The Anatomy Of A Great Warm Pitch
Do you know how to send pitch emails that actually get a response?
(Sorry if this topic awakens some deep-rooted trauma, but yes, I promise talking about this is worth it)
Recently, I sent a warm pitch (AKA a pitch to someone I have a connection with), and I received this feedback:
(Legit opened my email to this and audibly gasped)
😈😈😈😈
The best part of this feedback is that it comes from a very successful freelancer who creates specific content about landing high-value clients,
So I can feel pretty confident that when they say the pitch was great, that it actually is.
So, with this massive win under my belt, I thought I would take the opportunity to break down my pitch step-by-step, giving you all some insights into how you can use a similar approach to land more work.
(I promise, it’s short, sweet, and effective and does NOT read as crunchy and stiff)
Let’s get into it!
#1 — Start with a detailed compliment
To kick off any great warm pitch, one of the best things you can do is provide a detailed, specific compliment.
This is a great opener tactic because:
Everyone loves being complimented (including me, feel free to send kind words anytime. I am nothing if not a fan of praise lol)
It gives you an opportunity to showcase your insider knowledge about their work or the niche you both fall into
For context, to start my recent pitch, this is the line I chose to use:
(Flattery will get you far, folks — but only if it’s coming from a place of genuine appreciation)
IMO, this line was effective because it achieves both of the above wins, sharing a detailed, specific compliment,
(Loving his authentic and vulnerable this email topic was)
While also giving information about my credentials,
(That I run my own newsletter and understand how hard it is to come up with weekly content).
This is by no means a revolutionary trick, but every time I reach out to a potential client, I do my best to come up with a well-researched but authentic compliment as the icebreaker,
And in most cases, I have found that this works well to come across as friendly and nice to work with.
#2 — Be direct with your ask
Next, you need to go for the gold and just ask the dang question.
(Historically, this has been the part of pitch writing that I have struggled with the most, because it’s hard to not feel pushy or direct, but, as per last week’s newsletter, I AM GETTING BETTER AT ASKING FOR WHAT I WANT NOW)
As the part of the email that will actually net you the work and income you want,
The actual pitch you send should be simple, short, and clear.
In my email, I choose to write my ask as a stand-alone line:
(No use side-stepping around it — just go for it and ASK FOR WHAT YOU WANT)
Because this was sent to someone I have a professional connection with, I did my best to make my question direct while still reading as casual and conversational, like the other conversations we have had in the past.
In my experience, I get the best response when I write pitches the way I speak,
And, in this situation, this approach ended up being the right fit to get my ask across without being too formal or crunchy.
#3 — Make a personal tie-in
Next, and in my opinion, maybe one of the most important things to add to a warm pitch, is a personal tie-in.
(Yes, your pitches need to be personalized to be impactful. Yes, even if that takes way more time to do).
No one wants to receive a spam email that is sent out to everyone and anyone.
(We all deserve to be treated like special little babies, after all. Give your potential new clients that VIP experience, and they will be wayyyy more likely to engage with you)
So, with this in mind, this part of your pitch is your opportunity to stand out and showcase that you KNOW their work.
(It is one of the best ways to get someone to reply to you)
Because I have been on this person’s email newsletter for MONTHS, I directly called out (with some humor) to previous email newsletter content to show that I am invested in their work.
In an email from a few months ago, this person talked about their yearly theme being “outsource everything” to help streamline their business,
So, when I reached out, I knew I had to make a direct call out to it to showcase that not only do I know my stuff, but I also read and enjoy their content:
(Honestly this was a big brain play and I deserve my flowers for this one)
IMO (which, I must be honest, is not fully verified) I think this single line is why I got the great feedback on my pitch.
People want to be wooed,
And this single line showed that I was plugged into their world and their content, making me a more clear choice for partnership down the line.
#4 — Ask for a call
Finally, possibly the most classic pitching advice, ending your pitch with an invite to chat is an absolute must to get things moving.
(Think CTA but for YOU, yenno?)
But, while adding this call out is important, I also like to use this part of the email to sneak in one more compliment to really hit home my appreciation for the person’s work.
This is how I chose to end my pitch with a clear invite to chat:
(I used the word interested too much here, but hey, we can’t all be perfect)
(Yes, some people may find this a little kiss-assy, but when you really want to work with someone you admire, I personally don’t think you can be too complimentary as long as you are honest)
Use this guide to write impactful warm pitches
So, what do you think? Was my warm pitch worth the praise, or would you have approached it in a different way?
Outreach is a deeply personal thing, and to be the most effective, should come from a place of authenticity.
By showing you a peek behind the curtain of how I do outreach, I hope this inspires you to think about how you approach reaching out to potential clients.
If it works for you, feel free to borrow some (or all) of the steps of my template the next time you send a warm pitch.
I’d love to hear the results, so please keep me in the loop if you do!
Best of luck and chat next week!