“FRIEND-LY” Prospecting: Why Haven’t You Called Your Friends For Work?

By Peter Bowerman

I think the conversation started over the onion dip. I was at a party and struck up a conversation with the fiancée of a friend of mine as we scooped and munched. “Whattaya do?” back and forth. He was the owner of a small but growing commercial/residential security system provider. When he found out what I did, he chuckled and said, “Really. Hmmm. I’ve been working on a brochure for my company and not making much headway.”

“Well,” I replied – very low-key, not wanting to turn a social function into a business meeting – “that’s what I do.” We swapped cards. Bottom line, I just finished $2,500 worth of brochure work for him and we’re now talking about his web site. Ponder this: here was a 10-year-old company that had no – zero, nada, zippo – professionally printed marketing materials. And their web site had one page of copy. One. I promise there are more like him. And all through a social contact.

Fast-forward a few months. I get a call from a friend who works for a graphic design firm. Why I never contacted her for work before is beyond me. And her first question revealed how sorry a job I’d done of letting her (and certainly others) know exactly what I did for a living: “Do you do anything besides technical writing?” she asked. Huh? How about anything BUT technical writing? (Apologies to the TWs in the house; just not for me). A quick referral call to her contact and I was hired to rework huge chunks of a big client’s (a household name carpet manufacturer) web site. Another $2,500.

I’d wager that 80+% of everyone you know works for some company. And every one of those companies has a need – IF they want to stay competitive – to be constantly refining, improving and enhancing their written marketing message, as it appears in a variety of collateral materials (internal, external, print- and web-based). Have you tapped your “social” network? No? Let me guess. You don’t want to “hit up” your friends, right? Let me ask you this: If you were approached by a friend you knew was good at what he or she did, making a “gentle” inquiry as to possible contract opportunities with your firm, what would you do? I’m guessing you’d want to help them if you could. And I’m further guessing that your friends feel the same.

A few caveats on this “friend-ly” approach to prospecting. Be low key. Remember: you should get the work, NOT because you’re someone’s friend but because you’re competent and reliable. If you’re new to the business and “unproven” in your friend’s eyes, don’t lean on them. Ask them if they’d be comfortable steering you to the right person or department and to be honest with you. If you’ve got a web site, invite them to check it out to boost their confidence level in you. Allow them to decline and don’t hold it against them. Remember, their butt’s on the line if you’re hired and it doesn’t go well.

Always have your radar up for opportunities in social settings, but don’t turn into an obnoxious self-promoter. If you sense an opportunity, inconspicuously introduce yourself, swap cards, get the OK to give them a call and leave it at that. If you vastly prefer “warm” calls to cold ones (don’t we all?), don’t overlook this possible goldmine of work – and no further than your address book! 

© Copyright 2005 Peter Bowerman. All rights reserved.

Peter Bowerman is the author of The Well-Fed Writer (2000), an award-winning Book-of-the-Month Club selection, and its companion volume, The Well-Fed Writer: Back For Seconds. A commercial freelancer, business coach and seminar leader in Atlanta, Georgia, his client list includes Coca-Cola, BellSouth, IBM, UPS, Cingular Wireless, American Express, Mercedes-Benz, Junior Achievement and others. Visit www.wellfedwriter.comfor more info and to subscribe to his critically acclaimed free monthly ezine on commercial writing, THE WELL-FED E-PUB.