COLD CALLING and SELF PROMO- HELP!
riskart1 (146 pencils) | Thu, 2008-06-05 01:23I found a great article in How magazine's October 2007 issue about self promotion and how to market yourself. There was even a schedule. BUT I have found nothing on tips for what to say.
My problem comes to the part when I am networking, cold calling and following up with emails etc. I am STUMPED on what to say.
Any suggestions for the following?
1. networking conversations: How do you get around to saying I want work, do you have it.
2. Cold calling: What do you say to these busy creative directors?
3. Follow up: "I was just checking back with you" sounds stupid. Any suggestions?
Any web links?
HELP
Commenting on this Forum topic is closed.
A great article here:
http://www.creativepro.com/article/the-art-business-low-budget-self-promotion
Your main job when cold calling is to find out who the creative director is and to simply introduce yourself. CD's like having a file of freelancers they can call if their workload gets too heavy temporarily and they don't want to hire a new person.
Once you make contact it's best, I feel, to let them call you. If you don't hear from them in a month or two, you can send a quick, friendly follow up email; maybe even ask if they'd like updates on your new work/skills.
Cold calling sucks because you get a lot of "no"s, but that one yes you get can make it all worthwhile. Try to make all your calls "warm" if you can ie., referrals from other clients and from personal networking.
Meet other designers; I've given my design friends work just because i knew of an opportunity I couldn't take for whatever reason.
----
Powerpoint is not a design application
----
Dirt and Rust
I believe we have covered this topic before (try to search the forums), so I will just say this:
You have to get yourself into the mindset that every person you meet is an opportunity. If they don't need your services, then they know someone who knows someone who does. You can not hand out too many business cards. They should be burning a hole in your pocket.
FreelanceSwitch.com is a good resource for just this type of thing. Search their articles and forums and you will find a wealth of information on this and other topics.
Good Luck
I think this is the article/thread you're referring to:
http://creativebits.org/freelancers_how_do_you_get_work
:)
----
Powerpoint is not a design application
----
Dirt and Rust
You have to believe that you are the greatest designer on God's green earth.
Even if you don't you have to convince yourself that you are.
However, if there is a job you genuinely believe you can't do then don't agree to it, challenge yourself, but don't take on a job beyond your capabilities and fail. Take calculated risks.
More importantly than all of that you need to just be brave, if you call someone and they say no then don't be disheartened, keep going at it until you get a yes, it's worth it in the end.
:o)
www.jamnittygritty.com
And sometimes even those no's can turn into yes'es down the road. :)
----
Powerpoint is not a design application
----
Dirt and Rust