No Reply... WDYD?

[BrendanLeahy]

I've been having some poor luck with regards to prospective clients recently...

Some have contacted me specifically for pitches, while others I've reached out to for sending ideas along, and they've been more than happy to accept the ideas and pass them on up. After sending things along, I either receive no response, or a reply like, "Thanks! Will look this over and get back to you soon!"

Weeks pass, and when I decide to follow up, there's no reply. What irks me a bit is the fact that these individuals are usually posting daily on social media, and they're usually also the decision-makers on greenlighting proposals...

Is this basically a passive-agressive way of saying they're not interested? I would think that if they'd like something tweaked or had to still wait on someone else to decide, they'd let me know.

How have all of you handled this in the past? Anything that works to either get a response or is it just a waiting game?

I'm mostly concerned about coming off as annoying, but I also wish there'd be some courtesy reply sometimes...

 

[Bohdan Klos]

I've been having some poor luck with regards to prospective clients recently...
Some have contacted me specifically for pitches, while others I've reached out to for sending ideas along, and they've been more than happy to accept the ideas and pass them on up. After sending things along, I either receive no response, or a reply like, "Thanks! Will look this over and get back to you soon!"
Weeks pass, and when I decide to follow up, there's no reply. What irks me a bit is the fact that these individuals are usually posting daily on social media, and they're usually also the decision-makers on greenlighting proposals...
Is this basically a passive-agressive way of saying they're not interested? I would think that if they'd like something tweaked or had to still wait on someone else to decide, they'd let me know.
How have all of you handled this in the past? Anything that works to either get a response or is it just a waiting game?
I'm mostly concerned about coming off as annoying, but I also wish there'd be some courtesy reply sometimes...

Lower your expectations on cold emailing companies.
Its not passive agressive if they don't reply, its just business.

Personally we dont have time to reply to everyone - in fact we will ONLY reply to people we are interested in continueing conversations.
I`d send one more email and then leave it be. Dont expect a reply to that either.
If the company is super small then perhaps they will respond to every approach.

 

[BrendanLeahy]

Lower your expectations on cold emailing companies.
Its not passive agressive if they don't reply, its just business.

Personally we dont have time to reply to everyone - in fact we will ONLY reply to people we are interested in continueing conversations.
I`d send one more email and then leave it be. Dont expect a reply to that either.
If the company is super small then perhaps they will respond to every approach.

Sure, but I should clarify that a lot of these are people that have actually reached out directly to me because they like my work, so I wouldn't necessarily say I cold-email them (only a few where I send pitches out).

Does it make a difference in that case?

 

[Bohdan Klos]

For the ones that contacted you I would ask for confirmation they received your email attachment or downloaded your files OK. That is perfectly acceptable.


Personally I would wait a month and ask if they needed anything else from you beyond your initial delivery. Ive not seen enthusiasm for a reply speed anything up but that doesnt mean it couldnt happen.
Ive seen conversations spread out almost 10 years on and off before a show got going. I`ve seen projects get together real quick. I`ve seen others projects just die after similar long periods of conversation.

 

[BrendanLeahy]

Ok, this makes a bit more sense. I guess I'll have to take the "Hope for the best, expect the worst" saying to heart on these matters!

 

[Terry VerHaar]

Having been in sales in the past, I can say it is not a role for the faint-hearted! lol For "cold" contacts, you are lucky to get a 2-3% response and not all of those will become actual customers. If your "list" is very well vetted, you might expect better results but, really, don't get too optimistic.

For those with whom you have had some prior interest/contact, a polite but persistent approach is the way to go. Don't let weeks or months go by after your first contact. Wait a few days ands follow up politely, confirming, as others have said, that they have received your info and making sure they know you are available to answer questions. Have enough self-confidence to expect an answer from them - even if it is "no further interest." If you get an absolute "no," thanks them for their consideration and be sure they know they can call on you in the future. If they seem legitimate, keep them on a list to contact every few months to see if things might have changed.

The bad news is that sales can be a full time job - and a hard one. Keeping a balance of working and getting more work is the hardest thing for a freelancer. Eventually, if you get a good reputation, more work will flow your way naturally but it takes awhile.

Good luck.