Not only should you not be afraid of pitching would-be copywriting clients, but, in fact, they want you to pitch them.
And, of course, we’ve also already covered how pitching is the only way to truly be in control of your business and your income and why “easier” ways of finding work (I’m looking at you, UpWork and Freelancer!) are actually the fast track to disappointment and burnout.
So, we’re all sold on pitching, right? Okay. Today we’re digging into 5 ways to take your pitches from forgettable to outstanding. Let’s dive in!
1. Get it to the right person.
This sounds like an obvious one, but you’d be surprised at how many people skip right over it. When you’re sending out a pitch, don’t send it to the general company email address—or worse, through the company “contact us” page. (What a great way to get your pitch lost!) And don’t pitch through the comments on posts, through comments on social media, or through DMs on social media. Get. It. To. The. Right. Person.
It might take a little research, but it’s almost always possible to find the email address for the person you want to get to. For one-person to, say, five-person companies, that’s usually the founder. Bigger than that and you want to talk to the marketing director. For large companies with an in-house creative team (which you know because you did your research, right?), you want to target the creative director.
2. Make it personal.
Do not, under any circumstances, send out mass email pitches. There is no surer way to get your email deleted and, quite possibly, get yourself marked as a spammer. Sure, it seems easy—but that doesn’t mean it’s effective. Also, you don’t need to reach 1,000 people all at once.
Take the time to personalize each pitch you’re sending out, meaning taking the time to do the research, find out what projects they’re working on and who they’re with, and figuring out ways you can help them. Which segues nicely into point 3…
3. Offer ideas.
Let me ask you a question. Which kind of email do you think will get a better response: 1) an email asking for something or 2) an email giving something? It’s no surprise that the right answer is the latter. If your whole approach to pitching is “please give me a job,” it’s going to go nowhere fast. But, instead, if your pitch is focused around well-researched and well-thought-out ideas for marketing and advertising (that, oh, by the way, you could help them implement), you’re going to go so much farther.
Any time to reach out to someone, especially a stranger, make it your goal to be of value. And, as a bonus point, be sure to do it in a friendly, helpful way. “You need to do XYZ” isn’t going to win you friends but “I had an idea and wanted to send it along in case it’s helpful” probably is.
4. Convey your USP.
You know, your USP: Your unique selling point. What you bring to the table that no other copywriter does. You need to convey what makes you different from other copywriters they’re in contact with, and you need to help them understand why you’re the best person to take on a project.
Think about it: If a creative director gets pitched by three different copywriters at the same time and all of them sound roughly the same, who is she going to pick? Frankly, your guess is as good as mine. Maybe the one with the more recent samples, maybe the one who emailed her last, maybe the one whose last name reminds her of her third-grade teacher.
My point is that when there’s no clear differentiator, you lose any kind of input in her decision making. Conveying your USP is how you set yourself apart and give yourself the best chance of getting her to reach out to you.
5. Make the ask.
This seems obvious, too, but it’s shocking how many people never ask for what they want—or, more commonly, kind of “half ask.” I get it: Sending an email out into the ether, to a stranger no less, seems kind of scary. (Though, again, I’ll remind you of the many reasons it shouldn’t be.)
So when people get to the end of their pitch, they’re hesitant to actually say what they want—to actually PITCH the client. Instead, they say things like, “Feel free to reach out if you’d like more tips” or “I’d love to chat about a few more of my ideas; let me know if you have time.”
Here’s the thing: At this point, you’ve already established that you know what you’re doing AND you have good ideas for them. This is not the time to be subtle or to dance around what you want. (You’re a copywriter! Remember the clear CTA!) Instead, be clear and be confident.
You can even start out with “I’d love to chat about a few more of my ideas” but then follow that up with something like, “Do you have time next week to talk?” You’re a business person. They’re a business person. Nobody has time for the back and forth of “Mm, maybe, do you want to….?” Get to the point. Again, be friendly, but be efficient! Inviting someone to reach out for more tips isn’t a pitch and isn’t going to get treated like one. You’ve done your research, made it personal, offered well-thought-out ideas—now is the time to show up like a professional and make the pitch.
Okay, there you have it! Now, it’s your turn: Which one of these points was the biggest revelation for you? Or which one do you think you most need to work on? Let me know in the comments below!
Last Updated on August 18, 2022 by Kaitlyn Spinney
Is there anything different I would do than the above if I was pitching to agencies as opposed to non agencies?
Hey Mike,
The fundamentals are really the same – check out the Client Pitching Masterclass in the Academy for more specifics about exactly *how* you include these elements and ways to turn a “cold” prospect into a warm one.
Thanks for commenting!
Nicki
Excellent! This would a great checklist to use before sending any pitch. That reminds me, I need to revisit my copywriter USP. =)
Hi Dorothy,
Great idea! It’s always good to have a double-check before sending a pitch and this would be a perfect one. And yes – it’s always a good idea to regularly review our own USP! 🙂
Thanks for commenting!
Nicki
These are great points! Especially #1 – I don’t like using the “Contact Us” email to pitch potential. But if you don’t mind me asking, how do you get the email of the owner/manager? A lot of times it just isn’t on the company website.
Thanks
Hi Zachary,
I’m glad you enjoyed the post! Regarding getting the email, there are a couple of different options. For a larger company, if you can get the email of *anyone* who works there, it’s usually the same naming convention and you can figure it out. For example, if you’ve found Sara Jones’ email and it’s sjones@xyzcompany.com, it’s very likely that Kate Anderson’s is kanderson@xyzcompany.com. Does that make sense? There are also lots of websites that list the email addresses of important people at a company. And, if all else fails, pick up the phone and call to ask! 🙂
Thanks for commenting!
Nicki
Nicki,
I am aspiring to be a copywriter. As someone with zero writing experience, what would be great examples of USP that would-be clients would find valuable aside from the obvious?
I’d love to take one of your masterclasses but I lost my job of 12 years as a virtual assistant almost a year ago,. I’m newly separated with 14 large dogs that prevents me from working anywhere else but from home. There are a lot of WFH jobs even during the pandemic but despite the fact that I am a computer savvy 50-year old, I keep getting rejected. In other words, I’m pretty much penniless.
Thanks for sharing your expertise.
Katrina
Hi Katrina,
Obviously, the key is that everyone’s is going to be different. But it’s a matter of examining your life and career experience, choosing one element from it that has helped you develop particularly important or unique trait or skill, and then conveying how that trait or skill makes you a better copywriter. It’s not a quick process, but it’s definitely an important one! 🙂
Thanks for commenting!
Nicki
This is THE best place for copywriter business training. In a relatively short amount of time, I have learned quite a bit. Invaluable.
Hi Kim! So glad you’re finding our blog helpful!
I had to bookmark this page and also draft the points in my diary.
You have done a great job here.
Kudos to you.
Hey Kate,
I personally love all these points. They’re just so true!
There’s really nothing holding anyone back from success as a copywriter … except yourself.
It’s not rocket science… but there’s no Aladdin’s lamp for getting there, either
The methods are there, plain and simple.
It’s left for the aspiring copywriter to go the extra mile and apply them as efficiently and consistently as possible.
But I do have this request, Kate…
Please, do an article on steps/methods for developing “pitch-worthy” ideas for potential clients.
I find I struggle with that… and need some clarity.
Thank you! 😊
Hi! Thanks for the feedback! If you take a look at our podcast (www.filthyrichwriter.com/podcast) and search “pitch” there are at least three episodes that give great tips and guides for pitching new clients.
Hi Nicki!
I have loved these posts and the podcast you and Kate have. Definitely learning a lot and I’m excited to get started with the academy. How often do enrollment periods open up?
Thanks!
Holly
Hi Holly! We run enrollment periods every three months. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to contact@filthyrichwriter.com with any questions!