Here’s the secret to nailing pitch emails!
It’s simpler than what you realise, and yet so few people get it right.
It’s the subject line.
The subject line determines whether or not an editor, client or other recipient actually opens your email.
It might (subliminally) say to them, ‘I’m selling you something,’ or ‘This is a PR release’ but, what you really want it to say is, ‘This is so incredibly interesting that you need to know more.’
Get it wrong, and your carefully crafted pitch goes to waste, sight unseen. It might be the best story in the world, but if no one ever sees it, it’s a huge opportunity lost.
Get it right, and the editor will be intrigued enough to open the email body, excited about your story idea, commission you on the spot and you’ll be writing a soon-to-be-published piece in no time (and feeling pretty elated while you’re at it).
I teach writers how to do the latter. The subject line, along with a few other insider tips, gets them the positive outcomes they’ve been trying for, but not really knowing how to get. It’s incredibly rewarding.
Is this knowledge useful to you?
3 things my mentorship clients are asking about (and you might find handy)
As you know, I offer personalised, 1:1 mentoring for mid-career professionals who want to sharpen their skills, turbo charge their freelance business and gain confidence in a field where insider tips are rarely shared.
Here’s what we’ve been diving into lately.
Q. Is it ok to delete PR emails?
A. Yes! Journalists and content creators receive tons of emails each day, and if you spend all your time responding to them, you’ll get nothing done (hello, popular procrastination technique). It’s not rude to hit delete, even when it’s addressed to you (automations make that happen). If it’s of use, you’ll get in touch with the PR/marketing person, and they know that. And hey, if they use a ripper subject line and get you curious, then you can appreciate their good work.
Q. If I’m worried about flowery language, cliche or ‘PR speak’, should I cut it out?
A. If in doubt, cut it out - this is a regular writer’s mantra I often use if I’m second guessing the inclusion of something in a sentence. If you sense that something sounds a bit naff, salesy or cliched, listen to your intuition and challenge yourself to come up with something more engaging.
Q. Can you help me write a podcast script?
A. Certainly can. My background is in radio - I launched ABC Radio WA’s first ever podcast about 16 years ago - and I’ve been podcasting ever since, including for Lonely Planet. The tools I teach apply to all forms of writing, and podcast scripts are essentially a more succinct, punchy style designed for the spoken word. I can go granular on this in one of my 1:1 zoom sessions.
