5 Things to Consider When Cold Contacting a Brand
Should I cold contact a brand?
Cold contacting can be an amazing way to develop new business relationships. It’s scary, yes, but sometimes completely necessary (and completely worth it). Sometimes, a little reach out can be all it takes to get your foot in the door with a brand you may not have known would consider you.
What you need to know before cold contacting brands
When cold contacting brands, it’s important to consider these factors before, during and after your communications. But of course, the most important thing to remember? You won’t know until you try.
You’ve got this, even if you don’t
Mustering up the courage to cold contact, usually via email (not through DM!) can take a lot of energy… but the result greatly outweighs the risk. The worst case scenario? You don’t hear back from them. Consider these thoughts when cold contacting brands:
Are you a good fit for their brand?
You might love their brand, but consider this: is your brand the right brand for them? Sometimes although you might love their products, your brand’s image might not fall in line with theirs. That’s okay! It just means you have something to work towards.
Who are they already working with?
Take a look into other individuals and influencers that these brands are working with. What kind of presence do these people have? Does it align with yours? What is it that you can bring to the brand that they can’t get elsewhere?
Who is it you’re contacting?
Before you reach out, know who it is that you’re reaching out to. Take a look on LinkedIn, Instagram, or anywhere else that you can find job titles within the brand, and go from there. Address them personally, and make the communications personal. Nobody wants to receive the same email they know that five other brands have received the same day.
You’ve reached out. Now what?
In case you haven’t already, make sure that your web presence is looking up to snuff for when they go to look for you. Also ensure that you are, indeed, following the brand on your social media accounts. Now you can take some time, and hope for the best.
Is a follow up appropriate?
It’s been a few days and you haven’t heard back. Is a follow up appropriate? That depends on your style. Drop them another line, but don’t be too pushy. At least one follow up is okay. Maybe that person just hasn’t gotten around to replying yet. However, if you do hear from them and they say it’s not the right time but to reach out again later, set a date in your calendar and make sure that you do follow up. This kind of reply is NOT always a cop-out. It’s important that you do follow up, as it may genuinely have not been the right time for them in that moment. In the future that door might be easier to open. Give it a shot!