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New clients
I’m sure this has been talked about numerous times..
I’ve been freelance editing at a post house and now I’m going to start going after new non-broadcast clients. I have my eye on a Medical Company that produces videos that they upload to you tube. I want to contact them about editing there videos for them but not sure exactly how go about doing it. I plan on calling them. I’m curious to know what would be a good opening line? I know i’ll be fine once I get into the conversation but its starting it out thats seems to be tricky. I want to keep there interest in me but don’t want to come off as bad solicitation. Maybe I’m looking to much into this?
Thanks
Alan -
4 Replies
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Demo reel.
Research the company and identify a weakness and if you can do fix it, deliver what they aren’t doing at the moment.
Don’t discuss it with THEM it’s their weakness, just pitch it and if they are good clients they will make the connection and call you in for a longer chat.
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Rick Dolishny
http://www.thecreativeprocess.ca -
What’s wrong with their current productions. Is there an issue with the company or individual doing them now? If not, I would look elsewhere if they’re satisfied with who they are working with. Just a thought.
Mick Haensler
Higher Ground Media -
Who exactly are you going to call? The receptionist is trained to reject you. Or mess with you. When I was younger, and before the internet (yes, kids, there was such a dark time) sometimes while working up research on some guy I wanted to meet with, I would call trying to find something out about the guy first, like his name or title, and I think it was a perverse pleasure of the receptionist, hearing my rube-ness, to just put me thru directly to the guy instead of answering my questions.
Then I’m holding a phone and stuttering and scrambling when the guy himself picks up and wants to know what I want, Especially great if he doesn’t asnswer with his full name and title. ULP!!!. I wasn’t at all ready to talk to this guy and make a good impression. Awkward doesn’t come close.
That taught me to have a backup script ready by the phone in advance, with some safe items, bullet points, special stats or facts, and reminders on it to bail me out if I got tricked like that again. You meet a lot of gatekeepers and filters on the way to the person you need to reach, and it is helpful to be able to describe yourself and what you want succinctly and in a purposeful manner, and to sound like you have a clue, so when you call, you’re a guy calling to help out, not to ask for help.
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I’d say cut the chatter as much as possible. Tell him (assuming it’s a him) your name, tell him you’re an editor for his type of video, and ask if you can send him a reel. Odds are if your work is good it’ll shine next to their current editor’s stuff. Maybe they’ll remember you when they want a change or extra help or vacation coverage, etc. Just give yourself a nice looking label and a good DVD box and have it there the next morning at the very latest. Make that reel awesome.
I like the ‘actions speak louder than words’ approach.
John
Magic Feather Inc.
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