If you are a freelance editor, the best way to gain new clients is by word of mouth.

However, there are times when even word of mouth is not enough. During those times, an editor must go where their potential clients are and contact people who don’t know them from Adam. Back when this was done over the telephone, it was known as “cold calling.” Now that we live in the age of the internet, the contact is most often established via email and the process is called “cold emailing.”

Does cold emailing work? I have to say that it does not work often, but it sometimes does. I have gotten work from it. Therefore, I must recommend it, as difficult as it can be.

Cold emailing is difficult mainly for two reasons. First, an editor must find out exactly whom to contact and find that person’s email address. Second, an editor must craft an expertly written email which sells them and their services.

Let’s say I wish to edit research manuscripts and sell my scientific editing skills to a biochemistry department in a university. I either comb through the university’s website to find the department or Google “X University Department of Biochemistry” (the latter is much quicker and easier). Once I am on the departmental website, I look at the faculty page. This always tells me the name and email address of the department chair. I may have to look through a list to find who the chair is, but I can always find out.

Once I have the chair’s email address, I carefully write my letter of introduction. This letter emphasizes what I can do for the department’s researchers, my expertise, and an example of why I am good at what I do. Of course, I also include my email address as a point of contact and links to my website and professional profiles (such as LinkedIn). It is very careful to double check the spelling of the chair’s last name; some names which are of non-English origin can be tricky for those of us who are used to English.

One thing I never include in a cold email is my resume in an attachment. Many university servers will block emails that bear attachments or strip the attachments from the emails. To circumvent this issue, I always include the sentence, “My resume will be provided upon request.” Do you use cold emails to obtain new clients? What are your suggestions for them?