Have a bit of banter, chat and get into their heads as a name they’ll remember. The features – the parts that sound sexy to you – of your business don’t excite me. For example, I saw that Debonair Languages were hiring on LinkedIn, so I put a benefit in there that directly links to that. Typos and bad grammar are unacceptable. Win, win, win, right? Are you struggling to write a query letter to literary agents? I care that you prove to me that you’re different. Here’s an example from a different pitch I was sent: “I'm able to achieve results like this by using many white hat SEO methods including web 2.0 creation, article creation and submission, creating articles and backlinks on wiki pages, social bookmarks, forum profiles and blog commenting.”. For example, if their site isn’t optimised for mobile – another SERPed tool shameless plug here – you can let them know that’s going to be an issue. Don’t worry, it all get’s better from here on out. Add some custom touches to each pitch; it is worth any extra time you spend. But your potential client may have no idea what they are. This is important, but don’t over think it. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. You don’t have to be clinical here. This list should be personalised to each potential client. Chicken Book for the Soul sold 125 million copies. For example, here some (fictional) social proof that I’ve created for this pitch: Yours needs to be, well…not fictional. Copyright © 2020 Eli Rose Social Media. Your list will be completely unique so I suggest you spend some time working on this. If your pitch looks like a form letter that went out in a shotgun blast to the Internet, it will be ignored. Is your book a thriller with SF elements, or an SF novel with thriller elements? * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Missy Stevens is a writing, communications and social media professional. You can land contracts on a cold pitch. James originally applied to be the Secretary of Everything Awesome here at SERPed. And then change a few key words and personalize it each time for each individual company. Services Small Business Social Media Tools and Apps Blogging, Advertising Analytics Best Practices Business Business Blogging Business Strategy Content Strategy Facebook Advertising Facebook Business Page Google Instagram LinkedIn Marketing Pinterest SEO Social Media Engagement Social Media Profiles Social Media Strategy Twitter Website YouTube, 875 W. Poplar Ave, Ste 23 #165 Collierville, TN 38017. Swords and sorcerers? Gone with the Wind sold 30 million copies. Here are a few to choose from: People are used to spammy email headlines to try being direct, honest and straight to the point. Make sure that they know that you know who you’re pitching. If you know what your book is about and you know why someone should want to read your book—what benefits it will provide and why it is unique*—you should be able to write something pithy in 50 words or less that describes your book perfectly. But it’s much harder work than going in with a relationship established. What a Pitch Is . As a potential client, who probably doesn’t understand SEO that well, there’s no room to tell me about what makes up your business. Also, are other SEO agencies not designed for success? You have an almost endless supply of pitching articles. So what? Because you’ve provided them with value. Caveat time: I don’t want to oversell the importance of a one sentence pitch. It’s really not something that is going to sink or float your book. They’ll make pitching easier, allow you to craft more effective emails and boost your response rate. We offer social media, online marketing, Facebook ads, SEO, blogging, and strategy development services. Instead sign off like you’re going to hear from them no matter what. Your contact information – tell them how/when to reach you. By having all of these in order, especially before you pitch, you can begin to create an easy file to create sales pitches from. You’ve probably read a lot about pitching, right? | Policies & Terms Design by Booyah Creative, It's chock full of goodness made available. This is where you have to start focusing outwards and on the client, not on what you do for a living. Asking for money, before you’ve sold to me, is a sure fire way to get me to close your email. But sales is an essential part of your business. They know you’re not here for charity, and if they don’t care about Google, they can decide almost instantly to not respond. More to the point this article is no bullshit, I’m not going to pull any punches. The follow-up is when you pull out all the stops: Keep it around 5-6 paragraphs. Sometimes, you’re going to need to this. It doesn’t require a Yes or No answer, it needs someone to think about their response. His new book about working with John Grisham is WRITING WITH THE MASTER: How One of the World's Bestselling Authors Fixed My Book and Changed My Life (Feb. 2014). They cannot stand people who just run their mouth and don’t provide data about what they can do. A book proposal argues why your book (idea) is a salable, marketable product. When you are pitching a brand or business, you are generating interest in working together. Updates about SERPed.net, our all-in-one SEO platform. Mention it. This is particularly effective if you know who you’re trying to pitch to (not go for a beer know them, but know their name – more on that in the next point) and can get their personal feed. Get the basics out there. How to Write a Cover Letter Learn how to make a cover letter that gets interviews. Finally, and let’s make this abundantly clear in a sexy little sound bite: If you don’t take the time to proofread, or spell-check, your emails, you’re not going to get any attention. That’s like sitting down in a restaurant and the waiter saying, “Give me $70 and we’ll bring you some food” without ever showing you a menu, telling you what food you’ll be getting, or if you even like that food. Image via Pixabay They may have a list of employees there. Mention it. That’s the intro taken care of. And, I know, it might not be what excites you about your business. Okay, I’m going to apologise right now for my energy on this particular section, but this rant needs to be had. Why? Hell, just a quick search of How To Pitch For SEO Clients brings up 373,000 different search results. If you know you share a common interest, work it in. Like how you don’t care about what goes into your coffee, you care about the fact it’s going to make you more alert and taste nice. These are what an SEO should be doing, sure. The shorter the better. They make you an offer – based on the value (and desire) they’ve just created – and you’re more inclined to purchase. Time to take these pitching ideas and make them your own. They may not know – or care – how they’re performing. They care about what your product or service can do for them. The…, Have you seen the TV ad for Angel Soft? Where the guy gets a close…, Blogging for your business is quickly becoming a marketing "Must" for all small business owners.…. No matter how succinct you are, however, remember to also be personal (and personable). To give you a new, different angle on pitching, and a more practical guide that you can implement now. It is. Though it’s written in place of an actual book, it should build a complete argument for the book idea. As you read earlier, nobody cares about your features. Actually, it’s rude to go over one page in a query letter, not to mention unprofessional. So, let’s look at what it takes to create a real, impactful pitch that people want to listen to. And, it’s stood me in great stead with pitching ever since. I touched on this earlier, but it’s a point you really need to understand. This also gives you a reason to pitch them that can get their attention. The close comes later. Space opera? Instead of writing the entire book, then trying to interest an editor or agent (which is how it works with novels), you write the proposal first. Required fields are marked *. A good pitch is not going to mean your book gets published and a bad pitch doesn’t mean your book won’t get published. But, seeing as that wasn't actually a job, he settled for becoming the Content Manager. Below, you’ll find some generalized tips for writing pitch letters. So you can’t sell them on these features because they mean nothing. It also goes without saying that a successful pitch leaves no room for error, so before you click send, proofread it again and again. But the problem with almost all SEO pitches is that they’re focused on you. For beginning writers, this will often involve face-to-face meetings with an agent or publishers at a writer's conference. You can’t pitch me a price until I know what it is that I’m buying. So there was room for Debonair to capitalise and become more competitive, if not overtake them, with a few consistent changes. Let me show you…. Eli | Rose Social Media offers pitch letter templates and letter review as one of our many services. You don’t need to write an excerpt from your autobiography, you just need to explain why you’re writing. If your pitch looks like a form letter that went out in a shotgun blast to the Internet, it will be ignored. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. I care about you showing me what you can do for me Not, as your pitch would suggest, I can do for you (or your bank account). Because, the bigger the list, the more you can tailor them to the potential client you’re pitching. This doesn’t mean you should go straight for the wallet. The fact that you started an SEO service implies that you were built for success. Below, you’ll find some generalized tips for writing pitch letters. Do you understand the benefits of your service to the person you’re pitching? What do I mean? Save details and salesmanship for your follow-on conversations. Start an actual conversation like you want to become friends with them. As with any introduction, there’s no need for your pitch to be lengthy, or go into great depth. A simple way to do this is to check their feed and look at the last 10-15 tweets they posted. How do you feel about your Google Rankings. That’s why sales pages never tell you what it’ll cost until right at the end. And do it succinctly. Examples: Don’t belabor the point, but definitely be specific when you tell a company what you’re going to do for them. But finding someone’s name can make all the difference to getting your email read. And, it’s been covered by some of the best in the business. The book proposal is a 15-50 (or so) page manuscript that a writer uses to pitch a nonfiction book to publishers. And, it’s been covered by some of the best in the business. So I have a crack in my shower (as some of you may remember). By adding their name you’ll boost the rate of people opening – and responding – almost instantly. Let me know in the comments…, Tips, insights, fresh ideas and more to up your SEO game, Techniques that will help you rank higher in local results. Hell, just a quick search of How To Pitch For SEO Clients brings up 373,000 different search results. In the higher education digital marketing space, we leverage the expertise of professors from the programs that we partner with to help increase the school’s visibility, student enrollment, thought leadership, and brand awareness. Our Search Engine Optimization and Marketing services are designed for success”. Love this site and every single post you write. Here’s how to determine your book’s genre. If you’ve met or talked before, be sure to reference it. She has worked in corporate community relations for a Fortune 500 company, and public relations/communications for small businesses and non-profit organizations. Do you have the correct email to pitch to? You didn’t start the service, and try selling it to people, to be a shitty SEO did you. Like research grants, there are certain conventions that must be followed [].Proposals usually consist of about 5,000 words outlining what the book will cover, why you are qualified to write it, and what the competition is. Like, extremely person. I don’t care about your business's turnover, gross profit or anything else. Just give an overview. If they have a blog, you could even do this with blog comments too. Explain yourself: tell them what you’re offering. None of which is exciting, or interesting, to a potential buyer. The book proposal is a 15-50 (or so) page manuscript that a writer uses to pitch a nonfiction book to publishers. 4 Types of Media Pitch Examples. For more information on Missy and her other professional writing and editing services, please continue reading (her bio is below). It only took him fifteen more years to finally get a book published. Cover Letter Help Boost your chances of having your resume read with our help. Because, they’re going to respond even more to that. These in-person pitch sessions are a great opportunity for you to sell yourself and your writing. You’ve probably read a lot about pitching, right? For example, there are just 58 words in the example pitch before they try to charge me $1500 a month. But it definitely needs to be there. How you get to the point is completely personal, but this has two benefits for you: For example, when writing your email if it looks like this: The person reading it knows exactly why you’re getting in touch. All rights reserved. This is your foot in the door. You’re a freelance SEO, and you want to know how they feel about the way they’re performing in Google. There are a LOT of subgenres in the world(s) of sci-fi and fantasy. I wish I went to the University of Awesome. Think of your pitch as an introduction. Because the name isn’t always apparent though. Now, to be clear, I don’t want you to start a conversation about SEO. Writing a pitch shouldn’t be too difficult after going through the steps I’ve outlined previously. Brevity is your friend. But, in fact, it is. So it’s time for you to get good at pitching to people. Thank you, thank you! Now, this example pitch is for a smaller, local business. By doing a little research I was able to find out just who Debonair Languages are in competition with. Perhaps you’re enthralled by the nitty, gritty, in-the-trenches technical stuff. To help with your sales pitch structure, we've put together seven simple steps for you to use in order to create your best sales pitch that’s guaranteed to sell. In fact, I can almost guarantee they have no idea what they do, or why you would be doing them. Why, in their busy schedule, they should stop and read your mail. And, that they were making a few mistakes too. Save the nitty-gritty for after they’ve expressed interest in talking to you. Don’t confuse the pitch with the close. Or, at least, can’t manage for themselves for a long period of time. Because that’s where you’re going to grab people’s attention and get them to listen to what you’ve got to say. That last point is the most important. Without social proof everything else is just words. This is something I learned from a mentor long ago. What I mean here is that nobody wants your life story. You have to be prepared that some people won’t get back to you. You’re not guaranteeing results, you’re guaranteeing that you’re not a cowboy looking to make a quick buck. You can create a generic pitch or ask letter, like a template. But, don’t let them know that. Rule 4: Write a proposal. And, for all three of those reasons, I’ve decided to write this article for you. (If it doesn’t I feel like you’re being lazy, because the name of my site is JamesWritesThings and my name is actually in the title). By finding who someones competitor is, you can put yourself in a position of leverage and knowledge. Tough shit. Pitch letter review – along with the content of this post – is completed by our partner, Missy Stevens, a woman well-versed in all things marketing communications. If they’re a pessimist they’ll be hit with the fear that they’re losing out to the competition. Like performing an audit (you can do that in SERPed by the way). Create some case studies and show what your work can do. Pitching compelling storylines and sources are the crux of any PR strategy. Then, start a conversation. Same goes for any client. You need to show them now how you can help them, but why they actually need your help. But that doesn’t mean you can’t be specific in what you say. You’re establishing contact & (hopefully) generating interest. She has since helped organizations of all sizes craft messages as unique and varied as her clients themselves. Now, I hear you saying, “But I don’t want to guarantee something I might not deliver”, after all you can’t really guarantee anything in SEO can you? Let them know that you’re available and that, if they want to, they should get in touch with you. Instead – as we’ll cover in the next section – you have to focus on what these features can do for the other person. 7 steps to writing an effective sales pitch. Live in the same town? See All Posts Find out how you can get a new job or improve the one you have. The 7 Deadly Mistakes You Make In Your Pitches, The Most Important Checklist Before You Write, #1: How To Write The Perfect Pitch Introduction, #2: Start Providing Value After The Introduction, How much you can charge me for your services, Have you made contact with this person at least three times before? I know if an email lands in my inbox that says, “Hey James” in the snippet I’ll actually open it. Nonfiction books are generally submitted to publishers in the form of a proposal. If they offer you a product for review and/or give away, will they actually make any sales from it? Here's a quick run-down of what you'll need to do before pitching: I don’t give a crap about your SEO service, or how good you think you are, or how different you think you are from the rest. You have an almost endless supply of pitching articles. For non-fiction, you need a proposal that gives an overview of the project, a breakdown of the chapters you plan to write and at least one complete chapter to give a sense of your voice and direction. write full time. And – here’s a bonus – you could find someone else worth pitching to if this one all falls through. To receive your free pitch letter templates, which were crafted by Missy, please send us an email at [email protected]. The more your name shows up, the more likely they’ll be to open your email when it lands in their inbox. These claims are a waste of time, and energy, for both your potential client and you. How To Write A Query Letter For A Science Fiction Or Fantasy Novel. Better still, have other writer friends review it and provide you with feedback. Yeah, no shit. Not because I’m going to make it easier for you to go on vacation next summer. You don’t need to reinvent the pitch every time, but you do need to make it clear that you have deliberately chosen to approach a specific brand or company. Take a look at this line from the pitch I mentioned earlier: “Here are a few reasons we are not your normal SEO agency. As Gary Vaynerchuk points out, constantly, you live in a world where you’re only a tweet away from the people you want to connect with. Make that connection in the first paragraph. Nearly a decade ago, Missy hung up her briefcase, leaving the corporate world behind to work as a freelance writer-for-hire. That’s the hard, real-truth bit over. And, some of the concepts are covered below, so don’t worry about filling in this checklist before you carry on with the rest of this post. Look, I don’t want to lecture you. Provide a quote from a past partnership, if applicable. How to write a one sentence pitch. Your email address will not be published. My biggest tip – and one I learned the hard way, trust me – is to not go in cold when you’re trying to pitch. That’s what takes you straight to the benefits of your features or facts. Take the time to do some research and figure out how to connect. Notice how the question in that last picture of a pitch is open-ended? I keep referring to this example pitch, but that’s because it’s rich with information on what you shouldn’t do. When you pitch you make some god awful, plain stupid, claims. Keep it short. The most simple, effective way I know to do that is like this: Don’t drain their time. I think this is what I’m lacking when I attempt to connect with companies. Your email address will not be published. I’ve done it. Jackpot, we found a full name. Well, look at it differently. Go to the same college? But, also, having something like a PDF report to attach to your email can make a world of difference. It needs to be in your pitch. Why? So, why the hell am I writing this one? If you’re planning to send your sales pitch via email, crafting the perfect subject line is imperative. Though it’s written in place of an actual book, it should build a complete argument for the book idea. This might seem like a lot of work. … Get your word count right. professional writing and editing services, BooyahsMomma WordPress Transfer and Design Giveaway, Freelance Writing | Getting Started as a Freelance Writer, How To Pitch Blog Campaigns To Brands – #WorkAtHome Strategy Hour – Mothers Day Sweepstake, How (Not) to Run a Spectacular Blog Giveaway - Jellibean Journals. You still with me? I must have missed the meeting where everyone else agreed to engineer for failure. Young adult post-apocalyptic steampunk? Now this may be a bit of a sexy copywriting magic but it really plays to emotions. The introduction to your pitch is an area you need to focus on. Career Blog. A pitch can be verbal or written and often a combination of both. I’m yet to meet a single SEO who is successful who couldn’t sell his or her product or service to someone. Especially if you’re pitching to a business or company. You’re telling them, “Hey, no matter whether you buy from me or not, there are some issues you need to fix!”. Do you have social proof of your SEO results? If you still can’t find someone’s name, try finding active Twitter accounts or social media profiles connected to their business page using a software like ClearVoice. Because if you pitch like the above, your pitches suck and here’s exactly why…. So putting in some leg work before you even pitch them is a great idea. Missy’s background in project management and corporate advocacy, coupled with her experience as a freelance writer and blogger, lends itself to understanding social media promotion, guest blogging, networking and marketing strategies. You should have a desire to keep me on board because you love what you do, and you want to provide me with results. Do you have the person you’re pitching to’s name? 1. It acts as a business case or business plan for your book that persuades a publisher to make an investment. Remind the company how you know them or let them know why you’re seeking them out (. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –. I hope so. Because on a regular basis I still receive pitches like this: Which either leads me to believe that a) you’re not reading the information that’s out there, b) you’re not applying the information that’s out there or, and the worst, c) the information out there is failing you. Writing a Pitch /Ask Letter: Writing an ask letter is almost an art form. Here’s, by far, the most pointless line I’ve read in a pitch for a long time: “We are an extremely low turn-over business and our costs go up significantly if we loose clients within the first year so we have a large incentive to keep you happy and keep you on-board long-term”. by MissyStevens | Jul 6, 2011 | Blogging | 4 comments. Do you have a valid, tangible reason they need SEO? If not, look at the Others Also Viewed section on the sidebar. Job Interviews Prepare for any interview and ace it. Margaret Mitchell — 38 rejections. Tell them what the next action step is if they’re interested. Job Search Learn how to find the right job and get it. Don’t ask them to contact you. If you find a site, or person, that you want to pitch to, go the extra mile by connecting with them first. It shows respect for the person receiving the email, It keeps the responses you get targeted and more likely to buy. You need to know what it takes, until you can hire a salesperson, to get clients under your belt and write pitches that people want to read, and reply to. Create a Cover Letter Now. If the recipient is an opportunist they’ll see somewhere they can pounce. Add some custom touches to each pitch; it is worth any extra time you spend. I originally wrote this paragraph saying that this step isn’t really essential. Questions, comments or anything to say? A pitch can be verbal or written and often a combination of both. But the big question here is how do you turn your features into benefits? SEO is a concept that people don’t tend to understand. And, you might not always have the resources to hire someone to do it for you. It’s a big waste of time pitching people who don’t need SEO services, or aren’t in as much need as someone else might be. These in-person pitch sessions are a great opportunity for you to sell yourself and your writing. But, they may know that they’re not happy with their current SEO service, so you may want to change to, “How do you feel about your current SEO service?”. Pitch Tips 1. Especially not if you cold email, from a contact form, without any interaction beforehand (more on that later). You’re showing that people have trusted you with their site, and their results, and you’ve followed through. Okay, it’s over to you. Now it’s time for you to start adding real value. If you can’t do it in your sales email, what leads me to believe you’re going to take care in the work you do with me? For all writers I would work on your ‘back of the book’ pitch – a couple of hundred words that really crystallises what the book is about. It’s really that simple. There are a few extra elements I suggest you put together before you even think about writing your pitch. I have been working on my pitch letter and media kit this is what I needed! But if you’re an agency the same principle applies, the question may just change slightly. Or, maybe you’re in love with seeing the results happen right before your eyes. For example: In the space between I want you to imagine, if you will, that the words, which allows you to, are written. (Twitter, LinkedIn, Blog Comments etc.). The most simple way to do this is to write down all of the facts about your service, and create a bridge between those facts and how they impact your clients. I’ve found that asking questions is the best way to get people to open. It may not have everything you need, but there are clues there that you can find: Failing that, give them a search on LinkedIn and look for their main business page. Which means that all I know by this point is that they are an SEO company, and they want to charge me a lot of money each month for something. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. So, what can you do if the name doesn’t stand out to you? Making an email personal takes a lot of hustle though. How not to write a darn good query letter-Don’t go beyond one page. The same goes for most of my friends in business circles, too. I’d recommend looking around their site for an about, or background page, like this one below. We are a boutique marketing firm that partners with small businesses and entrepreneurs to help them establish and grow their business through online marketing.
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