not always be the same.
You might make an exciting pitch to the marketing department. It leaves them impressed.
But now they need to persuade the Project Manager that this is a worthwhile investment.
And the Project Manager has an entirely different set of needs, concerns, and fears.
What seems valuable to the marketing department seems unnecessary to the Project Manager.
Clients are human and humans are driven by fears and ambitions.
Is the gatekeeper a pessimist or an optimist?
Do they think in terms of negating risks or increasing opportunities?
What aspect of the project is the gatekeeper focused on?
Business, marketing, construction, or a mix of the three?
Everyone believes that their job is the most important job.
So, whichever aspect of the project the gatekeeper focuses on...
...pitch the benefits of your service to that niche!
How to Pitch to the Marketing Department
Marketing departments are interested in the marketing value of your construction timelapse.
“Will this create more marketing opportunities for us?”
“Will this give us new, useful assets for our collection of marketing resources?”
“Will this make us more attractive to stakeholders and investors?”
Of course, your service answers YES! to all those questions.
The marketing value of construction timelapse can include but is not limited to:
- A repository of thousands of photos, from every stage of the project
- An embedded photo link for their website which refreshes with the latest photo
- Using the automatic timelapse generator to quickly self-produce content
- Regular releases of mini timelapse videos to show to stakeholders at monthly meetings
- Easily shared web gallery URL
- The final, polished timelapse video of the entire construction
Most marketing departments are chomping at the bit for resources like these.
Articulating that your service provides these resources will win hearts and minds.
Emphasize the benefits of these resources.
You might say something to the effect of:
"My construction timelapse service will give you access to a treasure trove of high-quality photos and timelapse content you can use in your advertising media.
"Impress stakeholders with this amazing content and show them how progress is being made.
"You can easily access it and share it in seconds, so you’ll never be unprepared.
"Use the timelapse generator to effortlessly produce engaging videos.
"My service is an excellent way to appear professional and accountable to stakeholders.”
How to Pitch to the Project Manager
Back to Project Managers...
...be aware that they have much less interest in the marketing value of your service.
Project Managers are pragmatic individuals in a high-stress role.
They want to know the practical value of your service.
“Will this service help me manage or reduce risk?”
“Will it make my job less stressful or reduce my workload?”
“Even if it helps me with the first two, is it worth the cost?”
If a project manager is the gatekeeper, useful features for them include:
- Up-to-date site monitoring from anytime, anywhere
- Photos are time-marked, and have weather, temperature, and windspeed information attached
- The photo-compare tool
Pitch the benefits to them in the vein of:
“My construction timelapse service can make your project easier to manage.
Up-to-date photos of the site mean you can monitor progress anytime, from anywhere, so you can reduce your site visits and sleep easy.
Photos are time-marked and have detailed weather information attached, so you can easily use them to resolve legal disputes and keep subcontractors accountable.
You can use the photo-compare tool to see project stages side-by-side and track progress.
With my service, you won’t have to worry about your project, because you can get up-to-date information whenever you need it.”
The Right Pitch for Your Client
There’s no one-size-fits-all pitch. It’s always necessary to tailor it to your client.
To prepare an effective pitch, you must:
- Think like a businessperson first and an artist second.
- Identify who the gatekeeper/s are.
- Figure out their needs, desires, fears, concerns, and pain points.
- Explain the benefits, not just features, and how they address your client’s problems and desires.
Follow our guide and you’ll win your first job in no time.
Learn More
- The 10 rookie mistakes you MUST avoid when shooting construction timelapse.
- WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW to choose the right camera and lens for construction timelapse.
- Avoid bill shock with this Time-lapse Data Calculator.
- Follow these 8 ESSENTIAL project planning tips to get started right.
- Download Your Free Ebook: How to Make Money With Construction Time-lapse