Make sure your pitch is creative, detailed and still relevant
The first thing you should ask yourself (really before you even send out a pitch, but when following up too) is if the idea you're pitching stands out among the rest. If you're expecting a brand to pay you, you need to be giving them an original idea that makes it impossible for them to say no! This means it's 1000% necessary to go two steps beyond what you think is a good idea. It shouldn't be good, it should be SO incredible that that PR rep reads your email and doesn't hesitate in wanting to work with you. When I send my pitches out, I read and edit them at least two times through to make sure I can visualize the post I want to write - because if I can visualize it, the brand will be able to as well. The more creative you are and original your idea is, the more likely the brand will want to collaborate with you!
Another factor in following up is if you pitched a time sensitive idea. For example, if you pitched a brand with a dessert recipe for Easter three weeks ago but are now following up a week before the holiday, you're going to want to change up your idea; I've found that following up with a new idea has almost always proven to work and end in a successful partnership. Not every pitch will be time sensitive, but you want to make sure in a follow up email that if it is, you're addressing it!
Be professional
This should go without saying, but in your follow up you should be just as professional as you were in your original email. Be professional, be courteous and show the brand that you have value to provide to them.
Follow up in the right amount of time
You don't want to be pushy, but you also don't want your pitch to get lost in a sea of emails! PR reps and media contacts get bombarded with emails every day - *especially* if their email is available online and easy to get a hold of. The most important part of being able to follow up with a brand is to not be shy or nervous to send that second email. You aren't being annoying - in fact, lots of brands will thank you for following up simply because your email got lost in their inbox or it was marked accidentally as spam.
When it comes to determining how long you should wait to send a follow up email, you'll hear a lot of differing times. Some people say to wait a month, some say to wait until the next quarter - but I've always gone by waiting a week or two at minimum. These brands' representatives usually have to pass along your pitch to other people on their team, their higher ups and so on. More so if it's a popular brand, so it's only normal to expect a brand to take a bit to get back to you. But after a week or two if you haven't heard back, there's NOTHING wrong with sending a professional follow up!
Most importantly, be persistent.
This circles right back into the fear of coming off as annoying to a brand. The worst that a brand can do is say no, or that they don't have room in their social calendar right now. But any answer is better than no answer, right? So no, there's no right time to stop trying! I followed up with a brand I was extremely eager to work with just a few weeks ago because I hadn't heard back and after a few emails, we have a collaboration in the works - ALL because I chose to follow up and not give up. To succeed, you must be persistent.
Thanks for these tips. As a new blogger I'm totally lost when it comes to sponsors and how to pitch myself to brands. I will save this post for when I'm ready to tackle. Thanks again!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tips! I am glad you are addressing an area for which there is less information!
ReplyDeleteGreat tips - love that you threw in being professional, as so many bloggers can get an attitude with brands if they don't get what they want. Even if the brand is in the wrong, you've still got to be polite.
ReplyDeleteOh girl, you know I'm ALL about persisting after pitching! ;)
ReplyDeleteComing Up Roses
These are great tips. I pitch to brands on my own all the time. I'll admit I don't always do a follow up. I only do that if I really really would like to work with them. Great tips on how to do it though. We all need a refresher once in awhile.
ReplyDeleteDo you have any tips on what to put in the Subject Line? I find that no matter how great your email is, if they don't open it, it's all for naught. How do you write your subject lines?
ReplyDeleteThis is really helpful, thank you! I'm also curious about what you add as the subject line.
ReplyDeleteLove this post so much - it is so helpful!
ReplyDeleteThis post is super helpful, thanks so much for taking the time to write it out!
ReplyDeletehttp://stopdropandvogue.com
I've actually never thought of sending a follow-up email (I'm still working up the guts to pitch brands), so this was a super eye-opening post for me. Thanks for the tips - bookmarking this for later use!
ReplyDeleteThank you for these tips!! I've been blogging for about 5 years but honestly sometimes you need a refresher!
ReplyDeletexo Jackie
www.livingaftermidnite.com
Being time sensitive is for sure crucial! Such important tips!
ReplyDeletexoxo A
www.southernbelleintraining.com
These tips are super helpful. I probably need to step up my creativity and pitch emails!
ReplyDeleteThese are some great tips! I think it's really important to follow-up with a brand in a time-sensitive manner! Lord knows those PR babes are getting swamped with a million similar pitch emails every day. It's great to stand out!
ReplyDeleteStephanie // SheSawStyle.com
Great tips! I plan to starting pitching to brands soon and need help!
ReplyDeleteGreat tips! I have yet to pitch to a brand on my own! I should probably get on that. haha!
ReplyDeleteThis is such an informative post, thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteThese are great tips! Following up is key!
ReplyDeleteI like these tips! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteThis is fantastic information for both the new and seasoned blogger. It never hurts to follow up with brands in a timely manner, and since so many of seem to have our blogs as our business, professionalism is of the utmost importance.
ReplyDeleteI'm in the process of writing a few of those right now. I'm pinning and using this asap. Thanks!
ReplyDeletePersisting is so key! Emails can get lost or overlooked so easily!
ReplyDeleteVery helpful! It is very scary trying to write up the perfect email that will be the right amount of attention grabbing and professionalism. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteThese are such great tips! I've recently started pitching to brands and am so grateful for your advice.
ReplyDeleteSuch solid advice! Needed this today!
ReplyDelete-Kat
http://www.katwalksf.com/
These are such great tips! I reached out to a company about a week ago and was wondering if I should shoot them a follow up. I'm definitely going to now! Thanks so much!
ReplyDeleteI was just thinking about this! Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteAlix | www.apintsizedlifeblog.com
Great tips for the email to brands!
ReplyDeleteExcellent tips - thanks so much for sharing!
ReplyDeletexo, Cate
I love getting others' opinions on these topics just to see where I fall... Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteGreat tips! I'm still fairly new, so haven't experienced this quite yet, but will need to keep this in mind when I do!
ReplyDeleteI was looking for a blog post specially on this and I'm so glad I found your post! These are some really great tips!
ReplyDeleteGreat tips especially for new bloggers. Definitely follow up, but with a specific purpose.
ReplyDeleteThese are amazing tips!! 👌🏻👌🏻 Great post and thank you!
ReplyDeleteamazing tips my dear,
ReplyDeletethanks for this lovely post :D
with love your AMELY ROSE
These are great tips! I always struggle with follow up emails because I don't want to seem annoying, but it is important!
ReplyDeleteGreat tips! I'm bad at following up! I need to be more persistent!
ReplyDeleteGreat tips for every blogger that wants to work with brands!
ReplyDeleteThese are amazing tips! Being persistent is SO important!
ReplyDeleteThese are great tips thanks for sharing! XX
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with everything you've mentioned. And yes, it really is SO rewarding to work with a brand that you've pitched to! Xo, Jaime Sunflowers and Stilettos
ReplyDeleteThis is such a great post! Even after 3+ years of blogging, and now doing it full-time for almost a year, sometimes you need a reminder!
ReplyDeletexo, Sara
This is such an awesome post, and I just adore the way you outlined everything here. It's important to be able to professionally respond to all sorts of emails from brands and you've outlined it well here! xx
ReplyDeleteThank you for these tips. I really enjoyed reading through it and learned a lot in the process. I usually let it go if brands don't reply to my initial email. I thought I would sound too pushy if I sent a follow up. However, thanks to you, I now know it is okay to do that.
ReplyDeletethis is such a great post! really loved all your tips. i need to get better at being professionally persistent...
ReplyDeletexoxo, Elena Michelle
www.anewyorkloveaffair.com
These are amazing! I know a lot of people are afraid to keep emailing brands, but it is important to! There are so many collaborations I wouldn't have done if I didn't get behind those emails and reached out to them again and again!
ReplyDeleteI honestly have no experience with pitching! I think it's awesome to be able to convince a company that you'd like to write about their product. I could really use these tips! Thank you.
ReplyDeleteSuch a great guideline for collaborations, it truly is so important to keep things professional when pitching!
ReplyDeleteBirdie Shoots
such good tips! i usually wait a week or two to send a follow up email. where i get confused is if I still don't hear from them do i keep sending follow ups?
ReplyDeleteThis helps so much! So many great tips!
ReplyDeleteGreat Tips! Have shared it on our career platform!- Aditi @ MaroonOak.com
ReplyDeleteSo helpful!!! I recently started doing follow up emails and they have actually landed me some cool collaborations!
ReplyDeletexoxo,
Amy | Pastel N Pink
Great tips! I have been following up more and more, and love the idea of something time sensitive!
ReplyDeleteI love these tips! I've never done a follow up email yet, but it's genius!
ReplyDeleteThis is something I struggle with and this email is so helpful. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteCarly | www.thecarlycollective.com
I'm terrible at this. Thanks for sharing your tips!
ReplyDeleteThis is such a good article! I've only recently started pitching brands instead of waiting for them to contact me, and this is the push I needed to start sending some follow-ups to people I haven't heard back from yet.
ReplyDeleteJennifer Ashley
www.prettylittledetails.com
This is an awesome post. Really very informative and creative contents. This concept is a good way to enhance knowledge. I like it and help me to development very well. Thank you for this brief explanation and very nice information. Well, got good knowledge.
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