Lessons

Lesson Info

Anatomy of a Pitch

Now we're gonna talk about the anatomy of a pitch, and I'm gonna walk you through, like I said, real life example of the pitch that I use for my podcast. It's interesting. I will give you a little truth. As I went through making the slides with us, I was like, Oh, this pitching to be shorter. Um, it's short ish, but even as I was putting its the other, I was like, All right, we need to clean it up a little bit more. So that's my homework to myself Now is to see what I can cut out. Um, but just so you guys know that I'm legit? Um, I've had a lot of really awesome people on my podcast. So some of these are creativelive instructors. Lisa, Condom. Um, that's Aaron Lochner, who does design for mankind. She was on my show, so I carry Chapin, who was top for creativelive. Um, I'm a Michelle Ward who's on my dearest friends. He saw for creative lives. So, like this process works. I also you guys to know that I know a lot of these people as my friends, so we're bringing it back to, like, buildi...

ng relationships. That's the long game of all of this is you're trying to think about how you can build relationships, not unlike I need this from you way. But just in a you make me laugh. Let's chat. I know people all the time that I'm like, I like your style. Do you have on Skype and just have a chat? Sometimes they say no, but sometimes they say yes. And like Michelle, I hired her, is my coach many, many years ago and then decided she had to be my friend. And now she's like one of my closest friends, so the Internet can bring you together. I mean, anyone who's like met a partner on the Internet knows there's positive possibility there. So anyone who's also met apart on Internet knows as you gotta get through a lot of duds, right? So that's the other piece of it and just a little plug. Hopefully, it's an easy yes at this point for you guys to listen to my podcast because it's really fun. I also have an app in the Apple IOS App store. I'm working on an android app hope to have that soon. It's called Raise your hand Say yes. And it's all about really encouraging creative risk. Um, we also have ah, razor and say yes, baseball community that you guys conjoined. It's all about, like, bringing people together who are ready to start figure in their stuff out, right and are ready to do it. So that's where you can find like people. You conjoined that a Tiffany han dot com or you can text say yes to 66866 My fancy texting. Hopefully, that's an easy yes. If you're like, Oh, I can just text it right to say hi to see out of them. Okay, we're gonna break it down into pitch components. I'm gonna go through what to include, and then I'm gonna show you the examples of what I do for my subject line. This is a hard one, I recommend, Like, don't start with the subject line like, do that at the end. But you want it to be something noticeable. You want to get someone's attention. So the subject line high, unless you're my mom, is a terrible sense of fine. You wanted to be informative. You want to let people know what you're writing about, especially if it's a cold pitch, especially if it's someone you don't have a relationship with that, even if it is, if you email may something to talk with you about, I might open maybe. Like, Is she OK? Am I get worried? But a few 1,000,000 say like Blawg interview, please. Happy face because I know you Okay, that's what she wants. Great. I want to read more information, so don't be afraid to let people know what you're doing, right. Also, here's the thing. If you're pitching someone like, let's say, a wholesale account for your jewelry there used to these pitches, you don't need to trick them into opening your email, right. You don't be like, Well, they're not gonna open it if they know they want people to sell a good work in there store. That's how they make their money. So don't forget that, too, that you're delivering value to this person, people who have on my podcast. It's a good ally for them to talk about their projects. It also is pretty fun. I'm pretty fun to talk to you, right? So that's a good time. Do your homework. Do your homework. Do your homework. Do your homework. Do your homework. Unless you're pitching someone who is not on the Internet at all. There is information to be found. I promise. So this is where Google or your search engine of choice is gonna be your best friend. It might feel a little creepy. Oh, that feels creepy, right? Do your homework because that's gonna show that you know what you're talking about and a great way to get confidence is to prepare right and to know there's that, um, website called, like, way back archive. Have you guys done that where you can put in a web address? It will show you, like the five years ago. It oration of it. You can do it for mine. It's hilarious. If you're pitching a design client, right, and you want to design a website for someone and you're putting together the proposal, Go look at the weather website was five years ago. Look at how it's gotten better in that time. And look at how you can make it even better, right? That is gonna be so interesting for me to hear you say I know that you changed this and this and this. But what about this? Here is my idea. Here's how we take it to the next level. Okay? Right you're doing You're going the extra mile. And this is not just you can't obviously sale this in the subject line, but, you know, this is gonna permeate, and I'm gonna show you an example of this in a minute. So if you're sending multiple pitches right, sometimes we do that, right. I'm gonna go through back pitch. I do batch pitching for my podcast. Um, and your fording take out the forward take out the f the words like, literally fw, dear, are you like, Yes, people know that you're probably sending the same pitch, but, you know, don't take it out, right? Be a little bit possible about that. That's just a little nitpicky things. The other thing about former while we're on the topic of forwarding, if you guys use Gmail, which I highly recommend it because it's magic, Um, sometimes when you forward and Gmail and then change part of the text. The part that you changed shows up is a different color, which is funny to get because you're like, Oh, I mean, you like get a purely guy, so I recommend, instead of forging, you can either use Gmail canned responses, which is a great feature that we don't have time to talk about. But Google it. It's amazing it will change your life. Or do you just copy and paste it if you copy and paste and be aware that you don't rate? I've done that where you send in the resume and cover letter has the other person's for the other. And then you're like, I'm never getting that job just like cross out monopolise right? You're like, Oh, so if you copy and paste, just make sure that you are knowing what information to change and that's just in there picking thing. But that's something someone notices because it's a human being on the other end of email. So this is we're gonna break it down now into a pitch that I said, This is, uh, says world domination via podcast. Yes, yes, This is an actual subject line that I used for some of my pitches, and I was pitching Alison Faulkner of the Alison Show. She said, Yes, you can listen to her episode. Um, it's on the podcast She's really amazing. Um, and as I was putting together the pitch for her, I looked on her website. I read her about Paige and it said that she had a goal of world domination taking over the world with her. Awesome. And I was like, Yeah, me too. So I mentioned that it would you not read this email? It's good. I don't suppose to. Everybody. This is the other subject line I use. So if I'm pitching someone who's a little bit more buttoned up, you know, an author, somebody who I don't know, I don't have this leg. Oh, my God. Affinity with I'm not gonna send I'm not gonna send this subject line cause that person may not take me seriously. So your tone is going to change. Allison doesn't didn't need to take me seriously to say yes, right? That's not what she's about, but somebody else. I interviewed Todd Henry. He wrote a book recently about finding your authentic voice. It's great. He's amazing. This is the subject line he got because he's in a little bit more of a professional relationship. Subject line. Good salutation. Use their name. Spell it right. I cannot even believe I had to put this on the slide. But I did, because I get my name misspelled all the time. Just Larry is because it's on my Web site everywhere. It's on the slide. So that is all of us all of a sudden. It tells me you did not take the time to make sure that my name is spelled correctly. You do not respect my time. That's not always the case, but we're making really quick judgments radio now. So again, it's about increasing your chances of doing it right. Use their name Not like dear madam, If someone email I'm like, Are you kidding me? No. It gets deleted. I don't even rhyme like no you. All of a sudden you're done because I have to be able to sort through things quickly, just like everybody else has to be able to sort through things quickly again. Do your home mark. If you're not sure you guys have a website, make sure you have your name on it. Sometimes you'll have a business name. It's not your name and the websites all I we I we and you never actually put your name on there put your name on your website somewhere because it's really frustrating to not be able to, like, know the human beings name. So just a tip. Um, again, Do your homework. Another name? The formality depends on the circumstance. I am probably not gonna pitch anybody on my podcast. Right to say, dear Miss Herron, that would be so weird, right? Because that's not the tone of my show. But it might be if I'm pitching some other things. So you there might be an appropriate time for Mr and Mrs I think probably for most of us with client based up. You don't need that. I might pitch Elizabeth and say, Hey, you because I know her. It's appropriate to say, Hey, you if you know the person, if you're doing it cause you're not sure what their name is, stood it up. Um, I know you guys do not do to whom it may concern or dear Sir Madame, all that tells me is you don't realize there's another human being on the end of this email. So here, a couple examples of salutations for Alison. I said Alison exclamation point because that's how he would greet her I've met her before. I had already laid the foundation of the pitch before I sent it. Which I'm gonna teach you next. So she was expecting this. You're Austin? I interviewed Austin Klingon for episode. He's amazing. Amazing. It hasn't aired yet, So get excited about that. It's coming soon, but he just got a deer. Austin, right. Hey, maybe like she is this girl who keeps screaming, right? It wasn't Hey, you. It was a dearest er just your awesome Let's find Don't overthink it. Opening paragraph. We're gonna do it. It's not scary. Edited. No, you are. And what you dio and the business goes to the podcast. Okay, What you want? I would like to have you on my show. He's specific, not head logic. Explore how we could possibly work together. Maybe somehow in the future. One day I am writing because I would love to talk with you about having on my show. This is what I want from you. Make that? No. Sometimes it's hidden in like paragraphs, and you're like, you know, be nice, but no need a gosh. Well, I got it would be like the biggest thing for my life. to work with you. Please. Please, baby, you can say that A P s Yes, I think you're rad. Keep it up high five. But the time to gushes after you get the Yes, right. The time to gushes when I'm interviewing them would be like, man, I just love your work that block post euro back in 2011. Really, like, changed my course. Right. That's enough. That's enough of a gush. That's like, Okay, cool, right? Sometimes the gushing can become caretaking. That's what it feels like is expected of like, Oh, it's okay. And you're doing great. Just like I get paid to do that. Awesome. Um, so I can't do I can't do that for all the emails that come in right. Shorter than you think it needs to be right. Shorter than you think it needs to be. So this is what I said to Alison. And this was after I saw her at a conference back in June. Was the best thing you again at all last week. And I'm excited to finally follow up with you about being on my podcast. Raise your hand, say yes. We share life goals of taking over the world with our awesome. And I know my audience will be completely smitten with you. What's in it for her? So good to be on my podcast. My audience will be smitten with her. We share some other goals, so we're gonna have some fun together, right? I also right away reminded her that there was context for this email that I saw her at a conference. We connected. I told her I was sending this email. Sometimes you're like, I don't know if they were going to remember me. So I'm not gonna say it. Yes, we're trying to be. Please, I have a terrible memory since I had Children. Like I don't even know what happened to it. So please remind me if you met me and I have for gotten, like, remember, we met and I'll be like, Oh, yeah, it's it. Opening paragraph, paragraph number two. Why them? Why you? What's expected? What are you actually what do you need? Details If you have them about what you're doing and then shorter than you think it needs to be. I know that it's like a broken record. If you have some time in the next few weeks. This is when I would like to do this. We're beyond because I knew that she was newly pregnant. And who knows, Right? I also like to kind of open the door I love. I'm going to say that to everyone. But right, Like sometimes I like to talk. How are ready to write how I talk? I love to interview you for the show. My goal is to pull back the curtain on what it means to have a creative business and live in us. Assuming Lee super glamorous, creative life. I'd love to talk with you about the risks you've taken. The choices you've made in the back story behind how you've learned toe own your awesomeness. Why you? Why me? This is why we're a good fit. If someone is super private on the Internet, this kind of pitch may not work for them because they may not want toe pull back the curtain. But honestly, if someone super private, I'm probably not gonna have them on my show. So they're not gonna be It's not gonna be an easy yes, because it's not gonna be like this, right? And she knows what I want to talk to her about? Can I interview you? About what? What you want to know from me This way? If I when I probably when I update those pitch I'm gonna bullet point it. Bullet points are great way because people are brains like are not used to processing blocks of text. So bullet points are really great. Boulding is also really great. Don't be afraid to bold the like if your Yes Here's what I need 19 minutes paragraph number three next steps I say paragraph thes could also be sentences. That's okay. What are your next steps? Sometimes in terms of the easy Yes, The next step is gonna be Just have reply and let me know, right? I do that a lot. Sometimes I will send people something to be like. Do you want to be a part of this thing that I'm working on a month down the road? If you are Yes. All I need from you is to hit, reply and let me know. And people are while ago. Yes, that's it. And I'm like, sweet. Okay, that No, no need to go into this whole conversation, right? Because I've told them you're gonna be getting more information later. Any details or deadline or timing, they should know. If you know that you're working on a project that has a tight turn around, let them know that up front because that's gonna help them way. That decision I am. I know that if you need something by next Wednesday, there is no way I could do it. I might also know, though, that if you are working quick and you need something by next Wednesday Yeah, I can crank that out, but I'm going on vacation after that. So if it's up there and again, you're answering that question. You're taking an entire email out of the equation, right? So it's an easy yes, and we're not afraid of the No. So if somebody doesn't fit into what we're trying to put together, that's OK, right? Because it knows not gonna kill us. And just because they can't do it, I wouldn't say doesn't mean the year are worthless business owner, right? It just seemed like they were the best bet for this, and I'll show you how to, like, leave the door open for that too. So if you're a yes, I love this line because it says very clearly. If you want to do this, here is what's next. If you're Yes, it shows confidence is like you should be be Yes. Come on. Yes, make their next up is easy as possible. So this is an example for my podcast. Where instead of like if you're less yes. And we can talk about what time works for you And don't let it up No, I say if you're Oh, yes, Click this link to find an hour on my calendar and get all scheduled No response needed If you're Yes, do this. It's really easy for them and my guest saying like, Oh, my God, you made it so easy. I just went on to your calendar and found the time and clicked and I put in my Skype address and it confirmed it. I didn't have to do the like any due Tuesday is what is best for you doubted that about like Oh, my God. Right, So not saying that everyone has to set up a calendar system for this. But if you want to set up a call with somebody, if you're yes, I have Tuesdays and Thursdays completely open, and I can make any time work for you. You know, if you're asking somebody for something, but the only time you can do it is next Wednesday at 3 p.m. Pacific, and they're on the East Coast and they have kids. And that's six oclock. That's dinner time. You're probably not going to get a yes. So by going the extra mile, I have email people for interviews and then, like, I could do it as early as six hams. I don't want to do that, but like if if many Kayleigh wants to come on my show in six oclock in the morning, I'm gonna get yes. When I get up, I'm gonna like in just some coffee and it's gonna be good, because I bring it right, cause I'm willing to do that because it's important to my big picture. So sometimes that's vulnerable. And sometimes you're like, I need to be cool. No, who needs to be cool? This is not high school. You guys are all plenty cool, but be willing to show up and be willing to make it easy for people guys, an easy shorter than you think I'm so sorry, but I'm not short of anything. So if you are a yes, you can get yourself scheduled here. That is a link. I do the interviews via audio Skype, and try to keep them to no more than 45 minutes. So I have answered. How do we get it scheduled? I've answered. Do I call you? Do you call me? I've answered. Is it video? If you guys are doing something with Skype in your pitching and tell them if it's video because there's nothing worse than thinking it's audio and being all grubby. And then they're like, trying to video call you and you're like, Okay, let me do That s right, um, and try to keep them to no more than 45 minutes. I know that your time is valuable. I'm not asking for three hours closing. You want to say thank you? We also like to offer an alternative. I'm gonna show you how I do those to say, if this timing doesn't work for you or if this project is and I not the right fit, I'm happy to follow up with another idea. Right? So make it. It's not just a linear yes or no personal touch. It's always a good time to remember why that you're both human beings and to bring up a connection and shorter than you think it needs to be. So this is how I do it currently booking for August episodes and beyond. When is your public? When is you're gonna publish after August and I'm happy to schedule your episode to coincide with any fall launches You might be planning easy. Yes, it's extra promotion for something. Being on my show might make you more money. I know that you're the busiest and maybe the tired us because I know that she had just with nearly pregnant Congrats again, By the way. That shows that I know what I'm talking about. I'm paying attention to you. So if you need me to circle back another time, I'm happy to I've had many guests say this. My calendar is booked right now. Follow up with me in January and I'll get on your show and I dio and they dio let me know if you have any questions and thank you. You are such an inspiration. You are such an inspiration. That's the gush that's it your signature. Your name, but your name and your signature. Put your full name and your signature XO tough. Don't do that. Your title or your business. Same. Who are you? This is a way of telling people who you are and communicating what you're trying to dio without having to say it. Business And Brandon Coats for the for the creative entrepreneur. Great. It's on my email, so I don't need to repeat it. Right, cause people use their eyes and they see it. You're you are l If you have a website, put it in your signature. Please do not make me have to google your name to find your website. If you are asking something of me, don't do it. Put it there. It's built in. You can do it automatically. Make sure the link is clickable. Sometimes people have a ground like an image that looks really good but it doesn't click. You can't click it. Don't do that right. Easy. Yes, We're all trying to get through this quickly below that. Any other details that would make this an easier? Yes. So I included about the podcast blurb underneath my signature where they can get the information that they might need about number of downloads. And is it legit? Yes, it's legit, right? But I don't need to say like I am legend. Instead, I just include that of the bottom. They can read it if they need Teoh. So, Tiffany Hans IPCC. I have letters after my name, so I'm obviously know something business and Brandon Coats for the highly creative woman. My website, my instagram. Because instagram is my favorite, and that's how I like to connect with people. I don't need people toe not gonna link people on my Facebook page. It's me, like complaining about how I need to cook dinner and Lola, right? So guy people towards where you want them to go. And then I have a link to my podcast cause I want them to click on my podcast. Let me have here about the podcast. So razors, hand saying us is a podcast from business and Brandon coach Tiffany Han about the creative adventures of extraordinary people interviewing successful creative on for entrepreneurs such as Lisa Condom, Aaron Lochner and Jessica Swift. Yeah, I'm name dropping, cause I'm saying I'm legit and yeah, I change those names, depending on who I'm pitching. I do that work because they're more likely to say yes. Tiffany's goal is to pull back the curtain on what it means to live a highly creative life while also encouraging other creatives to move from the dreaming. Phase two The doing phase. I know a lot of people in the creative world who want everyone to move from the dreaming to the doing because they're tired of people asking them, How do I make my dreams happen? So they're gonna be like you has I want to be a part of this highlight. It is both an ITunes new and noteworthy. And what's hot podcast. Raise your hand. Say yes. Averages 3500 downloads per episode. 3500 eyeballs, years, pairs of years on what you're doing legit, right? I don't. I don't give them paragraphs of wine list edit. It speaks to What did you do before you had all that legitimate stuff? I didn't have that blurb. So when I started, that's a great question. So what do you do if you're not legit? I started with the easiest yeses, which are people that I already knew and people who were likely to say yes because I knew that maybe we had a shared thing. We had a shared mission in that we had a shared drive. We had had these conversations before, so my pitch earlier, that's a great question. My pitch earlier would have said, like I reached out to my friend Lisa Condom. Come on like Hey, Lisa, I know that you and I have had this conversation before about what we want people to know about fear and creativity. I'm starting up a podcast, and I would love to have you on is one of my first guest to talk about this. She knows me. If she didn't know me, she may not have said yes because there was no social proof. So start out with what you know. And that's why their relationship building peace is so important. That's a great question. So this is just a template for you guys. Click it right. Clever subject line, dear, correctly spelled name. I am a blank and I'm writing today because Blank I'd love to work with you because Blank this is where flattery. I'd love to work with you because I know that your shop is the premier source for creative women who love jewelry. That's terrible. Don't say that. But you know what I mean, right? The things you need to know about me are keep it relevant. Keep it specific if you're yes, Blank. Thanks so much. And if you need me to let you know other ideas, circle back another time. If you have questions, please let me know. Best Tiffany ps ups is optional PS level. You didn't have instagram the other day. You're so smart. People love hearing. They're smart, but they don't need to hear four paragraphs of it, then your links, so don't neglect the follow up. So my rule of thumb for pitching is two weeks after the original email. You want to send your first follow up, give them two weeks. Do not do it. Two days. Do not do a 25 did you? My email did, and I'm gonna delete this one just like I believe, you know, like so two weeks after the original email. Forward it so they can see that they got it dear correctly spell name. I wanted to check in on my premium female below. I'd still love to have you on my podcast if you're interested and available. Thanks so much, Tiffany. But that right, that's that's a follow up. Shorter than you think It needs to be right, And now you're so busy with the thing in the thing. Now they're busy. Make it make it easy and succinct one week after so follow twice. That's my rule. You have to follow it twice. If you follow up twice and still don't get a response, then you can move on one week after the two week email. So three weeks after your original email, you're forwarding it. Still Hi person's name. I wanted to follow up again in case you're interested. If not, no worries. You could, even if it's if you want to. Clever. Like I promised to leave you alone after this, right? Thanks so much. And please let me know if you have any questions just checking in. That's it. And I've gotten podcast interviews from the second follow up. So it works, and I have said yes to things from the second follow up because I'm busy. We're all busy where all everyone's been. You remember while you're crafting the pitch How can you make this is easy as possible for the other person. Easy. Yes. Can you connect with them in advance? So it's not a blind pitch. This is huge. Figure out the people that you want to be mingling with and then go to that conference where they're gonna be because you may not mingle with that specific person, but you're on mingle with people like that, right? So it's not about the specifics. It's about sort of like the grander idea. What questions might they have? You want to answer them? Be succinct, like, really, really, it's a saint. But not just to think that you're not telling them anything. So that's a line to draws. How again? It's effective communication. It's How can you make the ask so that they know what you want? Make it easy for them to say Yes, that's the challenge. It was easy. Everyone would be doing it, but it's easier than we think, So there's a lot of information. I just throw you whatever questions my question is related to the con connect beforehand. So if I'm thinking in regards to shops and they're in lots of different cities and there's no one conference where I could hit, although, you know, do you have any thoughts on how to make it a more like genuine starting to build the relationship connection when I am doing it kind of cold? That's a great question. I would say Social Media is grateful for that. So I always follow people on social media. If you want to pitch them, I'm gonna be teaching you guys and social media sanity how to set up like Twitter Stalker List, which is my favorite. So follow them comment, you know, and make sure that you're like is because your is your social media handle your the name of your jewelry company. That's great. So that way, hopefully they're gonna be familiar with that. So that's a great That's a great way to do that. Yeah, leave meaningful comets. Yeah, um, if you're trying to pitch, say a company that you want to work with and you don't really have a specific kind of project in mind, it's like I'm a designer and I would love to Maybe you know, beyond your reliance roster or, you know, whatever. Like if I want to pitch to a publishing company and say, You know, one of these days I want to design a book for you guys But do I just say this genre are you know, how do you? Yeah, I think you know, sometimes companies like that will have an open call for designers where you can submit a portfolio. I think that you want to figure out what makes you stand out. I use a fresh and funky approach to hand lettering or something, right, you know, And then here's Here's a link to my portfolio. This is what I'm all about. So be specific. As much as possible is really big if, like, I know that Chronicle Books does sometimes like a call for designers like Call for freelance, look on their website and see what it says. It says the mayor portfolio. Go ahead and do it. Tell them why you want to work for them, right? What about their product? Gets you like jazz. I love how you take. There's this company that we have a couple of their books and they do like classics, but they make him into kids books, and it's really fun. And so maybe it's like I love how you make classic literature accessible to toddlers because that's so cool. And I love reading Moby Dick to my nephew. That's going to get my attention right, and it's going to show me that you've done your homework so you don't have to do a specific pitch, but know what you would do for them and why you would be the perfect designer for them. Yeah, So someone had a question When you forward the last two email when you, um in your third email second or third emailed you forward your previous emails, Are you you, dok? I would just because if they saw it, but if they didn't see it, it's just going to remind them like, Oh, this person's email me already or you just put forward such claims. I don't change that question if you do so one thing that I have had a recently they reached out for a collaboration opportunity with the picker brand, and they got back in touch and I mean, I was like they gave me hope for just like responding that they were like, we don't have anything right now, but there's potential for something in the future, so I want to be, like, every week. What about now? What about what about, like, weird. So I would never do that. But, like, win is appropriate to They didn't like, Tell me we have a certain schedule for, you know, you could have a Yeah, And I asked with a minute response. Okay, so I would just say, Like for that, let's say six months. All right, give yourself a thing, say, six months and then say, like, Okay, I'm gonna follow up in six months and say like, Hey, I know and forward that email. Keep that email chain alive because that means they know that they talk to you for the email and then say, Hey, I have this question, You know, this is I'm following up now. Yeah. Let me know if this doesn't work. Let me know about her time. Yeah,