When you're starting out, should you cold call businesses which are likely to hire you? (Cold calling is also known as telemarketing.) This depends on your temperament. Some people love it, others hate it.
When you cold call, you open the Yellow Pages, run your fingers down the listings of say, advertising agencies, and stab out a number. If you get voice mail, you leave a message: "Good morning, my name is X. I'm a business writer, calling to see whether you need my services." If you get a gate-keeper, you ask whether they hire freelance copywriters.
I no longer cold call, but you certainly should try it if you want to get some work in a hurry. It does work, but you need to be aware that you'll get a lot of "Come and see me" and "Send me" replies.
Unfortunately, many of the "Come and see me" group and the "Send me" group are time-wasters. With the "Come and see me" group, you need to ask yourself whether you have the time to devote to meetings.
If you haven't got work lined up, this won’t be a problem, but don't get behind in your commissioned work to go to meetings which may or may not result in new work for you.
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