Hello,
My last job was as a branch manager of a staffing firm. With not working there any longer I do have a network of hiring persons at many businesses in my area. Has anyone done an email campaign and if yes how successful were you? Since, I am not wanting to contact these businesses to place employees and I am wanting to contract work from them I am able to get around my non-compete agreement with my previous employer...thank goodnes for lawyers who give great advise :-)

I have done email campaigns in the past (NOT email blasts as those are considered spam) and was successful but have not done it yet with my VA business.

Would love any feedback anyone has regarding present and/or past experiences. FYI, I know all the people I would be emailing which would make it easier also.

LoriLee

An email campaign could be useful. But if you know these people, I'd pick up the phone and give them a call. Then if they would like more information, ask if you can follow up by email. The personal touch is much more likely to get a response.

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Sue L Canfield
AwesomeAssistant.info
My Blog

How on earth did you get around the non-compete? I'm curious.

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Julia

Originally Posted by AwesomeAssistan

An email campaign could be useful. But if you know these people, I'd pick up the phone and give them a call. Then if they would like more information, ask if you can follow up by email. The personal touch is much more likely to get a response.

I agree. There's nothing like the personal touch. Following the phone call with an email, to those who respond positively to the call, would be a great idea too.

Regards,

Jason
Forward Vision Group UK

I think a phone call is a great idea. It will allow you to explain your business and answer any questions possibly better than an email ever could.

Most people have an inbox full of emails and many times they don't get around to reading them. Rather than have yours get lost in the crowd, use your advantage of personally knowing your contacts and call them on the phone. I think you'll be more successful in more ways than one.

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Shari Sultana
Online Business Manager (marketing for retail ecommerce)

I would be too afraid of violating the non-compete. Granted, non-competes are hard to enforce and you probably did find a "hole" in it. But a lawsuit, even if you won, could be costly. Not only that but it may tarnish your business reputation.

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April @ Advantage
Advantage Virtual Assistant

Non-competes are often hard to enforce and are seriously not often solid enough to pass judicial scrutiny (according to my attorney ).

I would suggest contacted them personally. Good luck with it and keep us posted!

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Dawn Riley
A Virtual Assistant in Paradise
Our business is about making yours better

Thank you all so very much for all your feedback. I wanted to answer to those asking about the non compete. My agreement/contract with my last employer specifically states I canNOT work for another employment staffing firm within 50 miles of the office I worked at. It stated that I could not recruit employees from the company in which I was working and I could not solicit to fill a position at the physical location of any clients. I had my attorney pick this agreement apart from one point to the next and he said there is absolutely no way I would be considered competing since the staffing firm I was employeed at we filled "temporary" positions and I would be contacting them for on going work and not that of a staffing firm.

I do like the idea of calling first then sending an email. I agree I think the phone is much more personable. I just know so many are extremely busy and the best and only way (in some cases) was to correspond via email. I will go case by case and call those I know I will be able to reach and send emails to the rest letting them know I'd like to set up a good time when we can talk for a few min.

Thanks again Any other advice would be greatly appreciated...

LoriLee