VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

Neil K. Hess · Posted: Mon Jul 01, 2013 10:40 am Post subject: Contacting Production Companies

I was just curious if you all have had a better experience contacting production companies to submit demos via phone or email? I feel like there is a better "personal" connection over the phone, but at the same time, I can pound out WAY more emails in a day than I can doing phone calls (not to mention the flexibility of actually making contact with a person via email). What are your thoughts?

Thanks!
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Scott Pollak · Posted: Mon Jul 01, 2013 11:34 am Post subject:

In February of this year, things were slow for me.

I sent out cold e-mails, with a demo attached, to over 110 production companies in the southeast alone.

I got responses from roughly a half-dozen folks. Most said, "you sound great, we'll keep you in mind".

2 asked if they could add me to their roster/website, which of course I said yes to.

This past weekend, 4 months later, I received my first inquiry from one of them as to the rate I'd charge for a 7:00 corporate narration, and asking for a short custom demo.

I've had zero luck with cold-calling production companies. I've had a LOT of luck with THEM calling me (finding out about me thru a Google search).

The best luck I've had building my business has been with personal contacts, referrals, agents, and P2P sites.

I'd be curious to find out what luck others have had with cold-calling.
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Scott R. Pollak
Clients include Pandora, NPR Atlanta, Wells Fargo, Cisco, Humana, Publix, UPS, AT&T, HP, Xerox and more.

www.voicebyscott.com

Yonie · CM Joined: 31 Aug 2011 Posts: 906

Roughly the same, Scott. Great feedback from the ones that took their time, but usually all I hear is tumbleweed and crickets.

Whit · Posted: Tue Jul 02, 2013 5:40 am Post subject:

When I was on the receiving end of such inquiries I much preferred email.

Neil K. Hess · Posted: Tue Jul 02, 2013 6:39 am Post subject:

heyguido · Posted: Tue Jul 02, 2013 6:52 am Post subject:

My wife and I had this conversation just the other night....

As a sales professional, she finds email to be much less intrusive than cold-calling.... And much better received.

An unexpected phone call demands that the recipient interrupt what they're doing.... An irritant.... And a lousy position from which to begin a sales pitch.

Email can be dealt with on the recipient's own terms. When they choose to open your message, they're much more likely to be in a receptive state of mind.
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Don Brookshire
"Wait.... They wanna PAY me for this?"

Scott Pollak · Posted: Tue Jul 02, 2013 7:01 am Post subject:

And Don, you bring up a point that is huge with my wife and me.

My first choice of communication: e-mail
Second: text
And way, way last: phone call

With an e-mail, you will read it when you are ready to read it, at your convenience and leisure. You can reply in detail, including attachments, links etc.

I don't have a smart phone, so texting is basic for me. Yes, I CAN attach things to it, but its a PITA.

But when the phone rings, you have to drop everything right then. I may be in the middle of recording or editing (I usually AM), or I may be concentrating on something else. In most cases I don't want to talk on the phone, and I'm finding this to be the case more and more with folks.

We have a dear friend who does text and uses F.B., but her preferred method of talking to us is via phone, and 9 times out of 10, when she calls, we let it go to voicemail. Why? Because WHEN she calls is usually not a convenient time for us to stop everything we're doing to just talk.
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Scott R. Pollak
Clients include Pandora, NPR Atlanta, Wells Fargo, Cisco, Humana, Publix, UPS, AT&T, HP, Xerox and more.

www.voicebyscott.com

Mike Harrison · Posted: Tue Jul 02, 2013 7:18 am Post subject:

Like Scott, I've realized that most of my clients have found me on their own via my website. But that takes a lot of time (to build the site, have it indexed by the search engines and for it to begin 'working').

And I also believe that emails tend to result in more connections made than cold calls, for the same reasons that Scott and Don pointed out. Not only that, but it seems more and more companies have automated attendants and, unless "you know your party's extension," you'll be relegated to generic voicemail hell, which means your call will probably not be returned.

I think having a good website, getting links to it on as many other sites as possible, and good, brief email messages (also with a link to your website) go much further than phone calls. But some others seem to have very good experiences by phone.
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Mike
Male Voice Over Talent
I have taken leave of my sensors.

Bruce · Posted: Tue Jul 02, 2013 7:35 am Post subject:

The only time I call is when I want to know who to email my query to and the information isn't available on their site.

B
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VO-BB Member #31 Enlisted June, 2005

I'm not a Zoo, but over the years I've played one on radio/TV. .

Whit · Posted: Tue Jul 02, 2013 7:38 am Post subject:

Pretty much exactly what Don said.

Clients are the top priority at production companies, not talent, and a phone call demands immediate attention. An email allowed me to keep my priorities straight and it made a better first impression.

Mike Harrison · Posted: Tue Jul 02, 2013 8:39 am Post subject:

cyclometh · Posted: Tue Jul 02, 2013 8:40 am Post subject:

I send out ten, twenty marketing emails a day, sometimes many more. I get about what Scott indicated in terms of response rate. I typically avoid phone calls, except when their website has no good information about who to email.

That said, I have gotten very little business from cold-emailing people- most of my business has been by referral or by people finding me via my website.

However, I keep doing it because it pays off in the long run; it's an investment for the future to keep doing it- politely and without spamming, of course. I typically send one email and if I don't get a response I'll follow up in a couple of weeks.

I make it a part of my routine to reach out to potential new customers every day.
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Corey "Vox Man" Snow
http://voxman.net

Scott Pollak · Posted: Tue Jul 02, 2013 8:56 am Post subject:

cyclometh · Posted: Tue Jul 02, 2013 9:01 am Post subject:

Heh, Scott. I find the time because I don't have quite as many repeat clients yet- I have a few, but I'm always inclined to invite more of an avalanche, as Mr. Souer would say.

It also helps that I can type close to a hundred WPM when I put my mind to it. I spend about an hour or so a day- not every day, mind you- but it also gives me something to do when I have to take a break from narrating a book, etc.
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Corey "Vox Man" Snow
http://voxman.net

Michael Schoen · Posted: Tue Jul 02, 2013 1:41 pm Post subject:

About cold calls.
I don't like receiving them, so I am guessing that the person receiving mine doesn't to to receive one from me.
On the other hand -- email.
They can engage or ignore.
I feel that texting is more personal, and I would never text someone I haven't met.
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http://MichaelSchoen.com