It’s been a while since I’ve written a post about blogging so today’s is all about writing a brand pitch. This week, I sent out a ton of pitches and was reminded that it’s such a big part of being a blogger if you want to monetize your website. We’re going to go through what to include, what not to write, and the benefit of pitching yourself as a blogger.
What to Include In a Pitch to Brands Click To TweetThis post contains affiliate and/or referral links. I may receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you, if you complete a purchase through this post. Thank you for your support of What Nicole Wore.
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What to Include In a Pitch to Brands | Why Bloggers Should Pitch Brands
I’ve written before about affiliate links and how they work, but the majority of the money I make from my blog is from sponsored blog posts. While Instagram ad offers are definitely hot, I’m able to show a higher value when it comes to blog posts and tend to pitch that over an Instagram partnership. Blog posts require a lot of work — definitely more than I realized when I first started blogging — and because of that bring in a higher rate.
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So why should a blogger pitch to brands? If you’re looking to work with brands, I would recommend this over using a platform that matches creators with companies. While they can provide opportunities, these platforms are negotiating the terms as well as taking a cut of what the brands pay. When you pitch directly to a brand, you take out the middle man and are able to sell yourself directly which can be more effective! Who knows your brand better than you?
What to Include In a Pitch to Brands | What Goes Into the Pitch?
Think of a pitch in the same way you’d think of a cover letter. Keep things short and sweet, but detail why you want to work with the brand, why they should want to get in front of your audience, and a brief summary of any plans you have for the partnership. Typically, I start with an introductory paragraph saying who I am {Hi, my name is Nicole Green}, what I do {I write a Louisville-based lifestyle blog, What Nicole Wore}, and a briefly breakdown my audience {The majority of my audience is American women between the ages of 25 and 34.}
Don't forget to tell brands why they should want to work with you when you pitch. Click To TweetRELATED: How I Choose Blog Collaborations That Fit My Brand
If you’ve posted about the brand in the past, talk about that. Does your audience respond well to this content, do they ask questions about the brand or their products when you post Instagram Stories about them, etc. My top performing content is Derby so when I reach out to brands about working with me, I make sure to share that this content receives high engagement from my audience, performs well on Pinterest, and gets shared at a higher rate. Since Derby isn’t a national event, I make sure to tell brands about how else this content works for my audience outside of Kentucky; in this case, as inspiration for Easter, Mother’s Day, and weddings.
What to Include In a Pitch to Brands | What Else To Remember
Pitching, similar to sales, is a game of numbers. You’re going to get rejections and you have to learn to be okay with that. When I first started blogging, I was so terrified of hearing “no,” but over time I’ve gotten used to it. If you’re pitching for an event or occasion, it’s ok to have one brand as your target or dream brand, but go ahead and pitch 3-5 brands because you’re more likely to get an opportunity that benefits you!
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What to Include In a Pitch to Brands | What Should I Not Do in a Pitch?
Avoid getting lengthy! I saw a blogger pitch that was multiple iPhone screens long. You want to keep things short and make sure your email is read; if a brand is interested, they’ll reply and ask for more info if they need it. Be truthful! If you were pitching for a luggage set for a trip, don’t say, “I travel quite frequently!” if you know you only take two trips a year. There are ways to still pitch for opportunities like this without being dishonest and then looking disingenuous.
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Make sure to review your pitch for spelling and grammar and if you’re pitching multiple brands, make sure to proofread as you copy + paste. {A lot of the time, I’ll link to a post where I’ve mentioned the brand or one of their products.} Bloggers, hopefully this post was helpful; if there’s other topics you’d like to see blogging posts on, please let me know in the comments.
What to Include In a Pitch to Brands | The Spring Outfit
My mind is always in a warm weather state of mind so I’m all about the spring colors. I snagged this mint blazer last summer on clearance and only wore it a couple times before it felt out of season. Excited to wear it this spring…so much so that I’ve broken it out two times this week! It’s easy to style with a tshirt and jeans but also can be worn with slacks and a blouse for work.
Time to break out the pastels! Click To TweetRELATED: Embracing Pastel Gingham In Time for Spring
These Kendra Scott earrings are from the latest spring collection; I love this color and think I’ll be able to get so much wear out of these. The gold macrame detail is really pretty too!
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