Cold calling. We’ve all been there. Wanting to get our name and brand out there for the world to see our talent. Most of the time these calls are frustrating and take forever to reach someone to make an impact.
Sometimes all the effort leads to nothing and we are back to square one. But in today’s world of technology and social media, do we really need cold calling?
There are so many different ways to get your career as an event professional to the next level without cold calling. First you need to know who your audience is. Are you planning weddings, corporate events, charities?
The first way to advertise your business is LinkedIn. There are millions of professionals available to you, just by the click of a button. It is completely normal to message a professional you do not know personally. Make sure you write your own message – not the pre-written one LinkedIn provides.
Another idea is simply emailing the person you are trying to contact. Most websites provide that information if you look close enough. It is acceptable to write another email a few days with no response, just be respectful of their time.
A less direct approach is Facebook advertising. Your company may do many different events, but with Facebook you can narrow down who you want to advertise to. Be specific in your words and after awhile those people you have been trying to reach for a year might be contacting you.
Lastly is networking. Join groups with similar interests. Or simply get involved with your community and help out when needed. Volunteer your services and maybe it will catch someone’s eye! A lot of different people act as board members on any given charity. When you put yourself out there good things come back!
There are many other ways to reach executives or the decision makers of companies today. Be creative and do some research on the person. If they are super involved in social media, tweet at them! Maybe it will catch their eye and start a conversation.
Cold calling is in the past, it is time to start moving forward and gain clients without the frustration!
