Escapee Speaks: Cold Calls
Have you ever considered “Cold Calling” potential clients? It’s not easy to know the best way.
For this edition of Escapee Speaks, I want to highlight something that Holly DeWolf said in the comments section of EFII Podcast Episode 10 – Breaking Into Freelance Illustration. Today is the last day to get free advice from her and also enter to win her new book by sharing your biggest question when entering the Illustration field. If you haven’t read some of the great conversations going on there, I highly recommend you check it out. Holly is offering up some real pearls of wisdom, and I decided to feature the following quote because I think it’s a truly valuable method to consider:
Okay-We all have heard of cold calls. Not too many like them let alone actually doing them. So if you tackle this task as research either by phone or email, it takes the pressure off.
• First step- make a list of who you want to contact.
• Second- set aside time to contact them. I say start with 3 people to contact. More than that can sometimes feel overwhelming or stressful. Do this one to 3 times a week depending on your time.
• Third- look online for their information such as names, email, phone number, see if they state anywhere on their site how they might want to be contacted (some do put this up), look at their work, look at their clients and arm yourself with as much knowledge as you can. If you have a directory like the 2010 Artists & Designers Market, then read up on possible potential clients there.
• Fourth- type up a e-mail template. Add in why you are contacting them, who you are, what you do, your information and anything important that a possible client might want to see. Remember to put yourself in their shoes and try to imagine your self as a client-What would you like to see if you were them? Phone call set up- write up a a possible phone speech. Add the same things you would in an email. Then practice.
• Fifth thing to consider- these are for research. This allows you to approach a dialog with a potential client without selling. It feels a lot warmer and less icy. Also, from here you can compile a list. A list of maybes, interested, interested in a follow up, interested in promotional materials, not interested right now but will keep you in mind for the future and lastly, the not interested. This way you will feel like you are getting somewhere, getting out there and you will also feel organized while feeling like you are a business.
Holly has spoken.
Thanks Holly!
What is your experience with cold calling or cold emailing? Has this been difficult for you? What types of responses have you gotten? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below.
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I’ve been cold emailing agents in search of representation. Cold emailing hasn’t been difficult to do. I’ve sent 19 requests and gotten 9 no’s and 1 send samples. “Not hiring” or “i’ve downsized” has been the response. I attach an sample sheet to the query if the agency/agent notes acceptance of such.
Thanks for sharing, Tina. I like that you seem to research what type of contact the agents are requesting. Penelope Dullaghan of Illustration Friday talks about some great techniques she used to contact agents on Episode 6 of the EFII Podcast. In my conversation with her, she says that she asked for a critique when writing prospective agents, rather than requesting representation outright. While her ultimate intention was obvious, this helped to smooth the road and also start relationships with the agents, rather than asking a one-time “accept” or “decline” question.
So I’m gearing up to do my first cold emails soon. I’ve been putting it off because I have no idea what might put off a potential client. One of my questions is about including images in the email. Are attatchments or HTML emails w pix big no-nos, or do clients usually prefer to see an initial image?
That’s a great question, Nate.
My advice would be to keep your emails simple with an obvious link to your portfolio. The thing with attaching images or using HTML is that your email may be diverted to the recipient’s spam folder, depending on what their privacy settings are. If you don’t bury a link to your site in a lot of text, anyone who is interested is only a click away from seeing your work.
If however, you are sending promo emails to people you have contacted before or who have signed up to your mailing list, you are more likely to get images and HTML past their spam blockers, since you are sending from a recognized address.
Thanks for the question, Nate. I hope this helps.
Thomas
Hi,
I just want to say: Thank you very much for this really helping advices!! It’s nice to hear from someone who wants to helps people like me who are just begining in the illustration field.