I’ve found plenty on Meetup.com. I’ve also managed to meet several people in my area through LinkedIn, and we’ve met in person since then.

Can you give us an idea of the pitch you used when you called? Did you just introduce yourself, or was there a more specific angle to your call?

Thanks for this! It’s a great kick in the pants for the new year.

I hate cold calling and I even tried direct mail to all the local designers.

I found the best and most natural way to build alliances was through networking events. By getting to know and trust each other we have built up a relationship that naturally converts to cross referrals.

That said – watch the events you attend. You can spend all your life at networking events. Pick one or two events and go to them regularly to form deep relationships rather that going to everything brandishing business cards and competing to see how many you can collect!

Exuberantly yours!

Ingrid

Also: I landed a great gig b/c one of my (non-writing related) blog readers saw a post that said I was bored. He knew I was a writer because I had talked about it, and liked my writing style. Consider every piece of written word that you put out marketing…including these comments.

I send out quarterly emails to everyone that I have a potential writing relationship with. The emails are fun to read tips for business and showcase my marketing and writing expertise. It keeps me in people’s minds so they are more likely to think of me when they hear about a job.

I also find LinkedIn a great place to post your resume. I have received great contacts and jobs through it. I’d love to hear more about how other people have used it. I know it has great potential for even more than I’ve gotten out of it.

I don’t cold call, but rather “warm” call, trying at least to build a small relationship first.

Thursday, how does one organize or find real meetups?

I’m also wondering about cold calling. I’m willing to get out of my comfort zone, but I don’t know where to start. Who’s looking for freelancers and what kinds of experience should I have before contacting these firms? How do I prepare myself?

I’m sorry for all the questions, but I’m so new to marketing.

@ Ellen – Sometimes, those writers who are shy and who don’t like to deal with clients or people one on one often join a team of writers or a freelance writing business.

But I digress. Yes, the phone is great for cold-calling!

Also, as Erik mentioned, despite the move to online communications, the phone is much more personable and provides me with more work than the Internet ever has.

(Deb – why the change from full feed to exerpts? ARGH!!)

I receive a lot of emails from businesses wanting to advertise on my main website. I usually turn them down. I do keep them on file. I followed up with two of those businesses two weeks ago. I picked up two more clients.

I also picked up clients through my main business. I’m a business owner, and I send newsletters on a monthly basis. I usually include a personal note about myself when I send out my newsletter. A few weeks ago I mentioned that I could be hired as a freelance writer. I’ve picked up three clients from my business.

In three weeks, I picked up seven clients through my personal blogs and business website. They’re paying me well. Freelance writing is not my full-time job, but I’m enjoying it immensely.

I’m not sure about the rest of it, as I get all my biz through knowing most of Saint Paul. It’s a small town, so it’s not hard. Oh, and there’s this internet thingy I keep hearing about.