Success! In-person prospecting pays off for writer

Remember the story of the health writer who approached the hospital mar-com folks at a local street fair?

Today she reports:

Good news on this end. I met with the hospital marketing guy and his custom publisher. Basically, they need a writer for their new newsletter (which may lead to work in their consumer health pub). I gave him a quote (I thought he'd negotiate lower, so I upped the rate) and he accepted it. Should start working on it next week! Yay!

You can't see it, but I'm giving her my "mad props" hand signal.

This is a great example of how meeting prospects face-to-face can drastically increase your chances of getting hired.

Have you had success prospecting in person, especially in non-business venues? Tell us about it!

In-Person Prospecting: One Reader's Approach

Just because you're not into phone prospecting doesn't mean you can't engage in courageous self-marketing as a writer. In person networking through professional organizations, Meet-Ups and trade events in your specialty area are another great way to get your face out there.

Here's how one brave freelancer used a community event to approach marketing pros in her niche:

I was at a street fair recently, and a community hospital was exhibiting. I had tried to reach them with a letter of introduction, and didn't get anywhere. I asked one of the people working at the booth if they were from the marketing department, and not shockingly, they were. I said I was a medical writer and asked if they needed or used freelancers. The guy couldn't hand me his card fast enough, asking who else I wrote for. He said to follow up with him the next day, which of course I did by 9:30 a.m. We'll see if it turns into anything, but it was a very easy way to approach a potential client. I'm going to try it at future street fairs!

One huge advantage of prospecting in person: marketing research shows that clients are far more likely to hire someone they've met in the flesh.

Note: if you're actively cold calling, prospects will often dish about live networking opportunities in your area. As someone relatively new to Fort Collins, I've found this to be a huge windfall.

Survived: First Client Meeting

So nearly threw up from nerves over first client meeting today. I'm mediocre at best face to face and really hate to sell myself.

But it actually went well.

The client was marketing director for a small independent hospital. He gave me some great feedback on my portfolio and talked about the types of projects he hires writers for.

He said he doesn't use freelancers very often, so it will be an irregular gig at best. However ...


He's been in health marketing for decades (all in this area) and knows everyone and anyone who might want to hire me. So I left with a list of leads and phone numbers and permission to use his name to get my foot in the door.


Really, he was so generous with his time and expertise, I was extremely grateful. Just sent him a gushing thank-you card.


Now taking day off from cold calling to reward self for going to scary meeting.

More serendipity: Copywriter with tips to dream pub

You just never know who you'll meet once you start calling all over creation.

Just phoned a web design company and a very friendly copywriter answered.

We got to chatting.

When she's not doing web copy, she writes for 5280 (our awesome Denver regional mag which I am DYING to break into). And she's been hoping to break into Writer's Digest, so looks like we can help each other out.

Over the next 15 minutes, she gave me the scoop on local writer's groups, conferences and "people I must meet" in the NoCo writing world.

We agreed we must get together for coffee soon.

After calls like this, I always think back on the months I spent agonizing over being yelled at, scolded, rejected and told off on the phone (none of which has ever happened).

If only I had know that happy scenarios like this would be (far) more common!

Serendipity

So didn't get an assignment, but almost as good -- one of my prospects wrote back and invited me to a local Meetup of web designers, SEO pros, writers and so on! Beyond excited. You just never know what you might find when you go digging around calling for people.