Why You Should Consider Cold Calling to Find Work
July 29, 2008 by Deb
Filed under Freelance Writing
by Deborah Ng
If I had to pick the freelancing task I despise the most, it’s probably cold calling. To me, that’s what smarmy salesmen do. When I was a receptionist, way, way back in the day, I would cut cold callers off at the pass because no one ever wanted to hear from them. Still, you can get good clients from cold calling, so it’s best not to rule it out altogether.
Why Cold Calling?
Many small businesses are busy – so busy they can’t take the time to find the help they need. They also don’t think they want to spend money. However, if you can convince them that you can save them time and money by doing the job for them, they might be receptive.
Local clients are often members of The Chamber of Commerce and other business organizations. They also pay better than Joe Website Owner. If you can land a couple of local clients there’s a good chance they will recommend you to other business associates around the area.
Send a Package First
Cold calling doesn’t have to be entirely cold. Send a package first – not an email but a package. People delete emails or they fall into the spam folder. If you send an introductory package ahead of time, you might get passed the receptionist. Here’s what I included in my packages:
A folder containing my:
- Business card
- Resume or business description
- Rate sheet
- Samples of my work
Now when I call and say, “This is Deborah Ng, May I speak to Joe Smith…” Mr. Smith might actually take my call. And yes, do your best to get the name of the person in charge of hiring freelancers before you call. Otherwise you’re just another smarmy salesman.
You’ll Never Know Until You Try
I know it sounds intimidating. Ask yourself what you would do before the Internet? Would you still write and if so, how would you find clients? Many potential clients still appreciate the personal touch, especially older clients. Do yourself a favor and research local businesses that might hire freelance writers and try selling yourself through a cold call. You might be pleasantly surprised with the result.
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- If There Was No Internet…Would You Still Write?
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If you feel comfortable, could you provide more info regarding rate sheet?
That’s something I avoid, different projects require different amounts of work. I stay away from hourly rates because, I feel, they are unfair to me (a newbie would charge much less, but could take much longer and, would not bring the same value to the project); I tell prospects hourly rates are unfair to them because they can be padded, and there’s too much multitasking on my end to give a true read. So I use project rates, or per-word rates.
I “cold e-mail” websites that I would like to write for. I’ve only done it a couple of times, and I actually got one blogging job because of it. If there is a website that is in your niche that you think you’d be a really great fit for, find the name and e-mail of the person who runs the joint and send them an e-mail explaining that you love their site, read it regularly, write articles or blogs that would complement their site and send the best relevant samples you’ve got.
This definitely takes a big bundle of confidence for most people to be able to accomplish. However, agree with Robin and I think you should just go for what you know by contacting places you are already familiar with. What do you have to lose? Make sure you have the complete package Deborah recommends to send to them.
@Phil – I never give out my rates and I’m always uncomfortable telling others what to charge. What I can do is tell you how my rate sheet is set up:
500 words = $xx.00
Each additional 100 words = $XX.00
Rewrites – $XX per hour
I know another writer who offers an a la carte menu
Website copy =
Articles =
Brochures =
I hope that helps.
@ Robin – I’ve cold emailed the past as well – just keep in mind that some look at it as spam.
@Nicki – It DOES take a lot of confidence and it’s nerve wracking. I never liked doing it but I’ve had success.
Deb,
When I cold e-mail I’ve always made it very specific for their website. It’s not a form e-mail that I’m sending to a whole bunch of places. They’ve been websites that I would really like to write for, not just website that I think “oh, I could write for them.” So, hopefully, it’s been recognized as not spam, but if it’s been considered spam, I certainly didn’t intend it to be.
Deb,
Thanks. I’ve been burned in the past by project creep, and mentioned earlier the problems I have with hourly rates. While I know word rates for magazines and for “journalistic” online endeavors, those don’t translate too well for press releases and similar work.
I worked as an advertising rep for a local newspaper for eight years, and cold calling was a big part of my job. Even though I hated it with a passion (still do!) I am thankful for the training it provided.
It’s still not easy though – I sometimes struggle with hearing “no” repeatedly, but the reality is that cold calling, and any other marketing technique, is a numbers game.
I prefer using the “warm call” technique instead like Deb suggested – sending a package relaying the services you provide, and then following up with a phone call to make sure it was received and answer any questions. But I still call first to make sure I have the contact person’s name before sending anything by mail – helps you get through the gate keepers when you’re making that follow up call too.
Phil — My opinion only, but I would skip the rate sheets. Knowing what you do (from what you’ve told me), and knowing vaguely what you charge, I would say your chances on a cold lead would be better without the rate sheet. Big prices turn people off, in my experience, even if you’re worth it. For someone inexperienced in paying a professional rate for a press release, seeing your rate might floor them. However, if they were forced to contact you to find out your rate before making a decision, you would have that leg-up. I know many freelancers will argue with me on this one, but that’s how I see it. As for me, there is no way I could put in writing what I charge either per word or per project. It varies so much based on the client. I instead use the “free consultation to discuss your needs” approach. This lures them in, and it gives them the opportunity to hear me out and be impressed enough to want to pay my rate rather than some schmoe who charges a fraction of a penny per word.
Amy,
That’s how I feel, too. I’m a big believer in “you get what you pay for.”
After a few years of staying in the biz, I think it’s time to give up. I can’t get journalism gigs because we have too many unemployed reporters from the Strib and PPress around. The nonprofit world is drying up, so there goes grant writing. I never did find out how to break into Tech Writing, despite having an engineering degree.
Bottom line – I’m not good enough to make it. Bye, everyone. I have to figure out another way to survive. A penny a word gig isn’t going to do it.
Erik,
“Being good” is only part of success. Tenacity and marketing are a HUGE part of success.
Newspapers pay little or nothing (speaking of “penny a word”). DO NOT just look for newspaper jobs.
The non-profit world isn’t drying up. I see several “Grant Writer needed” positions on Craigslist each week.
As far as finding out how to break into markets, I’m wondering if you visit this site much (that sounded a bit harsh, but it’s not my intention). If you haven’t already, add this site to your RSS reader, and apply for at least five jobs listed on the job postings each day.
With the economy, employment opportunities are more competitive. You have to work twice as hard sometimes to get half the results. However, giving up will ENSURE that you don’t get any writing gigs.
Erik — I was so excited to see your name, because I haven’t seen you around here in so long. Then I saw what you said, and it made me sad. I can certainly understand your decision though. I selfishly hope you will keep at your fiction writing, at least, because I enjoyed reading your fiction (before I lost the link to your blog in the Great Computer Crash of 2008). I hope you’ll find the right track for you, whatever way that may be.
Hi Erik – I think there are still plenty of ways to be a successful writer and hope you won’t abandon it (or us) altogether.
I wish you lots of good luck and have been wondering where you’ve been!
As Kendra says, newspapers don’t pay worth *!@%. Heck, I helped develop payment agreement for one newspaper 20 years ago, and payment hasn’t gone up much, if at all, since, despite 20 years of inflation. Newspaper reporters don’t fair much better, though they may get benefits.
I email websites but I am sure to personalize them as much as possible. By no means am I implying that one should sacrifice professionalism for an overly casual email, because you still want to sound professional to land the job. Personalizing them just eases my mind from thinking that it will end up in the spam pile.