Effective Cold Calling as a Freelance Writer
There are many ways to land new clients as a freelance writer. One that I talk about from time to time is cold calling. This is not something that most freelance writers like to do, but it can be quite effective. Just like anything else, if you want to have success with cold calling you need to know what you are doing. There is a right and a wrong way of doing this. What you say and how you say it will determine the success you have.
Keep in mind that not every cold call is going to result in a new client. In fact, you are bound to get hung up on and told no more times than not. Your goal is to stick with things until something breaks your way. It may take a couple of calls to land a client. It may take 50 or more. Will you stay persistent?
Have a list. If you are going to make cold calls you need to have a list to work from. For instance, you may want to cold call every real estate agent in your area to offer your services. Start out by compiling a list of agents by searching online and in the phone book. This way you can move from one call to the next without stopping.
Once you get the proper person on the phone you should give a short introduction explaining who you are and what you offer. If the person shows interest you can continue to offer more information on yourself and what you can do for them. Some people will give you a job on the spot. Others will tell you to email your resume, clips, etc. It should be your main goal to either land a gig or setup a second conversation on the phone or via email. It often times takes several calls and/or emails until you receive good news.
Finally, don’t give up if you are getting rejected time after time. This is a mistake. As noted above, you will get rejected more times than not. You have to continue forward with the thought that you will eventually land a new client.
Hopefully this information gives you the knowledge and confidence needed to implement a cold calling strategy.
