write a pitch
blog tips

How to write a pitch to a brand or company.

June 24, 2014 / 29 Comments
how to write a blog pitch

 

Yesterdays I posted the overview of the #socialbloggers chat. We spoke about how to write a pitch for your blog. 
 
I’ve noticed across a few twitter chats that when this type of question comes up, a lot of people struggle with what to write. It can be very difficult to be professional and stand out at the same time. I prefer to keep things professional, but also give links to posts relatable to the particular person I am e-mailing so they can get a good feel for the type of posts I write. 

If you want to learn more about when you might need to send a blog pitch, or learn about the things that hold most people back, then please refer to yesterdays post: Writing a blog pitch. 

This post is about what I include in a blog pitch and some do’s and don’ts. 

My Pitch ‘Template’

 
I’ve developed my own ‘template pitch’. I use this as a basis when applying for campaigns or contacting a brand ask to work with them. 
 
When I write a pitch, I basically cut and paste the template, and then change certain details so it’s personal to the brand or campaign. Like when you are applying for a job, you need to write a cover letter tailored to that particular job, it’s the same for writing a blog pitch.
 
Writing it: 
 
Start with a Hi or Hello follow by a name, if you have one. Try not to make it overly formal!
 
I always open with my name and my blog URL and what my blog is about:
My name is Corinne and I am a lifestyle blogger from Leeds. I blog at www.skinnedcartree.com and post mainly beauty, style and food posts.
 
State your intentions of e-mail and include something that shows you actually know about their products. If you are contacting following a campaign request, make it clear where you found their contact details.
 
I saw you were looking for bloggers on Twitter to work with and think your products/site/brand would fit will with my site because:
 
Then go on to state WHY reviewing their new mascara, for example, would work well on your blog:
  • You’re an expert in reviewing mascara.
  • You’ve reviewed similar products that have gone down well with your audience.
  • Your audience is similar to their target audience.
I often will write about my audience, something along the lines of ‘My audience is mainly young females around 18-30 from the UK who enjoy make-up and online shopping’.
Link posts that you are proud of that are relevant. I might say something along the lines of:
 
I’ve reviewed many other beauty products before, including mascara. You can view some previous posts I’ve published about mascara here [link] and [link] to get a feel to how I usually do my reviews’.
 
You don’t have to include a bunch of stats and can always politely suggest at the end of the pitch they may request further information. I find most PRs and brands are more eager about your influence and engagement than the number of followers you have. If you get quality comments, it will give the brand an opportunity to get some real opinions. 

If you want to add stats, then that’s fine, but focus on what you’re good at. If you have 2000 followers on twitter, but only started your Pinterest account last week so only have 20 followers, or started it a while ago but don’t really push it, then don’t be afraid to leave that part out and just focus on your twitter followers. I have never been asked for any blog stats. I usually say something like:
 
As you can see by my blog, I get a high number of comments and plenty of engagement both on my blog and off my blog using social media accounts such as twitter, facebook and instagram. 
Have you ever noticed how I tag all sponsored posts as ’sponsored’? 
 
It’s not to brag about getting free things, it’s simply so I can e-mail that tag to PR’s to allow them to see how I’ve worked with other brands:
 
I take all my photos with a DSLR camera to ensure the highest quality when reviewing products. I have a lot of experience with working with different brands and have featured beauty products, food and fashion items. You can see a list of my sponsored posts here: http://skinnedcartree.com/search/label/sponsored
 
I’ll then close with something along the lines of:
 
If you would like to work with me, or would like any further information then please feel free to ask for more information.
 
Looking forward to hearing from you,
Corinne.
 

Top Tips for Writing a Blog Pitch

 
Don’t:
Contact brands that are irrelevant to your niche – if you only post about make-up, don’t approach a brand about reviewing a kitchen appliance.
 
Make sure:
You have done your research about the brand and are generally interested in that product or brand and it shows through your pitch.
 
Don’t:
Cut and paste the same generic message to different PRs. It needs to be personal.
 
Make sure: 
You have an IDEA to pitch if you are not applying for a campaign, but e-mailing a brand to see if they would like to work with you. Tell them the product or type of product you’d live to review and why – tell them how it would be worthwhile to them. 
 
Don’t: 
Spam the same PRs over and over. If you haven’t had a reply after a week abut are still eager to work with them, send a quick, polite follow up e-mail, something along the lines of:
 
Hi Gemma,
Just wondering if you had a chance to read my e-mail regarding featuring one of your products on your blog. I’m interested to hear your thoughts around it!
Corinne.
 
It’s polite and short – some PRs are generally overwhelmed with e-mails and may lose track, it also shows you are genuinely interested in the brand rather than just mass e-mailing people. If I didn’t hear a reply after a second e-mail, I would probably move on. 
 
Make sure:
If you are accepted, be sure to keep them updated when you receive the product, when you plan on posting in the review and sending them a link after.
 
Don’t:
Be afraid to reach out! I’ve never had a nasty reply after e-mailing a company. In generally, if they don’t want to work with you they just won’t reply. I’ve never got a rejection, I just don’t hear anything back! 

Other posts about working with brands you might be interested in reading:
Why you should get paid for your blog posts.
When to say No to sponsored posts.
How to run a blog competition. 
What do you include in your pitches?
Have you ever had any bad experiences?
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G'wan, delve a little further..

1. noun: a female blogger that writes about her own experiences, observations and opinions. 2. verb: to act like a complete idiot or to do something stupid. e.g: She did a Corinne.

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