Pitching is the only way to truly control your copywriting business’ success. But when it comes to sitting down to actually do it, our brains love to come up with all kinds of reasons *not* to hit “send”. “Oh, that company is waaay too big to pitch, they would never need my help!” or, at the other end of the spectrum, “A solopreneur? They’d never be able to afford a copywriter!”
In this episode, Nicki and Kate remind us that when you hold back on sending out pitches, you’re actually doing a major disservice to everyone out there who needs you (companies big AND small). Listen in now to learn why these pitching assumptions could be costing you opportunities (and money!).
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Looking for closed captioning or a transcript? Watch the episode on YouTube!
A Sneak Peek at the Episode
[2:09] One of the biggest assumptions that people make when it comes to pitching is avoiding sending pitches to chain companies and franchises, thinking they’re too unwieldy.
[6:20] Don’t worry too much about finding the exact contact you need to send your pitch to. When you create a fantastic, value-based pitch, there’s a very good chance it will be forwarded to the right person.
[8:38] There’s no harm in sending multiple pitches to the same company (especially bigger ones) if you know there are specific arms of the business that you could pitch different ideas to.
[9:20] People often assume bigger companies already have copywriters in place. But a lot of the time, they want additional support as people rotate in and out due to vacations, maternity leave, etc. or if they need help beyond their day-to-day operations.
[11:30] Don’t assume small businesses or solopreneurs don’t need copywriters—many are happy to invest in copywriters as it takes work off their plate and helps them make more money.
[13:17] There’s no downside to pitching. Any assumptions you make or resistance are just your comfort zone talking. If you have a valuable idea for a company, you don’t need to wait for a ‘perfect’ time to pitch them—just do it anyway!
[14:39] Don’t overthink it when it comes to the right time of year, day, or time to send a pitch—just sending your pitches and follow-ups consistently throughout the year is what matters most.
[17:42] Another assumption that will cost you is not pitching agencies or assuming that because a company is so big, they only work with an agency, and therefore you shouldn’t pitch them. You can pitch both the in-house and the agency.
[19:20] When people are doing research, they often assume that if a company’s website looks perfect, they don’t need any copywriting support. But you never know what projects they’re working on internally and when you pitch, you’re simply offering an idea to get your foot in the door.
[23:04] You’re not psychic, so there’s no point in trying to guess a company’s needs. There is *every* reason to send a pitch and even if it’s a “no” right now, it could still leave the door open for future possibilities!
Must-Hear Takeaways
As with every episode, we highly encourage you to listen to the entire conversation! But here are a few of the highlights:
“Is a company too big? Is it too unwieldy to pitch? The answer is absolutely not. Often, the bigger a company, the more opportunities there are within that company.” – Nicki
“People are taking maternity leaves, people are taking vacations, people are taking sabbatical and so even if you’re feeling like, ‘Well, they already have a full team”, a lot of these places want
additional, backup help. People are rotating in and out all the time. They might keep your pitch for when they do need someone.” – Kate
“Don’t make assumptions about companies being too small to need a copywriter. There are plenty of solopreneurs who are already making money and there are also plenty of solopreneurs who understand that you have to invest in a business and are willing to hire a copywriter to help them start making money.” – Nicki
“There’s absolutely no downside to pitching. Absolutely none. And any of these assumptions are just your
resistance popping up trying to keep you in your comfort zone.” – Nicki
“Put together a really fantastic pitch and send it to someone who is most likely the right contact but don’t worry if they’re not the exact right contact because when you put together a really helpful, useful pitch, there’s a very good chance that they’re just going to forward it to the right person.” – Nicki
Related Links
- Too Afraid to Pitch? Business Owners WANT Your Copywriting Pitches
- How NOT to Pitch Potential Copywriting Clients
- How to Pitch Copywriting Services to Agencies
- How to Find and Write for Solopreneurs
- 5 Ways to Vastly Improve Your Pitches to Would-Be Copywriting Clients
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About the Build Your Business Podcast
Ready to turn your love of writing into a successful copywriting career?
Join professional copywriters Nicki Krawczyk and Kate Sitarz to get the tips, tools, and training to help you become a copywriter and build a thriving business of your own. Nicki and Kate have 20+ and 10+ years of experience, respectively, writing copy for multi-billion-dollar companies, solopreneurs, and every size business in between.
Whether you want to land an on-staff job, freelance full-time and work from wherever you want, or make extra money with a side hustle, the best place to start learning is right here.
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Last Updated on June 10, 2024
