Hello,
I'm Mervi Eskelinen!
An artist, nerd and sorcerer, dedicated to make world softer and better for everyone, and to get you to make more art. Make art, change the world!
Get your email noticed - How to write a perfect pitch to a blogger
When you have a blog that gains attention you get in time to time emails from total strangers asking you to collaborate with them in a way or another. Sometimes they want you to guest write their blog, interview you or you take part on a competition or so. Often they wish to guest write for your blog or to introduce you some sort of service or product you could write about.
Some of the emails rock. They get immediately noticed and you want to reply them. Even if you cannot help them at the moment.
What is with those emails? What makes them getting noticed? Keep these tips in mind next time you write an email to pitch bloggers and you'll be more likely to get a reply.
Be personal
Always address receiver by name, "Hi Mervi" or "Dear Mervi". First name is more personal, full name is more polite. The choice depends on who you contact and what for.
Make them feel you wrote it for them. Actually, don't use the exactly same email for multiple recipients, even if you contact several different people about the same subject. You never know who knows who and they might notice you used the same email to contact both or all of them.
Besides addressing the receiver by name try and add other personal flavours to it. Mention their blog (by name), refer to something they blogged, Tweeted or shared earlier, make sure they know the email is addressed to them and only them.
Pro tip: Never ever send a mass email when pitching something. Adding the recipients to BCC doesn't look very good, it's clear to anyone who knows anything about emailing that you sent it to a bunch of others too.
Be polite
Always be polite. Be understanding, make sure the recipient knows saying no is okay. Don't make demands, only suggestions.
If you think you are polite by nature, be even more polite. You are not making a favour to the recipient by sending the email. They are making you a favour by reading it.
Make them feel special
Addressing the recipient by name and other personalisation is good. Making them feel good about themselves is better.
Tell what you like about their blog or why you think they are so great at what they do. Be enthusiastic about giving them credit. Praise them and their blog.
Let the recipient know why you think it would be awesome if they did what you hope them to do. Tell them why you think they would be perfect for this.
Be genuine about your praise. Don't say you love their blog if you don't really feel so. False praise is worse than no praise.
Be descriptive and precise
Tell exactly what you are hoping to accomplish with your email. Don't be vague, but explain what you want and how the recipient could help you with it.
You can of course give an outline of how the blogger will benefit from what you are suggesting. Keep that short and not as the main point of your email. The truth is that you are asking for this to benefit yourself.
Add all the relevant links to your email for the recipient to view. Describe shortly what the link is about.
Welcome all the further questions, give the recipient an opening to ask if needed. If they do ask, answer politely and as soon as possible.
Show your personality
Use your own wording and way of writing things. Don't copy someone else's style on writing a pitching email. Show your personality and use your voice.
Avoid lots of typos, odd sentences and other (grammar) mistakes though. They only make your email to seem like spam and you really don't want that. Always read your email through before clicking send.
React positively to the "no"
If the answer is "no", react positively. You are happy that they replied at all. Respond that you understand and that you wish them all the good.
In the case that the answer is "no", but with a positive touch, respond saying that you hope there might be another, better time for the collaboration. Don't be pushy, just leave the door open for future.
Send the email
To get your email noticed you must first write and send it. That's the difficult part.
The fear of rejection may stop you from ever writing and sending that email. Don't fear the rejection. If this recipient wasn't interested, then maybe someone else is. Move on.
Do you have other good tips on how to get your pitching emails noticed and replied? Please share on the comments section!
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