Re Cold Calling

[Danny]

Hey Folks,

I have been fortunate enough to build some library relationships over the years by cold calling.

I do wonder. If a Taxi member cold calls a "Taxi friendly" library and doesn't even know they do business with Taxi, would the library tend to not sign the composer. IOW, do the have a list of Taxi members?

I have reason to believe this may be the case but I'm not into conspiracy theories .

[cosmicdolphin]

Hey Folks,

I have been fortunate enough to build some library relationships over the years by cold calling.

I do wonder. If a Taxi member cold calls a "Taxi friendly" library and doesn't even know they do business with Taxi, would the library tend to not sign the composer. IOW, do the have a list of Taxi members?

I have reason to believe this may be the case but I'm not into conspiracy theories .

How would either party know ? I imagine there are member leaving and joining Taxi daily as well as different libraries using Taxi's service at different times ?

Some people don't even compose under their real name....It would just be unworkable.

Of course you have much more chance of being signed via Taxi as a pre-screened recommendation.

[Danny]

Well,

To use my credit card, I use my real name with Taxi.

I also use my real name to receive payments from the libraries I do business with. Anybody can use an "Avatar" name where they please but when it comes down to payments, some libraries even ask you to fill out tax forms, etc.

[Danny]

Of course you have much more chance of being signed via Taxi as a pre-screened recommendation.

Huh?

[DesireInspires]

There are literally hundreds of music libraries out there. Many have never heard of Taxi. Don't make excuses. Get to cold calling!

[Casey H]

Hey Folks,

I have been fortunate enough to build some library relationships over the years by cold calling.

I do wonder. If a Taxi member cold calls a "Taxi friendly" library and doesn't even know they do business with Taxi, would the library tend to not sign the composer. IOW, do the have a list of Taxi members?

I have reason to believe this may be the case but I'm not into conspiracy theories .

Talk about the "single bullet theory" for music library cold calling!!! Yes, the libraries have a list they got from the CIA (or maybe AARP for those over 50) and if you contact these libraries, you will be doomed forever. Done... Kaput... [sarcasm emoticon here]

Just for everyone... The one thing you SHOULD NEVER do is contact a party Taxi forwarded you to after the forward and say, "Taxi forwarded my song to you and I'm contacting you..." Or "I got your name from a Taxi forward"... That is mega-annoying to Taxi clients and has caused Taxi to lose clients in the past. It's one reason Taxi doesn't give us client names in most of the forward notifications anymore. As far as Taxi forwards, if they are interested they will contact you.

But cold calling is a normal and required part of this business. Just be a professional when doing it:

• Don't annoy people. If they don't answer your email, don't start emailing them every other day, for example.
  Ask if they are accepting submissions.
  Ask for submission guidelines and follow the instructions to a "T".
  Find out up front if you can what their deal terms are as far as exclusive vs. non-exclusive, etc. If you wouldn't sign under their deal terms, do not submit!
  Don't say, "I got your name through TAXI".

Casey

[crs7string]

I touch on cold calling in my Rally class "Building A Catalog Is A Marathon, Not A Sprint"

I believe these are the ways to start a relationship with a library:

1. Cold calling- probably the least effective approach. The party you are contacting does not expect your call and possibly is not "in the market" for what you are calling for at this time.

2. Favorable introduction- this is a TAXI forward. Unlike a cold call, the library is looking for music and is expecting TAXI to send them the best music generated by the listings. There is no assurance of a deal, but you are getting in front of the library on a favorable basis.

3. A referral- I reach out to a library I work with and send them a SoundCloud link to your music and recommend you based on getting to know you and your music. A referral requires trust. I am not going to refer someone to my trust relationships if I think they may leave an unfavorable impression. One purpose of a referral is to enhance my position with the library. If I refer a great composer to a library I am helping their business.

4. The assumed close- I started using this approach a few years ago. A composer friend heard me discussing a library I was working with and asked how he could get in the library. I suggested that we collaborate.

We produced 10 suspense tension cues for the library. When I submitted the tracks I told the library "Brandon is not yet a composer for your library, so he needs to complete the contracting paperwork"

The library sent Brandon an email with the paperwork attached and said "Brandon, feel free to send us any other music you would like us to consider" Voila! Brandon is in the library. (The assumed close)

All of these approaches work if you do enough of any of them. I prefer the referral and assumed close because there is much less resistance, and one's "closing ratio" is much better than the first two methods.

[annayarbrough]

Great info, Casey and Crs7!

[Casey H]

Chuck makes excellent points. Nothing beats being introduced to a library by a "favorable introduction" such as from a Taxi forward or referral by a trusted friend.

Many libraries do accept general submissions and already have information on how to submit on their websites. Nothing wrong with making those submissions. However, 2 things: (1) Make sure your material is really up to snuff using Taxi feedback (submission critiques, P2P, other successes, etc.) Make a great first impression! (2) In some cases, doing this after a solid referral is even better.

When it comes to many very high end libraries, they often don't take general unsolicited submissions. That's where the referrals and favorable introductions are so key. I have tracks in a few Taxi client libraries (with placements) that don't even have websites!

One thing (out of many!) that Taxi does a great job with is educating us on how to make our tracks as contemporary and marketable as possible. *IF* you are getting a good amount of forwards, especially to higher bar listings, you have a pretty darn good clue your material has "what it takes".

Casey

[cosmicdolphin]

Chuck makes excellent points. Nothing beats being introduced to a library by a "favorable introduction" such as from a Taxi forward or referral by a trusted friend.

Yep..it's selling 101

Best Cold Call is not actually cold call at all..it's a referral..classed as a "warm" call ..or a " forward " in Taxi world

2nd Best Cold Call is face to face ( think Road Rally or networking event )

3rd Best is by Phone ( if you can get past the gatekeeper )

4th best is unsolicited email