How I Changed the Client Base Behind a Post-Production Agency

I run a post-production agency specializing in video editing and graphic design. Companies outsource that work to us instead of building all the production capacity in-house.

When I was around 4K a month, I had twenty-five clients. About six months into Client Ascension, I reported being around 33K a month and hoped to reach 35K that month. The 35K was still a target; the revenue figures were not profit or personal earnings.

The client base had to change

The earlier clients were local businesses in Indonesia paying low rates. I let many of those relationships go and focused on finding businesses in the US, Europe and elsewhere that could buy the service at a higher price.

I said fulfillment itself was largely the same type of work. Lead generation and sales were the areas I particularly needed to learn as I changed whom I was selling to.

I learned to guide the sales conversation

Before, a sales call could amount to asking what the prospect needed and letting them lead from there. I had to learn how to structure and guide that conversation.

That was part of making the shift from the local client base. A different set of buyers did not remove the need to explain the service and run the call well.

Client Ascension related reading: Ryan’s two-agency account describes reviewing sales calls and building a team.

More activity required someone else to help run it

Around 19K–20K a month, I asked Daniel about the plateau and he told me to do more. I said increasing the activity helped me move beyond it.

I also hired an SDR and trained her on the work I had been doing. That gave lead generation another person to run it, rather than leaving all of the activity with me.

A larger team created a management problem of its own

I reported having twenty-three people on staff. I was no longer doing fulfillment myself, although I still checked in with clients and took sales calls to understand lead quality.

The next challenge was giving that team direction and setting goals without micromanaging. Having people in place did not mean I had finished learning how to manage the business.

Client Ascension related reading: George’s leadership-team account describes promoting leaders and using departmental metrics.

Acquisition was only useful if the clients stayed

I emphasized retention as well as new sales. Once there was a team to support, losing clients after a strong month could put the business in a difficult position.

I wanted to keep improving the service for existing clients alongside generating more opportunities. The point was to build on the work already won, rather than treat one good revenue month as proof that the job was finished.

Adapted by Client Ascension with AI assistance from Calvin's interview. The first-person narrative follows the source speaker’s account. Watch the original video