Free Playbook

Content Agency

Edit TikToks, Reels, and Shorts for local businesses. Charge $150–$500/month per client. Get 5 clients, that's $1,500/month on autopilot.

No equipment needed Works from your phone $0 to start

How to start

Seven steps from zero to your first paying client — no experience required.

Download CapCut and Canva

CapCut handles video editing (it's free and loaded with templates). Canva handles thumbnails and graphics. Both work on iPhone and Android. Download both tonight.

Watch 10 videos on YouTube about CapCut basics

Search "CapCut tutorial for beginners." Watch 10 minutes of editing tutorials. Learn: trimming, transitions, text overlays, speed ramping. You don't need to be an expert — just comfortable.

Pick a niche (one type of business)

Don't try to serve everyone. Pick ONE: restaurants, gyms, realtors, salons, florists, boutique shops. Focusing makes you look professional and simplifies your portfolio.

Make 3 sample videos using stock footage

Download free stock video from Pexels or Pixabay (search by your niche). Edit them in CapCut. Add text overlays like "Fresh food delivered daily" or "Book your appointment online." These are your portfolio.

DM 20 businesses in your niche

Find local businesses on Instagram or TikTok that post bad videos (dark, shaky, no text). Send them the outreach message below. Offer a free 30-second sample edit. One yes = your first client.

Set your price and send a contract

Start at $150/month for 2 posts/week. Move to $300/month for 4 posts/week. Once you have 3+ clients, raise prices to $400–$500/month. Always get payment via Venmo/Zelle before starting work.

Ask for referrals and repeat

After delivering to your first client, ask: "Do you know any other [restaurant owners/gym owners] who might want this?" One referral = zero prospecting work. Keep your clients happy and they'll sell for you.

Tools you need

Everything here is free or under $20/month. No expensive software.

CapCut

Your video editor. Works on phone and desktop. This is where you'll do 90% of your work.

Cost: Free (desktop has watermarks, mobile is fully free)

Use for: Trimming, transitions, text animation, speed changes, color grading, audio sync

Key feature: "Auto-captions" — generate closed captions in one tap (boosts watch time 40%)

Start here: capcut.com — download on phone, use browser version on desktop

Canva

For thumbnails, story covers, and branded graphics. Clients love having a consistent look.

Cost: Free (Canva Pro $13/month — worth it for team templates)

Use for: Thumbnails, Instagram story covers, branded overlays, quote graphics, PDF reports

Key feature: Brand Kit — set your fonts/colors once, apply to everything

Start here: canva.com — free account gets you everything you need

Pricing benchmarks

What to charge based on scope. Match your offer to their budget.

Tier	What's included	Monthly price
Starter Basic Edit	2 videos/month · Trimming, text, captions · 1 revision round	$150 – $200
Growth Consistent	4 videos/month · Full editing + thumbnails · Reels/Shorts optimized · 2 revision rounds	$300 – $400
Pro Full-Service	8 videos/month · Full editing + thumbnails + stories · Strategy calls · Monthly report · Priority turnaround	$500 – $750
One-time Project	Single video or batch (5–10 videos) · Full editing · Delivered in 1 week	$75 – $200/video Or $500–$800 for a batch

Always require first month payment upfront. This filters out tire-kickers and protects your time.

Outreach scripts

Copy-paste these. Fill in the brackets. Send at the right time.

Cold DM — after watching their content Use when: You see a business with sloppy content

Hey [Name]! 👋

I noticed you post on Instagram — your [products/service] look great. I actually do video editing for local businesses like yours, and I made a quick sample edit using one of your videos to show what it could look like.

Would you be open to seeing it? Takes 30 seconds to check. No pressure — just wanted to show you what's possible.

Tip: Attach your sample edit as a Reel/video. The work speaks louder than words.

Follow-up — 3 days later Use when: They saw your message but didn't reply

Just following up — totally understand if now's not the right time!

If you ever want to level up your content, I'm available and would love to help. Feel free to reach out anytime. 😊

Tip: Don't follow up more than twice. Low engagement = not a good fit. Move on.

Pricing proposal message Use when: They want to move forward

Here's what I'd offer for your account:

📹 4 fully edited Reels/Shorts per month
✍️ Captions + text overlays included
🎨 Branded thumbnail for each post
🔄 2 rounds of revisions
💬 Direct message if you need changes

Monthly retainer: $300/month — billed first of each month.

To get started, just send $300 via Venmo/Zelle and I'll start on your first video this week.

Tip: Make it easy to say yes. Give them exactly what to do, not just an idea.

Common questions

Everything new editors ask before they start.

No. CapCut is designed to be easy — if you can use TikTok, you can use it. Spend 1 hour watching YouTube tutorials and you'll know enough to start. Your clients don't need Hollywood quality. They need decent, consistent content.

Most local businesses have bad footage — that's why they need you. Do your best with what they give you. If the footage is truly unusable, you can get stock footage from Pexels or suggest they record better clips next time. Be honest but helpful.

Venmo and Zelle are the easiest. You can also use CashApp. Set up a business account — don't mix personal and client money. Get payment upfront before starting any work. If they won't pay first, don't do the work.

Start with 1–2 clients. Once you're comfortable with the workflow, take 3–4 more. Don't overpromise on volume when you're new. It's better to do 2 clients really well than 5 clients badly. You'll figure out your capacity as you go.

Set the expectation upfront: "2 rounds of revisions included." If they want more, say "I can do an additional revision for $25." Don't let clients nickel-and-dime you — your time has value. Be firm but polite.

Offer one free sample edit (not a free month). This shows your work without devaluing your service. After the sample, quote your retainer price. Never do free ongoing work — it sets a bad precedent and attracts bad clients.

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