DVD vs. internet for demos

[Eric Pautsch]

People can be very busy. Definitely Web!

[Greg Ball]

I’d prefer not to receive unsolicited demo reels or resumes. It’s a waste of time for both you and the prospect.

Frankly you should contact prospective employers first and see if they would like to see your demo and resume. Ask them how they wish to receive your materials.

[Ron Lindeboom]

Like Greg Ball, I would prefer not to receive unsolicited demo reels by mail — as then I have to throw them away — and I definitely do not want an unsolicited demo reel and accompanying PDF (or DOC file) sent to me unrequested.

But that’s me. Your mileage may vary.

Best regards,

Ron Lindeboom

Remember: Burt Bacharach lied. What the world really needs now is an undo button.

[Timothy J. allen]

Unsolicited demo reels by mail will just sit in a file cabinet until I’m ready to hire.That could be months or even a year. (I purge my filing cabinet of reels once a year since I figure people will have usually moved on by then.)

By the time I need to hire, if I’ve seen a promising reel that was sent a few months before, I’ll most likely ask the applicant if they have an updated reel anyway.

Even though technical video quality is not as high on the web, it still gives me enough to know whether I want to pursue an employee further. It also gives you a better chance to keep things fresh and up-to-date.

[Scott Davis]

Ok, it sounds like most prefer not to get unsolicited demos our resumes. When contacting would you prefer to get an e-mail introduciton or a phone call?

Scott Davis

[Peter Rooney]

For my pennyworth, I HATE getting emails when i can see that it’s been sent to a hundred other people as well. If i want to introduce myself to a client or another business I definitely send an email directly to the person involved and only him/her. I think that’s simple courtesy, shotgunning your details all over the place looks desperate and discourteous. I’d check out a link quicker than loading a DVD.
Peter

[Scott Davis]

I absolutely agree, I just know when cold calling it can be next to impossible to talk to the actual person you need to. Also, if they are busy would they be more likely to look at an e-mail than take the time to take a phone call.

Scott

Scott Davis

[Ron Lindeboom]

[Scott Davis] “I just know when cold calling it can be next to impossible to talk to the actual person you need to. Also, if they are busy would they be more likely to look at an e-mail than take the time to take a phone call.”

Neither, if all you want to do is talk about yourself and what you do.

Surprised?

If you research the company and find out what you think they could use and you do a bit of spec work to show them what you would do for them, quite often they will talk to you.

I get so many prospecting emails that I never look at them. They are never about me, our company or what we need. They are always about them and so my eyes glaze over in boredom and I quit reading.

That’s my take on it.

Best regards,

Ron Lindeboom

Remember: Burt Bacharach lied. What the world really needs now is an undo button.

[Scott Davis]

Very good point. I will keep that in mind.

Scott Davis

[Karl Soehnlein]

Scott,

I’ve never hired anyone, so take my advice with a grain of salt…

First find out who is in charge of hiring at the company. Make sure to contact the right person regardless of your communication method. Don’t send general e-mails “To whom it may concern.”

Once you have established their contact info, call them. Ask if they have any current openings available or if they will be hiring in the near future. Mention that you have a demo available on your website AND on DVD. If they are interested, ask which is more convienent for them. If they want a DVD, mail it immidiately (along with your business card, etc.).

If everything goes well up to this point, get their contact information and follow up with an e-mail. Good luck.

Karl Soehnlein
Reel Wave Media, LLC