How to Grow a Video Production Business with Repeat Clients
You know how sometimes you look back on a month in your business and think… what just happened? That was us in October. The best month in the entire twenty-plus-year history of my video production business. More projects, more momentum, more good energy than ever before.
Someone in my mastermind asked the question that matters most: why? What actually caused it? Not luck. Not timing. But the deeper reasons.
And it made me realise that if you can figure out what drives your best results, you can repeat them.
So I spent time breaking it down, understanding what really worked. And I’m going to share it with you, starting with the single biggest reason my business just had its best month ever.
I started my video production company in 2002. And this past month, October 2025, has been our most successful month ever.
During a recent mastermind call, someone asked a great question: “What caused this month to be so successful?”
It’s an obvious question. But not an easy one to answer. At the time, I said maybe my clients felt the end-of-year pressure and wanted to get projects wrapped before the December break. Which might be partly true, but not the real reason.
So I spent time thinking about it. Reflecting on what really made it happen. And what I’m sharing here is the clearest understanding I’ve come to.
Knowing the Numbers
How do I actually know it was our best month? Because I track it.
If you listened to my episode Know Your Numbers, you’ll know I have a dashboard that tracks key metrics: marketing, social media, sales, accounting, and customer service. The data shows what’s really happening in the business.
Peter Drucker said, “What gets measured gets managed.” When you track something, you start paying attention to it. And that attention alone creates change.
It’s like stepping on the scales every morning. You haven’t changed anything yet, but your awareness of the number starts to influence your behaviour.
When it comes to dashboards, most video production business owners fall into a few groups. About half dismiss it as interesting but not relevant. Around 30% see the value but don’t take action. And maybe 20% actually set one up and check it regularly.
If you want to dive deeper, check out the Know Your Numbers episode.
My dashboard showed 32 open projects at different stages of production. Normally we’d have around 10 to 20. So that was a big jump.
What I liked was that the workload wasn’t dominated by one or two huge projects. It was consistent work spread across many clients.
The Sweet Spot
Our sweet spot for project size sits in the range where jobs aren’t complex or labour-intensive. They’re high-margin, manageable, and quick to deliver.
Yes, there’s talk in the industry about big headline budgets. And we do some of those. But they often involve more people, more time, more risk, and more stress. Once you account for all that, they don’t always deliver better results.
So there’s something reassuring about having a steady stream of well-balanced, achievable projects.
One of our best clients produces several videos each month. Most of those jobs are simple and smooth. It’s reliable work. The kind that keeps a business strong.
The Realisation
When I looked through those 32 open projects, I noticed something that explained everything.
Around 60% were from existing clients. People we’d already worked with before. Some for years.
That’s the biggest reason Dream Engine just had its best month ever.
Work from clients who already know, like, and trust us.
This, to me, is the holy grail of running a video production company. If I could give only one reason for our success, this would be it.
Why Repeat Business Matters
Think about how much effort goes into landing a new client. Marketing. Sales calls. Proposals. Objection handling. Delivering the first project. Following up. It’s a massive investment of time and energy.
Now compare that with selling to an existing client. They already know you. They’ve seen the results. They trust you. It’s simpler, faster, and far more efficient.
Peter Drucker put it perfectly: “The purpose of business is to find and keep a customer.”
And that’s where many production companies go wrong. They chase the big one-off jobs. They want the giant project because someone online told them that’s what “serious” businesses do.
There’s nothing wrong with large budgets. But long-term success comes from relationships. From clients who come back again and again.
Building Long-Term Relationships
So instead of swinging for the fences, focus on making it easy for clients to say yes. Create a great offer. Share proof. Reduce their risk. Make it attractive to get started.
Then give them such a good experience that they can’t imagine going anywhere else.
Here’s something I’ve learned: you can’t predict who your best long-term clients will be.
Some of my biggest and best clients started with tiny, simple projects. One began with a basic media training shoot. Hardly glamorous. But we proved our worth, built trust, and the relationship grew into major work.
Because you can’t predict who those clients will be, treat every client as if they could become one.
Give every client an exceptional experience. Make them feel valued. Listen carefully. Respond quickly. Deliver what you promise. That’s how long-term relationships are built.
Staying the Course
Once you have those gold-standard clients, do everything you can to keep them. Don’t take them for granted. Keep raising the bar.
But also accept that nothing lasts forever. People move on. Needs change. Competitors appear. The key is to stay alert, keep serving, and make it as easy as possible for them to keep choosing you.
Sometimes that means going above and beyond. I’ve done weekend callouts. I’ve sorted out file issues in person when clients needed help. Not because I’m a hero, but because those relationships matter.
When a client consistently brings regular work to your company, you do what it takes. You make their problems yours. And you deliver every time.
Keep in Touch
Beyond great service, you have to stay top of mind. That means regular check-ins, consistent social posts, a useful newsletter, or an occasional offer.
Think about your current clients. Who are you working with right now? What could you do to make their experience so good that doing another project with you is the obvious choice?
Keep the Pipeline Moving
And finally, don’t rely too heavily on those relationships. They will end one day. You don’t know when. So while you nurture existing clients, keep prospecting. Keep finding the next great client.
That’s the next part of this series: how we’ve built a reliable system for consistent leads.
If you enjoyed this story, subscribe to The Business of Video Production Podcast so you don’t miss part two.
Ready to build stronger client relationships?
If you’d like help creating systems to attract and retain great clients, learn more about my coaching for video production business owners at ryanspanger.com/coaching.
