Pitch Perfect | Curating Collaborations
You must be ready to learn, aren’t you? So glad you are here!
I asked my group of Mamas the other day over on Mamas of Instagram— a community built & dedicated to growth and relationship building for motherhood and lifestyle bloggers— what they wanted to learn about, and the most popular answer was hands down how to curate the perfect pitch and media kit.
What better way to jump start your blogging/ micro-blogging career than diving deep into how the heck you get all those free products and payment for collaborating with companies.
I’ve created an incredibly easy skeleton for creating your very own pitch that tailors to exactly who YOU are as a blogger and the companies you are hoping to represent. Over the las year, I’ve worked with over 60+ different companies— both paid and gifted and found a groove that’s worked seamlessly. Not all pitches are created equal— Some of it might surprise you, some of it might even be the compete opposite of what you’ve been taught or been doing— but if you’re tired of spinning your wheels—give it a shot!
Let’s dive right in!
Curating The Pitch
Who Are You?
Might seem like a no-brainier—but every pitch should start off with a short and sweet introduction. Reading hundreds of pitches and media kits a day, a social media manager or marketing contact is going to want to know who you are up front. Email or Direct Message through Instagram, I always stress to my clients that every single word counts— nothing extra is necessary. Yes, even like your last a name. Introduction shouldn’t be more than 2-3 sentences long.
Hey there! My name is Pam. I am a local Atlanta motherhood and lifestyle blogger. My platform focuses on all things motherhood, humor and lifestyle!
How Do You Know Them? A referral or reference.
Any sales person ever will tell you that the #1 way to establish credibility with a prospect who doesn’t yet know you—is a great reference or referral. Is this one you had not thought of?
I discovered your company from a close friend who loves your products!
I am a big fan of @AnyBloggerHere—and she swears by your baby teethers!
Remember to always ask the referral if it’s OK with them to use their name!
Why Them?
OK. So you want to collaborate with this company. But why? You want them to know right off the bat what makes them special and why they are a good fit for your platform.
My audience loves when I share goodies that I honestly love, and I think your stylish and comfy clothing boutique would be a perfect fit for my platform.
Analytic Snapshot
Now you want to talk about why you are an asset. Remember, your competing against LOTS of others in your same niche. You’re going to be attaching your media kit at the end of the pitch, so no need for too many details. Short and sweet. A quick overview for them is just good enough!
My platform has an audience that is made up of 76% woman and a 12% engagement rate. This would be the perfect place to promote your darling baby clothes!
Request a Call To Action + Wrap It Up
Aren’t CTA’s the best? You want an answer. Whether that’s a yes or a no, or even a maybe. Our #1 goal here is to get a response. So, give them a reason to respond. Leave the ending open ended and asking a question.
I’d love to open a conversation of possibly working together. How do you typically collaborate with bloggers? I’d love to learn more to explore if we might be a good fit! I look forward to hearing back from you soon.
Pam
Pitch Tips
Never Talk Money In The Pitch (Or First Communication)
Yup. That is my stance and I am sticking to it. How many times have you sent your rates and never heard a response? How many times have you heard big time bloggers or “social media managers” say to put your foot down and demand money? I am here to say— Don’t. Why? You want the upper hand. You want the ball in your court to say yes or no. You can’t do that if you’re already out of the running. Asking them how they typically handle collaborations works like a charm for me. It opens the gates for negotiation— for both sides.
“I’d love to learn more about how you collaborate with other bloggers in my niche.”
“Can you tell me a little bit more about how you typically collaborate.”
Once I know exactly what they are looking for and how much time and creative energy the collaboration will take—then we talk money. If no money is being exchanged— Ask yourself—Am I getting enough worth of gifted products for my time. My general rule for content creation is $200. If the total retail value of the items being gifted does not exceed at least $200— its a no for me. (That value will be different for everyone—my point is—place a value on the freebies. Not all freebies are created equal). Learning the art of negotiation is KEY.
Stop Using the Word “Followers”
This makes me cringe. Instead you can use phrases like…
My audience
My viewers
My community
My platform
You aren’t Kim Kardashian. (Sorry, not sorry) — And establishing a sense that your platform is a community of close knit friends, no matter how large you are—is so humbling.
Email. DM. Either WILL Work.
Another shocker? Everyone always stresses that email is the most professional route. There is definitely some clout to that mindset. However— I say— get the info however you can! Some smaller companies even prefer to handle all their business through Instagram. If the company prefers to communicate through email—they will gladly share a contact email to you. Now you know for sure that your pitch and media kit are going the right person! I love establishing relationships with whoever manages the company social media. I’ve worked full collaborations with large companies like Nubby directly through DM. Nothing sketch about it. Worried about scams? The spammers will hit you anyway they can— that means emails that may seem legit. An email does not automatically mean the company/collab is real. Use common sense and discretion. Know the red flags to a scam!
If you prefer to communicate through email but the initial pitch or conversation happens on Instagram— don’t hesitate to move the conversation elsewhere. Companies do it all the time!
Hi Emily, thank you for reaching out and expressing interest in working with the High Heels brand. I prefer to handle all collaboration communication through email. Do you mind forwarding your information to pamela_pbaez@yahoo.com?Thanks again, and I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Follow Up. Follow Up. FOLLOW UP.
Sales rule numero UNO. Companies get hundreds, maybe even thousands of pitches a day. If you’re not confident enough to follow up—you’ll miss the boat. If I don’t hear back within three business days— I send my first follow up DM/Email. I send a total of three, yes three, follow up communications before moving on. 9 out of 10 times I never make it to three. I hear back with an answer 99% of the time. Show you are persistence. Show your grit. Stand out.
When/Where Does My Media Kit Go?
I add my media kit at the end of my pitch. DM or Email— I attach the media kit as an imagine. Stay tuned for media kit tips and tricks soon!
If you are having trouble designing your media kit— I can help! You can email me at pamela_pbaez@yahoo.com for special pricing information!
Happy collaborating, my friends!
xoxo