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Rude responses to cold emails
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Moosevoice
Club 300


Joined: 16 Nov 2012
Posts: 384
Location: Iowa

PostPosted: Thu Aug 19, 2021 9:49 am    Post subject: Rude responses to cold emails Reply with quote

You ever reach out to a business with a polite and professional email explaining your voiceover services and get a reply that says 'Please do not contact us.'?

I was blessed with this honor today after following up on a previous email/contact form submission involving a tobacco pipe website

I made it clear that I'm a regular customer so you can imagine that I was kind of floored when I saw this 'sweetness.'
My wife talked me off a 'get a pound of flesh' ledge by pointing that some people are simply [rhymes with 'mass']holes.
This was very odd because I have had pretty good exchanges with them in the past as a customer.
I was NOT expecting a 'Please don't contact us,' response. Was thinking more of the 'No thanks. We're not interested' would be more in line.
Anyone else get a curt response like that before?
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Kim Fuller
DC


Joined: 29 Jan 2011
Posts: 639
Location: Portlandish, Oregon

PostPosted: Thu Aug 19, 2021 10:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I just think of it as them saving me time. Concise and to the point.

I've had similar responses. I just think "okay, then!" mark them "do not contact" in my spreadsheet and move on.
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George
Been Here Awhile


Joined: 09 Dec 2019
Posts: 283
Location: Seattle, WA

PostPosted: Thu Aug 19, 2021 12:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I was just listening to a story someone was telling about getting a very, very angry response to a cold marketing email. He sent a response apologizing for the intrusion and assuring them they'd be put on a do-not-contact list. He then received an email back later apologizing for snapping at him; it was a horrible day and the wrong time to receive that inquiry.

Totally agree with Kim. Whatever the reason, they've made their intentions clear, you can remove them from your list of follow-ups, and continue along.
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todd ellis
A Zillion


Joined: 02 Jan 2007
Posts: 10479
Location: little egypt

PostPosted: Thu Aug 19, 2021 1:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

yep. red marker & move on.
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Bruce
Boardmeister


Joined: 06 Jun 2005
Posts: 7921
Location: Portland, OR

PostPosted: Thu Aug 19, 2021 3:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

As in most cases in life if you get an usually negative response out of the blue there’s probably something that happened before you arrived on the scene. Maybe Ned Ryerson, the insurance salesman from Groundhog Day, had just hit him up before you did for the third time.

There are several ways to say “no” and this guy was just real crappy at it.

Ned, take 1: https://youtu.be/f5dGWrFPN-8

B
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Glenn Moore
Been Here Awhile


Joined: 24 Jan 2005
Posts: 240

PostPosted: Thu Aug 19, 2021 6:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

...or how about this beautifully written diatribe-like rant. So glad he said he isn't angry.....and is just trying to help....wonder who peed in his Cheerios that morning?

"I feel compelled to reply to your email in a spirit of trying to help you. As the owner of a video production company, I get dozens of emails from voice over talent asking to be put on “my list.” What you guys do not understand is that I never put you on my list.

I will not listen to your demos. I will not bother with your email except to notify my email client that it is spam and never let another email through my filters.

Please do not misunderstand. I am not upset with you. I think it is a perfectly reasonable thing to do to contact video production companies and offer your services. What bothers me is that you have no concept why your approach is worthless to me.

Again, I am not mad and I am not replying in order to tell you a thing or two. I truly want to help you.

When I have a project that needs voice talent, either I or my client has a voice in mind. Maybe it is a female, in her early twenties, with no accent or with a British accent. Now, if I have a file folder full of random names of VO talent, am I going to waste my time and go through each one to see what you sound like?

NO! I am going to go to Voices.com or voices123 AND SET THEIR SEARCH FILTERS TO TWENTY-SOMETHING FEMALES WITH A BRITISH ACCENT!!!. In an instant, I have dozens of voices that meet my criteria to choose from. When I have told this to other VO talent they have said, “Yeah, but, voices is unfair to me. . .” Whatever. I don’t have time to search dozens and dozens of names of VO talent trying to determine if they have the right demographic. I do have time to write a long email in an attempt to help a VO talent understand why the shotgun approach is not going to produce much. Oh, yes, you will hit someone at just the right time and get some business. That is why we still have 5,000 spam emails a day. Some people are too stupid to refuse to buy from spammers. I am not saying you are a spammer. Just because you send unsolicited emails. . .

Anyway, I am just trying to tell you why I will never hire you – unless you are the right demographic on Voices.com and I hire you from there.

Again, I am trying to help. I am intensely interested in hearing your thoughts. Tell me why Voices will not work for most VO talent. Tell me a better way to hire VO talent. But do not tell me to create a file of a hundred VO people with no way to filter them.

Sorry if I sound angry. I am not. I am frustrated that you do not understand what I, your customer, needs. I need a way to sort the hundreds of VO talents sending out these demos. Voices.com gives me that."
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scottnilsen
King's Row


Joined: 12 Jul 2007
Posts: 1170
Location: Orange County, CA

PostPosted: Thu Aug 19, 2021 8:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I would almost want to reply to him that his response (should he want to provide one) could probably better be to simply say "I use V.com or V123). It's a much shorter response. I would respond thank you for your time, put them in my "do not contact" list and move along.

That's how it goes.
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Philip Banks
Je Ne Sais Quoi


Joined: 20 Jun 2005
Posts: 11046
Location: Portgordon, Scotland

PostPosted: Fri Aug 20, 2021 1:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I read the explanation email and it is 100% on point, not 75% or 50% but 100%.

The world needs another voice over like a Fish needs a bicycle.

Find a postal address and send the man a nice box of chocolates with a hand written card.

"Thank you, your reply to my marketing email was enormously helpful. Best regards etc" just first name signature and do not put your URL or any kind of marketing stuff on it. Box of candy and a thank you note.

Do you know why people who work in sales are trained to handle "objections"? It's because the potential buyer will not simply say "No thank you".

Some years ago I called the new Commercial Producer at Red Dragon radio in Cardiff. After I introduced myself he simply said

"I have NO work for you sir!"

His reply REALLY go under my skin.

End of conversation and wherever he went I did NOT follow.

His life turned out fine and so did mine.

What has social media done to us? SILENCED US.

I call people and talk to people. If I want to silence people in our world who ask questions I offer a free skype call, free of charge. 99% will run and hide.

I lost count of how many times I posted this video but I'm going to keep on, keeping on ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmYHBL2wFcA
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Bish
3.5 kHz


Joined: 22 Nov 2009
Posts: 3738
Location: Lost in the cultural wasteland of Long Island

PostPosted: Fri Aug 20, 2021 6:45 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Contacting anyone "cold" and offering your services immediately puts you in a vulnerable position, and you must be prepared for any and all responses. If you are going to be offended by a terse refusal, you shouldn't be doing it. No one is being an ass... we have no idea what they are dealing with or the time they spend replying to opportunistic marketing. We may perceive it as "offering them a professional service" ... they may perceive it as "here's another chancer who wants my money".

I try to keep all my dealings polite... but a couple of months ago I was waiting for a package that required a signature. I'm downstairs in the basement studio when the doorbell rings. It was someone selling replacement windows... they got the "Thanks , but no thanks." The second ring was someone selling pest control... they got a fairly terse "Not interested, thanks." The third ring was someone pitching solar roof panels. They got the "Look at my effing roof. Eff off!" (I already have solar panels). All this was within the space of one hour while I was editing some eLearning. I try not to be rude to someone on the doorstep but the unobservant solar panel guy didn't know he was the third in line. He probably thinks I'm an ass... but I really don't care.
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Bob Bergen
CM


Joined: 22 Apr 2008
Posts: 937

PostPosted: Fri Aug 20, 2021 7:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Boy, I have never received a negative response from marketing. I have had zero responses, but never anything negative. But if I did, I would just ignore. Ya can't please everyone and you certainly don't have to work with everyone.

Now, I did have several foot in mouth moments in my early career. After my very first audition I didn't know they didn't tell you if you didn't get the gig. (I think I was 16 or 17) One of my vo coaches had her agent audition me for The Nestle Quick Bunny. I auditioned in the agent's office. The next day I called the agent:

Me: Hear anything?
Agent: Nope, not yet, but ya did really good on the read! (nice guy!)

(next day)

Me: Hear back?
Agent: No, but if I do I will let you know. (still being pretty nice)

(next day I hear nothing....waited another day and called)

Me: Any word??
Agent: No....I haven't. I told you, if I do I will call you. (hmmm..agitated...must be having a bad day)

(next day's call)

Me: Can you call them and find out what is going on?
Agent: (no longer polite) BOB-you didn't get it, OK!
Me: So, you heard back??
Agent: NO! But doesn't logic tell you that by this time you didn't get it?
Me: Well, how do you know for sure? Don't they call you and tell you who got it?
Agent: NO! They don't! They only call those who get booked!
Me: Well, I didn't know that! Why didn't you tell me that?
Agent: Every actor knows this!
Me: Well, not every actor. I didn't. And if I didn't, chances are others don't know this as well.

(this is when he hung up on me)

Hey, I just thought it was a kinda rude protocol to not let someone know they didn't get a job. I mean, if you go for a corporate job interview, they let you know one way of the other.

.....needless to say, I never pursued this agent for representation. Hey, ya live ya learn!
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Lee Gordon
A Zillion


Joined: 25 Jul 2008
Posts: 6843
Location: West Hartford, CT

PostPosted: Fri Aug 20, 2021 8:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Glenn Moore wrote:
am I going to waste my time and go through each one to see what you sound like?

NO! I am going to go to Voices.com or voices123 AND SET THEIR SEARCH FILTERS TO TWENTY-SOMETHING FEMALES WITH A BRITISH ACCENT!!!. In an instant, I have dozens of voices that meet my criteria to choose from. When I have told this to other VO talent they have said, “Yeah, but, voices is unfair to me. . .” Whatever. I don’t have time to search dozens and dozens of names of VO talent trying to determine if they have the right demographic.


You may not have liked what he had to say, but I believe the guy did exactly what he said he was doing. Instead of just a curt, "No thanks," he took the time to explain why you were wasting your time with him and others like him. Of course, there are consumers of voiceover services who are receptive to direct marketing; he just happens not to be one of them. So, his response should not discourage you from continuing the practice, if that is what you want to do.

There is a lot of chatter amongst voiceoverists, particularly in the Facebook groups, regarding "educating" clients about the evils of Voice-dot-com. And from his response, it sounds like one or more of us has tried to educate him. And he was simply returning the favor with you. Yes, v-dot-c and v123 may very well be screwing the voice talent, but they are providing a useful service to the end clients, many of whom neither feel like they are getting screwed, not give a crap whether or not the voiceoverists are.
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George
Been Here Awhile


Joined: 09 Dec 2019
Posts: 283
Location: Seattle, WA

PostPosted: Fri Aug 20, 2021 9:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm about 90% positive that his response to you was a copypaste. Having said that, the fact that he took the time to send you that copypaste explanation is actually fairly kind of him in my estimation. You now know his and likely many others take on the subject, can mark his entry in your system as "Do Not Call" and continue on.

He's also not wrong. The easy-search tool for many producers is here to stay. Their time is valuable and short and that is exactly what they believe they need.

BTW, Philip's recommendation is spot on and brilliant.
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todd ellis
A Zillion


Joined: 02 Jan 2007
Posts: 10479
Location: little egypt

PostPosted: Fri Aug 20, 2021 10:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
am I going to waste my time and go through each one to see what you sound like?

NO! I am going to go to Voices.com or voices123 AND SET THEIR SEARCH FILTERS TO TWENTY-SOMETHING FEMALES WITH A BRITISH ACCENT!!!.


reminds me of this


i cast voices a LOT. i don't have time to go voice fishing on v123 or voices every time i need a talent. i keep a list of vetted, competent folks in various styles and draw from them.

if i get a request to "add me to your list" i actually listen to the demo. do they fit a hole i need filled? "slightly asian female"? or do they fall into a category i'm flush with - like middle-age white guys? if the former, i reach out to see if they fit my budgetary & turnaround needs. if the latter a quick boilerplate response thanking them & letting them know the situation.

that cold email might be just the M240 SAW i've been looking for.
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Bruce
Boardmeister


Joined: 06 Jun 2005
Posts: 7921
Location: Portland, OR

PostPosted: Fri Aug 20, 2021 1:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

With rare exception I don’t want to hear I didn’t get the job. It can be slightly deflating. I occasionally get an under-experienced rep or intern who thinks it’s important that I know. #@&€!! I live by the philosophy that my job in auditions is to do my best and then forget it.

Now if I’ve made it to a second or third round of major auditions then I’m curious, and if I don’t get the job the deflation is worth it. Get Lost


B
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Bob Bergen
CM


Joined: 22 Apr 2008
Posts: 937

PostPosted: Fri Aug 20, 2021 2:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Oh, I get it now, Bruce. I didn't as a vo student in my teens. I had no idea how the business worked. I assumed based on every other industry.

I'm with you. I have to go back to my files to remind me of the audition when I book. Once I send in the audition, it's over. Plus, more often than not I have more fun in the audition than the gig as there's no committee there telling me what they want.
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