Trying to get your pitch past the first stage? Learn some simple tips and tricks to get your pitch past the post…
No matter your line of work, freelancing is often about successfully pitching either yourself or your work.
Do your research
Before you pitch for work, make sure you’ve done your homework. This isn’t just a case of making sure your skills are up to scratch – you need to tailor your pitch very carefully to the company or individual you’re approaching. Read as much company information as you can, try to find previous examples of work, do some due diligence on their press output, and look up previous contractors on social media. You’ll get a better sense of their tone of voice and work ethic, and won’t double up on things they’ve done before.
Make it stand out
Although it can be very tempting to just copy and paste pitches for work, you must make sure that each pitch deck stands out – not just from the crowd, but from your other pitches too. There’s no harm in having a template, but your deck must reflect the target audience every time you pitch. It’s also a good idea to create a brand identity for yourself – keep your social media and pitch decks on a theme that stands out from your competitors.
Keep it concise
A pitch is taking your 30-second intro to you or your business and fleshing it out. Anything too long, and your target audience is going to lose interest. Be succinct, and offer precise reasons as to why you and your work are better than your rivals. Before sending anything too in-depth, gauge interest first with an email or call and then send over a more comprehensive pitch deck.
Don’t make it too complicated
It can be tempting to showcase all your relevant portfolio pieces when pitching, but sometimes this is counter-intuitive to bagging that elusive work. It’s best to pick the most successful or impressive bits of work to send, and give brief details about the potential to show more – that way, you’re not bombarding your target audience with too much information and you have something else up your sleeve if they want more.
Check, check, and check again
If you’ve worked hard on your pitch, it can be quite easy to miss small errors after looking at it for hours on end. Make sure that you’ve given yourself a break before checking your work again thoroughly – you don’t want to let yourself down by getting rejected for a spelling error or factual mistake!
Posted by The Secret Businessman
Images courtesy of Press Association