VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

Benjamin Stovall · Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2012 7:45 pm Post subject: Cold Calling

Do you cold call to market yourself? Is it effective? How do choose whom you will call?
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jsgilbert · Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2012 8:41 pm Post subject:

I'm not a big fan of cold calling. I've done a bit of casting and hiring over the years, and with rare exception, cold calling hasn't worked when it's been a talent contacting me. I'm also fairly close to a number of ad agency folks and they tend to echo those sentiments. I'm certain there are people who are successful, but to what extent? How many contacts? How many packages sent? To generate what type of relationship?

It truly seems to get any meaningful work, you need an advocate, or to create an advocate, meaning somebody who really would "prefer" for you to get the opportunity.

It seems this is coming about by virtue of working for an ad agency, having gone to school with someone who becomes an audio producer for games, having a boyfriend who produces a major award show, or having a former small market radio station producer make his way up to being a television network v.p.

I much prefer the concept of referral marketing. Everyone knows somebody and can get to know the somebody's that person knows and so on. Ad agency folks often work with "talent" who were sent by somebody at the client's office. It's something they do to make the client happy. Gamers tend to hire other gamers, and so on.

I';d suggest you make a list of everyone you know, including your corner grocer, dry cleaners, clergy, former teachers, friends of your parents, friends of your kids, parents of friends of your kids, former workmates, etc. Hopefully among this group, you'll find someone who has a sphere of influence or knows somebody who does.

I did a couple of podcasts on the subject. They';e all over the web, just Google J S Gilbert podcast and you'll find links.

Good Luck.
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Chuck Davis · Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2012 5:04 am Post subject:

Cold calling is part of my marketing mix. I spend at least 4 hours per week researching and qualifying leads (Mandy.com is a good source). My process is pretty simple. Give 'em a call. I most cases the producers I call are happy to have another demo/voice to add to the options that they can present to clients. I some cases I simply leave a voicemail. In all cases I follow up the call with an email containing links to my website/demos. Plus I'll attach my resume and client references.

I've gotten meaningful, repeat business through this process and spoken to some very nice people along the way. It sometimes takes time for these "seeds" to grow. Be patient and persistent.

I save all contacts in a database...they will all receive quarterly email newsletters to keep my name "on their desk".
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todd ellis · Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2012 6:38 am Post subject:

i don't cold call as much as i used to - but i have had great luck with it. however, it's a marathon, not a sprint. like chuck said - "planting seeds" -- they likely don't need anybody at that particular moment - so don't ask. just let them know you are available and if they are interested in entertaining new talent they'll let you know. then just offer your services, demo, website, etc and thank them for the opportunity to speak with them. i've gotten calls back the next day - and some never call back. i got a super lucrative e-learning gig because i happened to call just before she cast it - and i was to quote her "...pretty close to the voice in my head".

btw - i think a phone call is far better than an email. we are talkers ... we should talk.
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Mandy Nelson · Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2012 7:21 am Post subject:

The thought of cold calling makes me want to through up. Can't do it.
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Bob Bergen · CM Joined: 22 Apr 2008 Posts: 979

Never, never, ever!

Lance Blair · M&M Joined: 03 Jun 2007 Posts: 2281 Location: Atlanta

I never cold call. What I sell is my voice, and the telephone takes that out of context and makes it sound thin and uninspiring. Nobody sounds good on the phone. If you already know someone's voice, then your brain "fills in the gaps" and the voice will sound okay on the phone. When you don't know the person, the voice is not flattering.

Cold calling can work for many free-lancers, even for voice over talents, but I don't think it would be efficient enough for me. I even come from a sales background and have a fair amount of experience cold-calling, but I don't see it as advantageous to me now.
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Monk · Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2012 8:27 am Post subject:

Cold calling scares me.

Although I've been told I sound great on the phone.

Wink

I have a list of local production companies that I plan on getting some marketing material too. Then I'll follow up with some calls. Put my man kilt on and tough it out.
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Philip Banks · Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2012 8:36 am Post subject:

Case History

10 years ago I called Andrew and asked him if he used freelance VO people and could I send him a demo CD. We had a nice chat and he asked me to send my CD. I walked to the Portgordon Post Office and returned home having sent the CD winging its way south.

Message on my ansaphone. It was Andrew asking if I could call him back. I did so and he booked me to do a VO session for a TV commercial the following morning, needless to say the CD had not yet arrived on his desk.

Andrew is no longer working for the production company. Two hours ago I did a TV commercial session for Deva who does work for the company, he's the new kid on the block. I have worked for Paul, James, Neil, Callum, Stephen, Yvonne, Aisling, David and those are just the names I can remember. It would certainly take far too much time to calculate how many TV commercials I voiced for this team of producers and the money earned is substantial....

One cold call

Chuck Davis · Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2012 8:41 am Post subject:

Bingo.
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todd ellis · Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2012 8:43 am Post subject:

what chuck said. never is a long time not to work with someone.
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Philip Banks · Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2012 8:52 am Post subject:

Lance Blair · M&M Joined: 03 Jun 2007 Posts: 2281 Location: Atlanta

Agree with context. It can be very useful if you're in a small(er) market. Or, even talking to the directors of communications at small(er) businesses and organizations. They might need a VO and not even really know how to get one - there are an awful lot of corporate voiceovers on vids that see the light of day that should never have been released. I get a fair amount of work "fixing" an initial voiceover done by somebody that just wasn't up to scratch.
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Scott Pollak · Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2012 12:54 pm Post subject:

I've done SOME cold-calling in the past but haven't in a couple of years because, thankfully, I don't have the time to.

You never, ever want to become complacent or think you've 'got it made'. And if things slow down to the point where I need to drum up some new work, I'd call again - and, like Chuck - prequalify my leads via sites like Mandy.com and others.

But also, what we all strive for is to get to that point where we have so much work coming in from referrals and repeat clients (and yeah, okay, the occasional P2P gig) that we don't have the time or "need" to cold call. And for the moment, at least, that's where I delightfully sit. I do know, however, that could all change tomorrow, or next week or next month. And if so, then I certainly would cold-call qualified prospects (as well as re-establish contact with former clients).
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Chuck Davis · Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2012 1:04 pm Post subject:

Following up Scotts post...there are week's when I really don't have time to cold call either. This would be one of them.

The thing is, you have to make time for marketing in some form every week. Maybe I'm just paranoid...but I feel the minute you fail to continue promoting and marketing..is followed by the minute the phone stops ringing.
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