LL asks:

Hi Adrien,

I’ve just read your article on about.com regarding freelance animation.

Like yourself i am a freelancer and experienced the same things as you have, I really enjoyed reading your article as I’ve also seen myself and how I developed over the years having good and bad clients J and I also enjoy working in my pj’s and greatly consider this as perks as well lol.

I do have one question for you if you have the time, I’ve been working freelance for nearly 7years now but only opened up to the international market for almost a year. Most of my work load now comes from freelance sites like RAC, GAF, GURU... I would like to open up more and do business with other people outside these networks but really don’t know how to introduce myself and my services... my question is, is it ok if I research these potential clients and send them emails directing them to my website?

I generally wouldn't advise it unless you do it very carefully. Those kinds of e-mails are almost always deleted because they're seen in the same class as spam e-mails asking them to buy Cialis or learn about an amazing new business system that will only cost $29.95 for you to make thousands of dollars a day. They have no way of knowing you're legit and not a phisher of some sort because the e-mail is unsolicited.

If you can, find out about career opportunities with the companies and instead of directing them to your website, ask them about freelance employment opportunities if they already have career opportunities related to what you can offer. Most company websites will have an employment page and an HR contact e-mail.

Also, try sites like MediaBistro.com. These days I'm actually doing more writing than animating, and I get a lot of my work from there - but I also see quite a few animation and graphic design ads up, and they'll net you some good contacts in some fairly decent companies (I've seen everything from IGN to the Independent Film Network on there). The best thing about MB is that since they screen people and require payment from advertisers while only requesting free registration from job searchers, you very rarely get anything shady on there. You might even find something local, but if not, there's plenty of remote or contract work.

Companies tend to hate being solicited unless they ask first; even e-mailing HR is pushing it a little, but it's not so frowned upon as using general contact e-mails because that's what HR is there for - as long as you phrase it as an inquiry and offer to show your portfolio but don't actively direct them to your website, although it's okay to include it in your signature. Anything more direct and most companies tend to get a little cranky. If they need your services, they'll make it known somewhere, somehow; you just have to be in the right place at the right time to pounce on the opportunity. One my closest friends is an HR manager, and her biggest complaint is that she gets tons of inquiries saying "Are you hiring ___________ / Do you need __________?" It drives her nuts that she can't come out and say "Look, you jerk, if we needed anything you had to offer, there'd be a job listing on the website that would just scream "That's me!" at you. If you aren't qualified or don't want any of the jobs we have posted, learn to read and go away."

...although she's admittedly a bit prickly. I think most people would be a bit more polite than that.

It's a tricky line to walk between bold networking that opens doors and brazen offenses to business etiquette. Often checking out the websites of companies you're interested in will give you a better idea of the reaction you'd receive to an unsolicited contact and let you decide the best way to approach them.

I know I've used a lot of words to say very little, but I hope there's something useful for you in there. For more information on soliciting clients as a freelancer, try Alison Doyle's site at JobSearch@About.com. She's got some great tips on making professional contacts.

Thanks for reading,
-Adrien-Luc Sanders