How to Write a Media-Worthy Pitch (Plus, an Email Template Guaranteed to Get a Reply)

Photo: Smith House Photography

So, you've registered your business, the website is up, and your product is ready to ship, but no-one knows about it yet. Now is the time to reach out to publications (both online and off) and create some serious buzz. But how do you pitch yourself to media? We've all been witness to the major changes to the publishing industry, both digital and print, over the past year but there's one thing that stays the same: pitching.

Ahead, our C&C editorial director, Sacha Strebe, has outlined a few things you should consider before compiling that pitch so you get the word out about your amazing new business and the customers start buying.

Priority #1: Grab their attention.

Editors have limited time. They receive a ton of pitches so make sure yours stands out. Really think about your angle and who you’re pitching to. Condense your copy. Add bullet points to amplify the main points you want them to read.

Priority #2: Don’t write clickbait.

Keep it simple and relevant to the pitch. Write a subject line that stands out but isn’t over-promising. Consider a personal touch. Don’t forget to consider WHO you're pitching to!

Priority #3: Tailor your pitch.

Don't pitch the same thing to all publications en masse. Pitch a different angle for each publication. Make it very clear in the email if this is exclusive to their publication or not. If you have pitched it elsewhere, let the editor know and when the other outlet plans on publishing (if you know).

Understand the brand you are pitching to. Read their sites, reference stories or franchises that you love in your pitch. Commend them on the work they're doing and reinforce why you’d love to be featured on their platform. Pitch headlines. Check their site for examples and write a similar headline with your brand/story in mind.

Pro Tip: Make sure you’re calling out the right publication in your pitch. If you’re pitching to Vogue, don’t have a rival publication in your copy.

Priority #4: Don’t guarantee an exclusive if it’s not.

Be transparent. If you can’t guarantee an exclusive then make sure they feel special, too. Perhaps you can secure different parts of the interview or exclusive photos, too.

Priority #5: Make it personal.

Tap into sentiment and emotion. Provide a brief but detailed synopsis of what the pitch topic is about. Make sure you are clear within the first sentence. Two paragraphs are ideal but don’t go beyond three. Editors are busy so you want to grab their attention first, then once they express interest, hit them with detailed information.

Pitch Email Template

Subject Line: Make it short, succinct, and timely (if it's an exclusive, then add that here!)

Email Body:


Hi EDITOR NAME,

I hope you are well. I’m reaching out to pitch you a [EXCLUSIVE?] story around our [LAUNCH, COLLECTION, FOUNDER etc].

We [SHARE NEWS/INFO HERE IN SIMPLE, CONCISE FORMAT]. I’m sharing a few story ideas below that might work for a story on your site [AROUND THE LAUNCH/ABOUT OUR FOUNDER ETC]. We are happy to [COMPILE QUOTES, WRITE AN OP-ED, GIVE EXCLUSIVE IMAGES] and anything else that will help if these are of interest. 


• STORY TITLE IDEA (research their site and write potential headlines/story ideas that look like stories on their site)

• STORY TITLE IDEA

• STORY TITLE IDEA 


I’d love for you to let me know your thoughts on the above pitches by EOD today if possible as we are holding this exclusive for you and would love to start pulling together the information and imagery you need for any of the story ideas listed. Let me know.


Kindest,
[FOUNDER NAME]
Business Credentials

Ready to pitch to the press and get online exposure?

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7 Low-Cost Strategies for Small Businesses to Acquire (and Retain!) Customers

Photo: Smith House Photography

Ready to grow your business from a seedling into a forest? Introducing The Growth Hacking Bundle. Designed to walk you through the ins and outs of SEO, content creation, and making waves in the digital space, this downloadable bundle is packed with essentials for acquiring and retaining customers and seeing your small business thrive.

Ready to become a growth hacker? Ahead, we're outlining some creative, low-cost strategies—from SEO to digital media optimization—to help small businesses acquire and retain customers, expand your audience and see it thrive. Keep scrolling for seven important growth-hacking channels to go after when building your user base, and add The Growth Hacking Bundle to your cart for more tips.

#1 SEO (Search Engine Optimization)

Hire a good engineer to build your site in a way that makes your company show up at the top of search results. If that isn’t in your budget, then sign up for a website that has all of that included in the backend like Squarespace or WordPress. Include popular search terms in the copy, tag, and meta-tag all assets on your page, and include hyperlinks out to other sites whenever possible. Download our SEO 101 guide in Insider’s inventory and teach yourself or someone on your team.

#2 SEM (Search Engine Marketing)

Find out what are the most common search terms related to your company, and buy them on Google Ad Words. This is the best-paid strategy to help your business and its URL show up higher in search results.

#3 Product Management

The intersection of user experience, technology, and business. Product management involves closely monitoring user experience/behavior, and editing the technology in response to this behavior in order to best achieve the desired business goals. Google Analytics is the most accessible product management tool.

#4 A/B Testing

Offering your customers two versions of a product and monitoring which one they prefer. Once you find which version they prefer, you can accelerate your marketing efforts to get more bang for your buck.

#5 Facebook/Instagram ADS

Facebook has the capability to track activity across multiple devices (phone, computer, tablet) and best target the users for your product, Facebook ads may seem annoying, but they are the most effective for converting fans into paying customers. Facebook can almost guarantee you customer acquisition, it is up to you to determine whether the price of acquisition makes sense for your business.

#6 Email Capture

Capturing an email from a customer is a sign that they are willing to engage with you beyond just passively observing. Capturing emails allows you to deepen the relationship with your prospective clients through survey questions, distributed content, and calls to action that drive them back to your site, or convert them into paying customers.

#7 List Building

Break your fans and customers into differentiated lists so that you can target them differently from one another, and more accurately play to their preferences.

Ready to take things to the next level and grow your business?

Add the Create & Cultivate Marketplace The Growth Hacking Bundle to your cart, or get unlimited access to our entire library of downloads and videos when you join Insiders.

This story was published on May 6, 2020, and has since been updated.

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How to Write a Post-Interview Follow-Up Email That Will Get a Quick Response

Photo: Anna Shvets for Pexels

Whether it’s with a sense of excitement or dread, sending out the occasional follow-up email is an aspect of adulting most of us simply can’t avoid. And what we’re looking to get out of these messages most of the time is—at the very least—a response.  

It seems straightforward, right? But the art of sending a follow-up that actually inspires the recipient to take the time to read AND respond? Now that can be tricky.

Let’s ensure your next follow-up is a success. Keep reading for everything you need to know to craft a follow-up email that warrants a response.

Want more tips to land the job of your dreams? Download our The Job-Hunting Bundle and discover résumé templates that will get you hired, smart questions to ask so you can ace your next interview, and a foolproof cover letter template that will get every the attention of every recruiter.

When to Send a Follow-Up Email

When you send a follow-up email will be unique to your individual situation. However, there are a couple of general guidelines to consider when sending your message so that it remains relevant and has the best chance of being opened.

HubSpot recommends the following timeframes for sending follow-up emails:

• Within 24 hours: Sending a “thank you” after a meeting, sale, interview, event, or occasion that justifies an immediate sentiment of gratitude or those follow-up messages that contain time-sensitive info or requests.
  

• Within 48 hours: After submitting important info (for instance, follow-up emails for job applications or other formal document submissions) or, if your follow-up still contains fairly urgent info or requests (those that can’t wait 1-2 weeks).
  

• Within 1-2 weeks: Messages following up on a meeting request or those that go unresponded and require a confirmation from the recipient (maybe a job offer or an email requesting feedback).
  

• Every 3 months: Emails sent as a way to catch up with a past connection or those requesting updates (can be for both business and personal life).

How to Write a Follow-Up Email

1. Identify Your Primary Objective

Before putting your fingers to the keyboard, the first step of writing a follow-up email is to determine the objective of your message. 

What’s the end goal you’re looking to achieve from sending this email?

Take a second to ask yourself, are you trying to… 

• Obtain more info?

• Schedule a call or meeting?

• Remind someone to do something?

• Close a sale?

• Say thank you?

• Or, something else?

Regardless of what your goal ends up being, this step is necessary to allow you to craft a strong follow-up and include a specific call-to-action (CTA).

2. Provide Context

Discounts and deals, order confirmations, bill payment reminders, and those random messages from Grandma checking in—we are constantly bombarded with emails. 

And if your inbox is anything like mine, it’s not hard to find one of many of those messages that make you stop and think—“wait, who is this sender??” 

If you’re nodding along, you probably already know that step #2 to writing a follow-up email is critical: provide context around who you are and how they know you. This is especially important if it’s been a while since your most recent interaction or if you don’t have a very close relationship with this person.

Don’t leave any room for confusion that will deter your recipient from responding.  Provide context early on in your email by emphasizing your initial conversations or interactions to jog their memory.

Here are a few solid openers you can test out in your follow-up emails:

• I wanted to follow up on the message I sent on [date or day if it’s still the same week] about [subject of the first email].

• I just wanted to follow up to get your thoughts on [subject of the first email]. Have you had a chance to check out my last email?

• Just checking in to see if you’ve had a chance to read my email from [date or day if it’s still the same week].

• Just following up to see if you have any questions about my email from [date or day if it’s still the same week] about [subject of the first email].

Quick Tip: Include the subject line of your initial email in your opener to make it easy for your recipient to go back and locate that first message.

3. Make the Purpose Clear

After providing context to refresh your recipient’s memory, move straight into making the purpose of this communication clear. 

This portion of the email should be direct and straightforward. Remind the recipient of what you mentioned wanting/needing from the last email or letting them know if that want/need has since changed.

Quick Tip: If this is a follow-up email aiming to make a sale, keep the focus on the recipient here and reframe any statements using “I” to address the benefit or relevancy to them. You might be tempted to throw in an “I think” or “I believe” statement here, but I promise, it’ll be much more effective to keep the reader believing this is all about them. 

Here’s an example:

Rather than including: “I think my/our [product or service] could really help you accomplish [benefit]. I would love to hop on a quick call to chat about [opportunity].” 

Try something like: “Your [aspect of their business or life] would really benefit from [purpose of product or service]. Would you like to hop on a quick call to chat about this opportunity?”

Want to land the job?

Add our The Job-Hunting Bundle to your cart and get the rest of this article (which includes an email template for your reply), plus résumé and cover letter templates, along with questions to ask in your next job interview. Or get unlimited access to our entire library of downloads and videos when you join Insiders.

This story was originally published on April 20, 2020, and has since been updated.

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How to Be an Emotionally Intelligent Leader

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Being an emotionally intelligent leader means cultivating self-awareness, being able to identify your flaws, and understanding how others perceive you. As an emotionally intelligent leader, you’re transparent and speak the truth to those around you—in fact, you're the first to acknowledge your own mistakes. It also means you are perceptive and allow others to be heard first before responding—all necessary characteristics to leading a strong and productive team.

Does this sound like the kind of leader you want to be? If so, read on to find out how. Ahead, we’re sharing four tips to be an emotionally intelligent leader so you can cultivate a healthy company culture—even if you don’t have an HR department. Psst… looking for more tips for leading a team? Download The HR Bundle and discover an onboarding checklist for new employees, a template for providing performance reviews, a guide for preventing workplace bullying, and more.

Be Open to Exposing Vulnerabilities to Help Better Connect

During 1:1 meetings, focus on feedback and be very open about what you’re struggling with. Oftentimes, people try to hide that, but being open helps everyone feel a little more comfortable sharing.

Include Feelings in the Conversation, Which Can Help People Feel Heard

For example, ask “How are you feeling?” rather than, “How are you doing?” As a leader, be open to sharing when you feel frustrated or overwhelmed.

Give Employees Constant and Real-Time Feedback

After a meeting, share feedback either in person or over Slack. Make it a point to seek feedback by asking, “Do you have any feedback for me?”

Do Not Make Assumptions or Jump to Conclusions

It’s important to be curious and take an inquisitive approach. For example, ask, "Can you clarify what you meant when you said X so I can better understand your intentions?

Ready to take your company’s leadership to the next level?

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Is the Price Right? We Help You Figure It Out

Photo: Smith House Photography

Innovation often comes out of the darkest times. Uber is just one example of the super successful businesses that launched just after the financial crisis of 2008, and we have no doubt that the next big thing will come out of the COVID-19 crisis.

Has your brain been swirling with ideas during quarantine? Have you found whitespace that you know you can fill? Has being laid off given you the courage you need to finally launch that business you’ve been dreaming of? Create & Cultivate is here to help get your business idea off the ground.

Quarantine is the perfect time to lay out the plans for your dream. While your friends are learning to bake bread, knit, or do yoga, you are laying the foundations for your future (you go, girl!).

Once you’ve got that product idea all figured out, you’ve started your business plan, and you came up with a killer brand name; you’re going to face a super difficult question: Is the price right? Ask people to pay too much for your product or service and they will stop buying. Ask too little and your profit margin slides or customers assume your product is poor quality.

An “optimum price” factors in all your costs and maximizes your margins while remaining attractive to customers. Here’s how to set your prices, and be sure to scroll to the end to shop our Create & Cultivate Marketplace The Launch Your Business Bundle with a step-by-step guide to trademarking your business, a legal checklist for startups, panel videos from past C&C events, and so much more! 

KNOW THE MARKET

You need to find out how much customers will pay, as well as how much competitors charge. Simply matching a price is dangerous, though - you need to be sure all your costs - both direct and indirect - are covered.

CHOOSE THE BEST PRICING TECHNIQUE

Cost-plus pricing involves adding a mark-up percentage to costs; this will vary between products, businesses, and sectors. Value-based pricing is determined by how much value your customers attach to your product. Decide what your pricing strategy is before making a calculation.

WORK OUT YOUR COSTS

Include all direct costs, including money spent developing a product or service. Then, calculate your variable costs (for materials, packaging, etc). Work out what percentage of your fixed costs (overheads such as rent, rates, and wages) the product needs to cover. Add all of these costs together and divide by volume to produce a unit break-even figure.

CONSIDER COST-PLUS PRICING

You will need to add a margin or mark-up to your break-even point. If the price looks too high, trim your costs and reduce the price accordingly. Be aware of the limitations of cost-plus pricing, because it works on the assumption you will sell all units. If you don’t, your profit is lower.

SET A VALUE-BASED PRICE

You’ll need to know your market well to set a value-based price. For example, the cost to bring a hairdryer to market might be $10. But you might be able to charge customers $25 if this is the market value.

THINK ABOUT OTHER FACTORS

Can you keep margins modest on some products in order to achieve higher margin sales on others? You might need to calculate different prices for different territories, markets, or sales you make online.

STAY ON YOUR TOES

Prices can seldom be fixed for long. Your costs, customers, and competitors can change, so you will have to shift your prices to keep up with the market. Keep an eye on what’s going on and talk to your customers regularly to make sure your prices remain optimal.

Starting a business and need more guidance?

Add the Create & Cultivate Marketplace The Launch Your Business Bundle to your cart, or get unlimited access to our entire library of downloads and videos when you join Insiders.

The Do's and Don't's of Instagram Stories Engagement

Photo: Smith House Photography

We get it—the algorithm sucks. But that shouldn't deter you from perfecting your feed, going live, or posting to stories. As the old saying goes, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em. There are so many ways you can outsmart it or simply jump on their bandwagon and create content around trends and viral hashtags.

Ahead, we’re sharing the do’s and don’t of Instagram Stories engagement to help you create compelling content that will grow your audience and keep them there. Want more ways to outsmart the algorithm? Download our The Grow Your Instagram Bundle and discover everything you need to know to get your grid right from creating compelling captions to winning at Instagram stories.

DO have planned “features” that you roll out on a bi-weekly or weekly schedule with similar content your users can look forward to. DON'T post the same feature's constantly.

DO use thoughtfully designed templates and frames. DON'T rely solely on Instagram's formats. 

DO experiment with IGS features such as: stickers, polls, questionnaires but DON'T Rely on them to carry your strategy.

DO post stories every day or at least three times a week.

DO post around five frames each time (more frames is too much and people are not watching until the end).

DO post content your followers like or need (“how to” tips, outfit inspirations, polls about products preferences, etc.)

DO mix up your post types! Video one post, perhaps a quiz the next, and follow it with a satirical chaser.

DO save your best stories with the highest engagement in your highlights, and use a consistent look for the cover.

DO re-share content that you’ve been tagged in. User-generated content is always a good idea. It shows your community that you are trustworthy and have a product that people love. 

DO use hashtags and tag people/brands in your stories that pertain to it. Show behind-the-scenes because it usually garners a lot of attention. People want to know what it’s like at a photoshoot or at an event. 

DO have fun with it. These only last for 24 hours so you don't have to be as polished. Show behind-the-scenes content. Instagram is always introducing fun new story features (questions, polls, GIFs, etc.) so use them! Ask questions and experiment. 

DO show your brand/the team's personality and get personal. Maybe how the founder uses the brand's products or even a 'story takeover for a day by one of the team members to show what her day is like. 

DO give them a reason to want to share your stories. Post something really helpful on Saturday, that is not sales-sy, but is in the spirit of genuinely wanting to help. 

DON'T use the same template each time! Mix it up to keep it interesting. This is where you can be creative and see what works best. After all, they disappear, and you don't have to keep them in your highlights.

DON'T just use your stories for advertising. People like to be entertained by your stories, and might also mistake it for a sponsored story. 

DON’T make stories too long. Stick to around 10-12 a day. Any more than that and it’s too much content to soak in and truly appreciate.

DON’T forget your audience and who you are sharing with. You want to keep your followers (or potential followers) intrigued to watch everything you’ve shared.

DON’T not use stories. It’s an amazing way to connect with your followers and bring on new ones!

DON’T just repurpose existing content. If you're filming a video for IGTV, use the BTS content on Instagram stories. Don't worry about being too buttoned up. Have more fun with story content that won't be as permanent. Don't make it too long, sometimes fewer frames is better. 

DON’T post the same thing you post on your feed—people get bored.

Want to outsmart the algorithm?

Add our The Grow Your Instagram Bundle to your cart, or get unlimited access to our entire library of downloads and videos when you join Insiders.

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50 Ways to Practice Self-Care and Prevent Burnout While Working From Home During COVID-19

Photo: Smith House Photography

Did you know that two in three workers today feel burned out? That’s not a difficult stat to believe considering American workers put in the most hours when compared to other industrialized nations like the United Arab Emirates and South Africa.

Now that we’re all working from home and sheltering in place in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis, logging off at the end of the day to maintain some semblance of work-life balance is harder than ever. But, guess what? If you keep going without stopping, your body will force you, eventually because you will burn out, which could mean that it will take you even longer to get back on track. As with everything, preventing is better than curing, so stop hustling and start healing before burnout sets in. 

Here are 50 ways to practice self-care and prevent burnout while working from home during COVID-19, and be sure to scroll to the end to shop our Create & Cultivate Marketplace The Self-Care Bundle with a habits tracker, sleep log, self-care panel videos, and so much more! 

1. Have a mini declutter session.

2. Get eight hours of sleep

3. Meditate for 5 minutes. 

4. Watch your favorite movie. 

5. Take an Epsom salt bath with lavender. 

6. Burn your favorite candle.

7. Turn off your phone for a few hours.

8. Go for a walk.

9. Write yourself a love letter.

10. Make a list of goals.

11. Put some music on and dance away.

12. Make your favorite meal or snack.

13. Go outside and put your bare feet on the grass. 

14. Take your vitamins.

15. Make a cup of tea.

16. Write down 10 things you’re grateful for.

17. Give yourself a manicure.

18. Do yoga or some stretching.

19. Pick some flowers and put them in a vase.

20. Write a self-love list.

21. Have an intense workout session.

22. Listen to your favorite song. 

23. Wear your favorite outfit.

24. Learn something new.

25. Sing in the shower.

26. Write a letter to your future self.

27. Create a vision board.

28. Call someone you love.

29. Read a book. 

30. Take a nap.

31. Write your favorite quotes on post-it notes and stick them around the house and office

32. Write affirmations and put them where you can see them every day. 

33. Organize your closet.

34. Host a virtual game night.

35. Bake your favorite cookies. 

36. Try a new recipe from a cookbook. 

37. Show a random act of kindness. 

38. Create a bucket list.

39. Write a kind note to someone. 

40. Start a journal.

41. Sleep in.

42. Go outside, close your eyes, take a deep breath, and soak in the sun. 

43. Listen to a podcast. 

44. Watch a documentary and learn something new. 

45. Get crafty. 

46. Listen to nature sounds.

47. Make a playlist of your favorite songs.

48. Work on a puzzle.

49. Do something you’ve avoided. 

50. Take a moment to reflect on your life and the good things.

Want another 50 ways to practice self-care and prevent burnout?

Add the Create & Cultivate Marketplace The Self-Care Bundle to your cart, or get unlimited access to our entire library of downloads and videos when you join Insiders.

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Free Download: Discover Your Purpose In 4 Steps

“Not all those who wander are lost”... the ones that aren’t lost trust themselves to find their way! 

Every now and then, we can feel like we aren't achieving our potential our have gotten off the path from our initial life goals, but once we take notice that's we're off track, that's where we can take action and make a change for the better. 

Take it from our good friend Maxie McCoy who's established her purpose in her career, and is all about helping others discover it as well. This week, she's helping you find yourself with a free workbook download that will help you plan out dreams and aspirations and help you act on them in 4 steps.

Enter your name and email below to get access to download it now! 

Make Your Plan, Work Your Plan: The Perfect Business Plan Checklist

via Waiting on Martha

A business plan is the heartbeat of your business, and it is what will keep it afloat over time and will save you from anything that would otherwise hinder your business or get you off track. As a wise woman once said, “make your plan, work your plan.”

Thanks to our friend Tina Wells, Founder & CEO of the award winning Buzz Marketing Group, she has gifted us with the questions you need to ask yourself when creating your business plan to ensure that you’re on the right track and that your plan passes the test and answers all of the questions in this week’s download.

Enter your name and email to get access to the business plan checklist and be on your way to create the best business plan tailored for your business’ success.