Pitchfest: Take Action [Vol. 1]
What is Pitchfest?
Pitchfest is a collection of interviews and stories from real life pitch experts. These bad ass ladies have the confidence, the moxie and the know-how to whip this nervous nelly into shape. Originally launched in the summer of 2016, I've brought the pitch party back to push myself (and you!) to get out there and start pitching in 2018. You miss every shot you never take? Am I right?
As promised, each interview will be followed up with examples of how I put our expert's advice into action.
Karla Walsh dished out some excellent #pitchfest advice.
1. do your homework.
Research is important. When I'm prepping to make my pitch, I made sure to know what they write about, what they specialize in and the tone they use to talk it up. Know the vibe, sure, but don't get stuck in that black hole of the internet and lose sight of your action plan.
2. Use a concise email.
Rather than a casual pop-by or a phone call, Karla suggests a concise email.
3. Be personal.
Karla encouraged pitchers to use your own voice to help the pitchee get a feel for who you are. If you're going to research their vibe, make sure your note communicates yours. You want them to know your vibes can vibe. (Overuse of the word vibe? Never.)
Personal, short and intentional.
Karla- you put together a recipe for a sweet pitch.
This week I put together a pitch approaching a mom blog.
Have you guys heard of HARO? I signed up for their emails after reading this article by Lindsay. [More on HARO in a later Pitchfest post, I promise.] I try to read their emails as much as I can, especially during holiday times when promoting my product feels a little less intimidating. This blog asked for kid friendly Valentine's Day gifts -- and it seemed like the perfect opportunity to test Karla's hot tips.
I spent some time on their website, doing my homework as Karla suggested, to familiarize myself with the tone of the blog, the kind of products they typically share and what other types of content they offer. After allowing myself to research, I also reminded myself to stay focused on the task: You need to write a pitch, not spend all your time reading.