A guest post by Audrie Reed.
I met Audrie at a friend’s house recently and she told me about her business of capturing family memories 
on video and recording them for posterity, and I thought it would make an interesting post. However, it’s not all plain sailing. She would appreciate any advice on how to take this forward and make it a success. This is her story:
I received a camcorder for my 50th birthday and since then I can’t stop making short films! I had not thought how much joy it would give my family and friends to be presented with a film of a holiday or special birthday. In 2005 I started recording my mum and dad’s life stories and was lucky that I had almost finished, as my mum died suddenly in Feb 07. I made a tribute film for her family and friends to show after the funeral, which made everyone laugh, despite the occasion. This generated a lot of interest and comments such as, “I want to do my life story, but where do I start” and, “I never thought I could be filmed, that’s so much easier” and my favourite, “so I can be a movie star at the age of 79!”
So…I thought if there is a need, perhaps I should look at turning my hobby into a business. I did research by posting a questionnaire to just about everyone I know and on the Internet. The feedback told me more women then men consider the importance of capturing a parent’s life story. They expect a film to be no more than 30 minutes and would pay £500+ Most said they would search on the Internet for such a service using the key words of ‘Life Story’.
This was encouraging and in July 2007 Beautiful Memories was born (chosen because it’s inscribed on mum’s gravestone). Firstly I wrote a press release and placed a small but costly advert, in Cambridge Agenda magazine aimed at the Christmas market. Christmas came and went and no phone calls. Ummmm. Maybe the price scared people off.
What next? Launch a website design a brochure and business card and sign up to the free Business Link courses and workshops, that’ll do. Dozens of proofs later (and reams of paper in the bin) the brochures take shape. I shyly handed them out to other attendees and tutors on the courses. Comments included “what a great idea” and “the prices seem high” – but hey, each life story takes days of filming and weeks of editing.
I’ve fallen at the first hurdle and now not confident that I would get even an enquiry. I decide to reduce my prices – I can always increase them again when I get more commissions than I can handle!.
So I am happy and confident that the new brochures and website look amazing. But how do I drive people to my site? How do I meet these people who want to tell their life story and are willing to pay for the privilege??? I made an appointment with a Business Advisor, called Jay. Our meeting was amazing. She was full of ideas for cheap and free marketing and gave me loads of encouragement. I came home buzzing. She said firstly find where older wealthier people shop, eat, have fun, relax and what they read. Then she tells me “you need to go out and talk to people, this is not a service you can sell over the phone. They need to see your enthusiasm and zest.”
Plan A and B for promoting myself
I pick up the phone, and call the manager at of a high-class supermarket. “Can I have a pitch inside your store to promote my new business please?” “No. We protect our customers from being pestered whilst they are here to shop.” “Well, can I stand outside the store give out leaflets?” “No. This would be also be pestering.” “What about leaflets under the car windscreen wipers?” “No. This would create rubbish and we can fine you for that.”
Plan B. I call every nursing and care home in Cambridge area. Everyone is very interested and says they are happy to display a poster and leave some brochures in the reception. Phew…that’s an better start. (but these are not necessarily the right target customer, as many are frail and with a certain amount of memory loss.) I’ve since found that recalling life memories is used as a reminiscence therapy during activity sessions.
Now my next task is to be more creative and think how I can get free advertising. I email every church admin. office in Cambridge area and ask if I can advertise in their church magazine or newsletter. I consider this is a good target area. As at the date of writing I have space reserved for a couple of low cost adverts and about six completely free. I also have an ad going in the next edition of the Age Concern Newsletter and COPE (Cambridge Older Peoples Enterprise) magazine. So between now and the end of September I am hoping that quite a few people will have seen an advert or poster somewhere in Cambridge and Beautiful Memories begins to take off.
I think this would make a great Christmas present, don’t you?
[…] Original post by Ellee […]
My brother has always wanted our mum to do this…she does have lots of stories to tell..and I think it is the way she tells them. I don;t think he wants a film , just a recording of her voice.
I have memories of my granny and so do my sons..and they were quite young when she died. We also have memories of my sister..maybe a good idea for the very young to have a look at, to carry on memories.
I don’t think I would like to see it after the funeral, maybe later on, but everyone has there own feelings and thoughts on this.
I wonder if Saga would be interested in an article for their magazine. Maybe leaflets in hospitals? Posters leaflets in libraries?
I had an idea like this once for capturing the spirit of heirlooms, this would make the oddments you collect infinitely more valuable to the next generation and also help in will disputes and insurance claims. My suggestion is to find a good lawyer who specialises in wills and estates 🙂 and to find someone like at the Hope Nursing home. At the end of the day your business will only grow through word of mouth recommendations and through personal contact. Keep a blog of all the interesting people you meet and their shared memories.
I couldn’t think of a more futile present to me. If you target older people their children may have the same view and worry their elderly parents are being ripped off – pressured into buying something they don’t need so beware too much enthusiasm. (what expertise do you have in film editing and production? have you researched your competitors? How does your product compare? How do your prices compare? You cannot justify equal payment for your time if it would take an experienced person less than half the time to do the same, or a better, job) I would suggest targetting people who are naturally given to pride in themselves; try the golf course.
Also check out the Make Your Mark blog, here: http://blog.makeyourmark.org.uk/
Thanks everyone, I’m sure Audrie will be really thrilled with these positive and helpful responses.
And… We know a song about that: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hhGzMpKsrc
How about promoting this at Grandparent’s Day at schools? I love the concept, keep going!
There’s a grandparents day at schools?
Preserve us from such irony.
This is a great original idea! It should be a great success. I tried to click on the demo video but it didn’t seem to work on Windows Vista. Lyndsay
Hi Philipa
Daniela is in America! There’s no grandparents day in UK – well not yet.
Thanks for the feedback Lyndsay. My technical man is checking into the Windows Vista problem!.
Thanks, Audrie. It would be a great idea to have a grandparents day but sadly it seems they don’t value families in this country. They believe they know better. I found the society much happier across the pond. I was struck by how miserable people in England seemed in comparison when I came back.
Best luck in your venture. I hope you find the Make Your Mark link interesting, I found one thread where the mother of 11 children was nurturing little entrepreneurs most uplifting.
Hi, I’m glad to see that Audrie is getting some interesting feedback on this. As for Windows Vista, we know it sucks, especially compared with a Mac!
CherryPie
Thanks for your suggestions. Saga Magazine did in fact have an feature about a year ago, focusing on a London company who were charging from £5,000 for a life story! I do plan to contact them to see if they are interested in running an article about the filmed ‘legacy service’ I offer. I have over the past 2 weeks put posters in all Cambridge librares offering my services as a speaker, on behalf of my charity, Village Outreach Society,so will need to leave contacting them again for a few months, but actually I don’t think they place posters/leaflets for profit making businesses.
Hi Geoff
Very interesting comments, much appreciated, thanks. I went straight into action and called a couple of probate/will lawyers this morning to pitch the idea of filmed legacies. Both will get back to me in a few days – it sounds promising. I have already spoken to Hope Nursing Home and Jill the manager has distributed information to other care home activity co-ordnators for me. So it’s good to know that I am ahead here.
This was a fascinating post, Audrie.
I think you are absolutely right in using public speaking as a means of promoting Beautiful Memories.
Rather than doing a sales pitch (which people will not want to sit through!) you should speak in general terms about how you work and pass on filming tips that others could use. As well as being paid modest amounts for these talks which could then be reinvested in the business, you may pick up the odd order from literature you leave. But the main thing would be the word-of-mouth.
A few months ago, my public speaking tips blog published a 3-part article giving further advice about marketing a small business through presentations:
http://www.nickrthomas.co.uk/blog/_archives/2008/3/26/3603328.html
Good luck!
Hi Nick
Thanks for reading, and commenting on my post. I am more comfortable about talking about what I do, than trying to make a sale! So finding the right audience is important, but not so crucial as word-of-mouth, as you point out.
I did go to a Cambridge Toastmasters Meeting last month with a view to joining, but have not been in Cambridge for the last 2 meetings. I think this could be a geat asset, especially as I am due to give talks through September and October to social groups and schools regarding the work I do for the charity I set up: http://www.villageoutreach.co.uk
However the link to your public speaking blog, has some very interesting tips for me too. I’ve bookmarked to read in more detail later in the week. Much appreciate your contact.
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