Kenyan Freelancer

I remember when I was starting out; I didn’t have enough clients and always wondered how I was ever going to get my name out there or make a living as a freelancer. Those days I attended many networking and conference events where I believed my ideal clientele would congregate. And true to my hunch, my money was always spot-on on my target market. Did this bear any fruits? Well in terms of ROI – not quite like what I had expected.

You see, if you are using networking events to find clients, there is always a rule of engagement – a follow-up which means calling/emailing after 24 hours to contacts who had shown interest in your services. However, the constant calling always got the better of me. In my mind, I believed if indeed this client wanted my services they’d always get in touch with me – besides they had my business card. This attitude and a fear of rejection did cost me business.

However over time I have found my own formula to cold calling – cold emailing. 80% of all cold emails (not email marketing but personalized emails) I have sent have had a positive response leading to business.

My secret:

• I always research on a prospective client to see how my services may help them. My emails are always two paragraphs short of about five lines each. After introductions I go straight to the point.
• All my emails are targeted to the decision maker. If it a small business automatically I connect with the owner. For large organisations one needs to be sure who handles what – marketing managers, corporate communications managers or public relations manager.
• When it comes to the third stage, the response is always a positive one where the prospective client may request a meeting. It is here where I carry along a well thought through write up to show the potential clients how I tend to bring value to their business.

Through cold emailing, I have been able cut the communication time – the back and forth – by almost 50%. By pinpointing who your ideal clients are and finding a sure way to connect, contact and eventually do business with them will be resources well invested in the long run.

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