cold calling vs networking

[The Thing on The Sticks]

Since we have been on the nitty gritty of networking just thought id ask. In the past I have always relied on networking to find clients and jobs. But now I am coming close to maxing my network out, and am wondering if cold calling is an option. I have traditionally avoided it not wanting to annoy potential future clients but am beginning to wonder. As I have been trying to break into the Hartford market for about a year now. So in short should I start cold calling producers and production companies and what are your thoughts on this issue?

geoff

[F4 Fan]

Absolutely yes, phone calls or email, both can work. They will want to know what kind of gear you have, your rates and if you might be willing to edit. Make sure you have a solid demo-reel. Often production companies have a select cadre of people they use, but in general they’re always looking to try out new people. Just don’t sell yourself short and be patient and persistent without being a pest.

[Hiding Under Here]

Write a very good letter to the person who makes the freelance hiring decision. Don't make it too verbose. Include a Vitae -- not a resume, a Vitae, a survey of your experience, a story about you in four or five paragraphs written in the third person. Send the letter. Follow up the letter within two weeks. Call at an odd time -- early in the work day or after 5p so you don't interfere with normal working activity. Remind them you sent the letter. Ask them if there's anything else they need that will aid you in being considered for freelance work. Make the call short unless they seem as though they are enjoying the talk. In a few days, follow the phone call up with a short note of thanks. Cross your fingers and do the same with as many RELEVANT people as you can.

[cameragod]

I like to do a promotion when I’m cold calling. Every October I do an “Action October” hire me during October and I’ll throw in one days free Steadicam. For my existing clients it’s a thank you and a reminder I have the Steadicam, for new clients it doesn’t really cost me anything as they are clients I wouldn’t normally have.

[freedom]

The trick is that everybody is different, and to make it more difficult, people's mood changes day to day. I've been sucessfully cold calling for 20 years. You develop a sense for what people want to talk about. Let them run the conversation. You'll have a tendancy to want to get your message in. That's not always a good idea. Be a good listener and occasionally offer some tidbits. When you listen, you learn. You'll learn what it is they are looking for, or not looking for. Then you tailor your message in the right direction.
I've made hundreds of thousands with sucessful cold calling...it's something you have to get used to.

[Todio]

yeah, cold-calling is tough but to make it easier on yourself do it by email. When things get a bit slow here I just compose a short email and send it out to anyone and everyone I can think of. If you use BCC then they all think it came only to them.

The email goes something like this: Allow me to introduce myself, my name is xxxxx and I have been a sound recordist in the Toronto market for 20 years. My main focus is DOC and corporate work but have done every genre of TV from reality to comedy to sports, drama and red carpet. If it's on TV I've probably done it at some point! I can supply many respected industry references upon request. Please give me a call if you have any projects that could use my services. I'm attaching my resume and current rate card for your records and look forward to hearing from and working with you in the near future.

cheers,

xxxxx
address
phone

I troll the internet and send it out to hundreds of producers, shooters, PMs etc. in my market. It never fails to shake a few gigs out of the woodwork, either from past clients who have overlooked me or new clients who are searching for someone.

Surprising how many replies start with "Nice to hear from you, as a matter of fact I have something next week, are you available?"

[Ed_Scott]

I had to Google "Vitae" to find out what he was talking about.

[freedom]

Funny, I've used the cold e-mail on many hundreds of potential customers and didn't get a thing.
But phone calls have netted a lot of biz.
I do use e-mails for reminder updates to existing contacts.

[BluesCam]

I don't recommend sending unsolicted email with attachments. In this day of viruses and worms many people will simply delete the message. That's what I do.

On cold calling, you need to find out who the decision maker is and have a plan to get past the "gatekeeper." Then deliver a compelling message. I hate cold calling, but I did it yesterday.

[Todio]

You know what Blues Cam? You are absolutely correct about attachments, it's something I never thought about. Working on a MAC I never get viruses... From now on I'll say "I will be happy to email you a Rate card and CV upon request for your records." Maybe add a quick summary of same: Basic rate, basic equipment list, list of 3 last clients and leave it at that.

Thanks for alerting me to a possible problem.

[freedom]

I fear that the average producer probably will delete, unread, most e-mail solicitations. That's why I try to make personal contact first then use e-mails as follow up.

[Todio]

Freedom: This mass-email-out is taking what I call the "shotgun approach" to marketing. You blast a thousand out there and you're bound to hit something. I only mentioned it as the original poster expressed hesitation in cold calling and this is the easiest method. It also opens the door to an easier follow-up call later on. "Hello sir, you may recall I sent you an email last week? I'm just following up to see if you require any more information or would like to book me for any upcoming shows?"

[BluesCam]

I think the email approach is much less successful than a phone call.

Some think direct mail with a phone call follow-up is the way to go.

[Canonman]

Freedom: This mass-email-out is taking what I call the "shotgun approach" to marketing. You blast a thousand out there and you're bound to hit something. I only mentioned it as the original poster expressed hesitation in cold calling and this is the easiest method. It also opens the door to an easier follow-up call later on. "Hello sir, you may recall I sent you an email last week? I'm just following up to see if you require any more information or would like to book me for any upcoming shows?"

My concern with the mass email is that if you try to put too many recipients on a single message, it triggers the spam filters at many ISP's and your message will never make it to the intended recipients. In fact, your own ISP may see it as a spam attempt and block it out of the gate.

If it's working for you, though, by all means use it. What works in one market may fall on its feet in another.

cm

[cameragod]

Another thing. With xmas just around the corner its amazing what a friendly “Thank you/looking forward to doing business with you in the new year” card can do. I make a point of sending a chocolate fish with the card I send to the accounts dep. Costs me very little but can make their day.

[kene1024]

My concern with the mass email is that if you try to put too many recipients on a single message, it triggers the spam filters at many ISP's and your message will never make it to the intended recipients. In fact, your own ISP may see it as a spam attempt and block it out of the gate.

If it's working for you, though, by all means use it. What works in one market may fall on its feet in another.

cm

Yep. And if you are unlucky enough to get added to a "known spammers" database like Spamhaus, then any mail you send to people who subscribe to these services will get auto-nuked.

[BluesCam]

I think many people delete email messages from unknown sources without even reading them. At least with a phone call, if you have a person you can mention (Jane Doe said I should give you a call) you have a chance of getting them to listen.

Anybody have a good "cold call" phone script they can share?