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Contacting Production Companies
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Neil K. Hess
Contributore Level V


Joined: 13 Dec 2012
Posts: 184
Location: Washington State

PostPosted: Mon Jul 01, 2013 10:40 am    Post subject: Contacting Production Companies Reply with quote

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
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Location: Looking out at the San Juan mountains

PostPosted: Mon Jul 01, 2013 11:34 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

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.

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Yonie
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Joined: 31 Aug 2011
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 02, 2013 3:20 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Roughly the same, Scott. Great feedback from the ones that took their time, but usually all I hear is tumbleweed and crickets.
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Whit
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Joined: 27 Feb 2009
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Location: Cincinnati

PostPosted: Tue Jul 02, 2013 5:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

When I was on the receiving end of such inquiries I much preferred email.
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Neil K. Hess
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Joined: 13 Dec 2012
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Location: Washington State

PostPosted: Tue Jul 02, 2013 6:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

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


Thank you for your input Whit. Would you mind elaborating on WHY you preferred email? I would really appreciate it. Thank you!
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heyguido
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Joined: 31 Aug 2011
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Location: RDU, the Geek Capitol of the South

PostPosted: Tue Jul 02, 2013 6:52 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

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?"
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Scott Pollak
The Gates of Troy


Joined: 01 Jun 2010
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Location: Looking out at the San Juan mountains

PostPosted: Tue Jul 02, 2013 7:01 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

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.

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Mike Harrison
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Joined: 03 Nov 2007
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 02, 2013 7:18 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

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.

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Bruce
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Joined: 06 Jun 2005
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Location: Portland, OR

PostPosted: Tue Jul 02, 2013 7:35 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

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.


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Whit
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Joined: 27 Feb 2009
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Location: Cincinnati

PostPosted: Tue Jul 02, 2013 7:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

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.
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Mike Harrison
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 02, 2013 8:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Bruce wrote:
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.

Absimentary!
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Mike
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cyclometh
King's Row


Joined: 06 Aug 2010
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Location: Olympia, WA

PostPosted: Tue Jul 02, 2013 8:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

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
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Scott Pollak
The Gates of Troy


Joined: 01 Jun 2010
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 02, 2013 8:56 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

cyclometh wrote:
I send out ten, twenty marketing emails a day, sometimes many more.


Good golly, where do you find the time??! Of course, I'm jaded now because the work has continued to flood in for me non-stop ever since that slow time in February.

I actually have a yellowed note, as a reminder to myself, next to my computer that says "During slow times..... " and then a list of things to do. Fortunately I haven't had to even LOOK at that list in months.

And really, this somewhat brings us full circle to: How do you really GET the work, and KEEP GETTING IT?

There's no one, single definitive answer, and different things work for different folks. But I've said it before: the ultimate goal is to have so much repeat and referral business coming in that you have neither the time or interest in cold-calling or auditioning. Although I do still audition when my agents send an appropriate lead or I see something especially juicy on a P2P site.

But as far as REPEAT business, I, personally, think you tend to get a TON more of that from non-broadcast clients than from commercial work. Yeah, if you can become 'the voice' of a client that runs a lot of commercials, then great, but most of my broadcast work has been one-offs. But the e-learning, corporate work, safety narrations, etc.... while not very glamorous, THESE are the things that begin to flood your inbox on a daily basis. And after a while, all ya gotta do is go open your e-mail and work is waiting.

I have a client now who sends me 1-2 maritime safety narrations a week. Each job is typically several hundred dollars on up. And he found me via a Google search about 6 months ago. He hired me, and continues to send me work. And I have another dozen or so like him.

So........... again............... however you get 'em --- get 'em, make 'em happy, and KEEP 'em coming back for more! Repeat business is SO much easier than trying to land those new ones.
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Scott R. Pollak
Clients include Pandora, NPR Atlanta, Wells Fargo, Cisco, Humana, Publix, UPS, AT&T, HP, Xerox and more.

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cyclometh
King's Row


Joined: 06 Aug 2010
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 02, 2013 9:01 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

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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Michael Schoen
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Joined: 14 May 2008
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Location: New York City

PostPosted: Tue Jul 02, 2013 1:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

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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