Cold emailing still works! Plus my first piece for Storyblocks! Happy to report that cold emailing still works, people! So, I have been cold emailing like crazy these past months and it got me exhausted. There are so many things I love being a freelancer and a boutique agency founder, but it’s not always easy. The tough days can be REALLY TOUGH. So, I am happy to report that after months of sending out personalized, tailor-made, and well-thought-out emails, following up and following up again, I got one company who said yes. It’s a per article gig so nothing big, not a long-term contract. But that doesn’t erase the fact that cold emailing still works. Here are what I include in that email, in case some of you are wondering:
Quick intro
Few sentences that will tell the recipient I did my research and I know what their brand has been up to lately.
Why I’m emailing (which is different from WHAT I’m offering, btw)
A bit detailed “how I can help” section (a more generous, non-salesy take on “here’s what I’m selling” plus an opportunity to get super specific and set yourself apart)
A quick mention of the brands I’ve worked with and a CTA.
As mentioned, these emails are personalized, so while they have the same info, I don’t just copy-paste them. Happy to answer other questions about this. Forgive me in advance if I don’t reply immediately—still learning how to be more social lol But YAY to cold emails working again! Lastly, let me share the first fruit of that email: https://www.storyblocks.com/resources/blog/creators-thoughts-on-ai-powered-video-production
Hey everyone! I'm working on my first article for Storyblocks and I'm looking to chat with a few content creators about AI and how it's affected them. I'm talking about vloggers, influencers, podcasters, even graphics designers, musicians and photographers... Preferably someone with at least around 5 years experience, whether as a full-time or part-time content creator, and available to exchange emails or do a quick call in the next few days. So, someone who makes money off of it, someone who does it purely out of passion. I wanna hear from all of you ASAP! If you can suggest anyone or if you are one, please please DM me. thanks so much!
Today, I learned that Andrea Gibson has passed away. And the poet in me was awaken. Before writing put food on our table, it put hope in my life. It put sanilty in my ever-chaotic childhood and teenagehood. Andrea's poems were among the things I clung to when life felt unbearable. Last week, I shared on multiple Slack and FB groups my struggle on posting and the feeling of not knowing who I'm doing it for and WTF is point... I received lots of amazing responses and I thought, let's make a poem that sums it all up. Before I forget, thanks so very much to everyone who responded to that post! Do it for you. For that little girl who was silenced Who was conditioned to make herself small and was made to believe her wants and needs, her dreams and desires, her freedom to tray and fail and explore didn't matter. Do it for the girl who was forced to believe in the illusion of perfection. For the ego not wanthing to be crushed, for the fear of being seen... Oh, dear self, go do it for you. Okay... Now, time for coffee. If you don't know Andrea Gibson, Google them. They're amazing.
Hey everyone! It's me and my social media dilemma again! One of my goals this year is to dedicate more time and effort building my personal brand. Not to gain clients or whatever but, you know, just so I exist online and build my own little community. Bonus points if I can get clients from it. But whenever I think about the idea of posting something, I go: "who would see this, anyway?" "what's the point of posting?" "I don't think anybody cares so..." "if no one will see this and no one cares, why bother posting?" "why am I doing this again?" And many more... but you know where I'm going, right? So, to all the creators out there and people successful in building a personal brand or don't really struggle posting online, how do you do it? How do you combat these thoughts? Thaaanks!
Hi Everyone! I run a boutique content studio providing narrative-driven blog posts as opposed to the usual, algorithm-chasing approach. I’ve been asking multiple Slack and FB groups how to gain more clients, build a client pipeline… that stuff. As a solo freelancer, I usually work with big brands like Shutterstock and Zapier and this part I know how to reach put to them and all... But I often get told that as a content studio, it’s better to approach smaller businesses as they tend to stick with you a lot longer, maybe because they don’t have a big content/marketing team to fall back on. So, question: How do you find those small businesses? Where do you find them, and how do you know they’re the “right kind of small” if that makes sense?
People who cold email (or even warm email), do you follow up on Mondays and Fridays? Does it even matter what day? Ofc weekends are a no no but, for weekdays…
About THAT client: "I don't want to hear that word, exhausting. I think that's for your therapist." I think this is gonna be a series 😅 I hope I don't get kicked put here. But if y'all have been following my predicament with THAT client, the latest update was that I emailed him my new approach to emailing and specified what type of edits and how many rounds of it I'll be doing. I was ready to let him go, honestly. But instead of simply replying to my email, he wanted a Zoom call. So we did. And during that call, he did much of the talking. I found it pointless to respond or explain bc he was all over the place, bringing up things we've already discussed before, and things that are not really relevant. BUT, first part of that call he made sure to say something along the lines of, "what are you exhausted about? I don't want to hear that, exhausted. I think that's for your therapist." Oh well, nowhere in the call did or in the email did I use the word exhausted but sure, dude. Sure. Whatever makes you happy. More to come... Still trying to process some parts of that very funny call. 😅
This non-techie person is finally investing in her own brand's social media. And by social media, I mean Instagram. One platform at a time 😅 sooo question to all creatives: Do you edit your posts and reels on A) Canva, Capcut, Inshot, etc on laptop then transfer to phone B) Canva, Capcut, Inshot, etc all on phone C) Canva, Capcut, Inshot, etc on laptop and post/sched them on IG on laptop too?
