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Emailing a pitch operates like a cold call, which is why it’s essential to keep the content impactful but also short and sweet to increase response rates.

How to Write a Pitch Email: 5 Tips for Cold Emailing

 We're not only pitching in person these days. We're often pitching by email. At some level, every email you send is a pitch. It's a pitch to be opened up, to take what I have to say seriously, maybe to participate with me, exchange ideas with me. So what do we know about effective email subject lines? There were two things that mattered the most in email subject lines. Utility-- my subject line has to show that what I'm suggesting in this email is valuable to you, is useful to you. Curiosity is I have to create a little bit of doubt and uncertainty so you're intrigued enough to open it up. Where you don't want to be is the place where dead armadillos exists, which is in the middle of the road between utility and curiosity. So for instance-- and I've made this mistake as well too. So I've sent emails saying, follow up. [IMITATES BUZZER] Bad email subject line. If I'm sending an email to the boss, I'll say something like, two more ideas for budget cuts. Boss is more likely to read that, rather than saying, some ideas, a thought, dot, dot, dot. A weird idea I just had that might work. Oh, what's this about? So in general, what we want is that when people have a-- people are receiving a high volume of email, go to utility. When they have a lower volume email, go to curiosity. What you don't want to do is you don't want things that are antiseptic, mushy, in between. Every email subject line you write should make the person say, whoa, I need to open that because it's going to be useful to me, or, man, I need to find out what that is. Utility and curiosity are the most important things in email subject lines, and you can use them effectively to pitch your idea, pitch yourself via email.

A pitch email is a message you send a potential client or partner to share an idea, business proposal, or professional opportunity that could be mutually beneficial to you and the email receiver. Pitch examples vary; it could be a sales email sent to a target audience for [marketers](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/email-marketing-explained). For journalists, it might be a media pitch for story ideas or guest posts forwarded to an editor. For [startups](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/what-is-a-startup), a pitch email might seek fundraising or like-minded business partners.

Cold email pitches take mastering no matter the form or content because they can easily be deleted or buried in someone’s inbox. Receivers of these pitches likely won’t know you, which means they won’t feel a strong responsibility to respond. That’s why it’s essential to quickly get to the point so you can hold your reader’s attention and briefly share with them what you have to offer. 
For correspondence where the parties do not personally or professionally know one another, your first email is the first impression you give. Increase your cold email’s chance of getting a response by following the email template below:

1. __Start with an attention-grabbing subject line__. Keep your email subject line to a handful of words, ideally only seven or eight. You want to stand out in someone’s inbox, so it’s vital that recipients not be inundated with too much information in the subject. Nix superfluous adjectives or adverbs while keeping the offer or idea enticing. For bloggers or journalists, your email to editors can lead with “Pitch: XYZ” where the word “Pitch” lets the editor know what they can expect, and XYZ includes the timely information. For influencers or those working in [content marketing](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/content-marketing-guide), you may lead with a tempting offer. 
2. __Include the recipient’s name__. You might have a hard time tracking down the exact address for the person you intend to email, but you can still include the recipient’s name. Check out the staff page for the organization you wish to reach. Even if you cannot find someone’s precise email address, you can still email their info inbox and include the person’s name in the introduction or subject line to increase the chances of reaching them.
3. __Write a quick introduction__. Before diving into your pitch, lead with a brief intro (one to two sentences). This is your chance to state your name, share your job title and company name, and talk up your credentials that qualify why you are worth the reader's time and attention. If you have a connection to the person you are emailing, you can mention that to create a more personalized message.
4. __Create a short and sweet pitch__. This part of the email sequence is the meat of your message, but you should still keep it to a few sentences—one paragraph—at most. For a PR pitch, share a preview of the piece of content you think is variable; for a sales pitch, perhaps outline the benefits of your services or your value proposition in bullet points for the sake of clarity and concision. If you must also include a press release, be sure to attach it or put it at the bottom of your email as it can get lengthy, and you want to capture your reader’s attention with something juicier off the bat.
5. __Conclude with a polite sign-off__. You’ll want to err on the side of formality, so close out your email with “Sincerely” and then your name. Make sure your email signature has your email and phone number, so the contact knows how to get in touch with you as needed.
Send the perfect pitch to help increase open rates, taking you one step closer to clinching a deal or selling a story. Follow these tips to write an effective pitch:

1. __Email the right person__. If you are looking for publicity, you will email the media contact, not someone who works in IT. You can increase your chances of a recipient opening and responding to your message by emailing the most influential person. Search employees in company staff listings, and if you can’t locate their exact email, see if you can figure out the system of address configuration, which may be “firstname.lastname@companyaddress.” 
2. __Limit the details__. Your recipient doesn’t need to know every detail of your proposed idea or service; a pitch is to whet their appetite and measure their curiosity. Recipients may delete longer emails, so keep your content clear and to the point.
3. __Focus on the prospect__. For your pitch to succeed, the proposition has to be worthwhile to the recipient. Make sure you research this contact and their company’s needs so you can tailor your pitch to their best interests, showing why your offering would be advantageous to the specific company at hand. 
4. __Be personable__. People know when they are being courted, and it can sometimes be off-putting. Personalized emails work best and display a greater bond. Your subject line can include the recipient’s name, or perhaps in the body of the email, you start with something the company has accomplished that has impressed you, leading you to email them now.
5. __Follow up after a week__. Just as in email marketing, frequent nudges can be irritating, so be sure to wait one week before sending your follow-up if you don’t get a reply. In that follow-up email, you can gently restate the most important parts of your initial pitch. 
Become a better <a href='https://masterclass.com/articles/robin-robertss-tips-for-effective-communication' target='_blank' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://masterclass.com/articles/robin-robertss-tips-for-effective-communication","linkCopy":"communicator","category":"automated-link"}' automatic='true'>communicator</a> with the [MasterClass Annual Membership](https://www.masterclass.com). Spend some time with Daniel Pink, author of four *New York Times* bestsellers that focus on behavioral and social sciences, and learn his tips and tricks for perfecting a <a href='https://masterclass.com/articles/daniel-pinks-tips-for-crafting-a-sales-pitch' target='_blank' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://masterclass.com/articles/daniel-pinks-tips-for-crafting-a-sales-pitch","linkCopy":"sales pitch","category":"automated-link"}' automatic='true'>sales pitch</a>, hacking your schedule for optimal productivity, and more. 
Emailing a pitch operates like a cold call, which is why it’s essential to keep the content impactful but also short and sweet to increase response rates.

A pitch email is a message you send a potential client or partner to share an idea, business proposal, or professional opportunity that could be mutually beneficial to you and the email receiver. Pitch examples vary; it could be a sales email sent to a target audience for <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/email-marketing-explained' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/email-marketing-explained","linkCopy":"marketers","category":null}'>marketers</a>. For journalists, it might be a media pitch for story ideas or guest posts forwarded to an editor. For <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/what-is-a-startup' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/what-is-a-startup","linkCopy":"startups","category":null}'>startups</a>, a pitch email might seek fundraising or like-minded business partners.Cold email pitches take mastering no matter the form or content because they can easily be deleted or buried in someone’s inbox. Receivers of these pitches likely won’t know you, which means they won’t feel a strong responsibility to respond. That’s why it’s essential to quickly get to the point so you can hold your reader’s attention and briefly share with them what you have to offer.

What Is a Pitch Email? 

For correspondence where the parties do not personally or professionally know one another, your first email is the first impression you give. Increase your cold email’s chance of getting a response by following the email template below:<ol class="mc-m-4"><li class="mc-my-4"> 1. Start with an attention-grabbing subject line. Keep your email subject line to a handful of words, ideally only seven or eight. You want to stand out in someone’s inbox, so it’s vital that recipients not be inundated with too much information in the subject. Nix superfluous adjectives or adverbs while keeping the offer or idea enticing. For bloggers or journalists, your email to editors can lead with “Pitch: XYZ” where the word “Pitch” lets the editor know what they can expect, and XYZ includes the timely information. For influencers or those working in <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/content-marketing-guide' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/content-marketing-guide","linkCopy":"content marketing","category":null}'>content marketing</a>, you may lead with a tempting offer. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 2. Include the recipient’s name. You might have a hard time tracking down the exact address for the person you intend to email, but you can still include the recipient’s name. Check out the staff page for the organization you wish to reach. Even if you cannot find someone’s precise email address, you can still email their info inbox and include the person’s name in the introduction or subject line to increase the chances of reaching them. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 3. Write a quick introduction. Before diving into your pitch, lead with a brief intro (one to two sentences). This is your chance to state your name, share your job title and company name, and talk up your credentials that qualify why you are worth the reader&#39;s time and attention. If you have a connection to the person you are emailing, you can mention that to create a more personalized message. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 4. Create a short and sweet pitch. This part of the email sequence is the meat of your message, but you should still keep it to a few sentences—one paragraph—at most. For a PR pitch, share a preview of the piece of content you think is variable; for a sales pitch, perhaps outline the benefits of your services or your value proposition in bullet points for the sake of clarity and concision. If you must also include a press release, be sure to attach it or put it at the bottom of your email as it can get lengthy, and you want to capture your reader’s attention with something juicier off the bat. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 5. Conclude with a polite sign-off. You’ll want to err on the side of formality, so close out your email with “Sincerely” and then your name. Make sure your email signature has your email and phone number, so the contact knows how to get in touch with you as needed. </li></ol>

How to Write a Pitch Email in 5 Steps

Daniel Pink on Writing an Effective Pitch Email Subject Line

Send the perfect pitch to help increase open rates, taking you one step closer to clinching a deal or selling a story. Follow these tips to write an effective pitch:<ol class="mc-m-4"><li class="mc-my-4"> 1. Email the right person. If you are looking for publicity, you will email the media contact, not someone who works in IT. You can increase your chances of a recipient opening and responding to your message by emailing the most influential person. Search employees in company staff listings, and if you can’t locate their exact email, see if you can figure out the system of address configuration, which may be “firstname.lastname@companyaddress.” </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 2. Limit the details. Your recipient doesn’t need to know every detail of your proposed idea or service; a pitch is to whet their appetite and measure their curiosity. Recipients may delete longer emails, so keep your content clear and to the point. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 3. Focus on the prospect. For your pitch to succeed, the proposition has to be worthwhile to the recipient. Make sure you research this contact and their company’s needs so you can tailor your pitch to their best interests, showing why your offering would be advantageous to the specific company at hand. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 4. Be personable. People know when they are being courted, and it can sometimes be off-putting. Personalized emails work best and display a greater bond. Your subject line can include the recipient’s name, or perhaps in the body of the email, you start with something the company has accomplished that has impressed you, leading you to email them now. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 5. Follow up after a week. Just as in email marketing, frequent nudges can be irritating, so be sure to wait one week before sending your follow-up if you don’t get a reply. In that follow-up email, you can gently restate the most important parts of your initial pitch. </li></ol>

5 Tips for Writing a Pitch Email

Become a better <a href='https://masterclass.com/articles/robin-robertss-tips-for-effective-communication' target='_blank' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://masterclass.com/articles/robin-robertss-tips-for-effective-communication","linkCopy":"communicator","category":"automated-link"}' automatic='true'>communicator</a> with the <a href='https://www.masterclass.com' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com","linkCopy":"MasterClass Annual Membership","category":null}'>MasterClass Annual Membership</a>. Spend some time with Daniel Pink, author of four New York Times bestsellers that focus on behavioral and social sciences, and learn his tips and tricks for perfecting a <a href='https://masterclass.com/articles/daniel-pinks-tips-for-crafting-a-sales-pitch' target='_blank' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://masterclass.com/articles/daniel-pinks-tips-for-crafting-a-sales-pitch","linkCopy":"sales pitch","category":"automated-link"}' automatic='true'>sales pitch</a>, hacking your schedule for optimal productivity, and more.

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Emailing a pitch operates like a cold call, which is why it’s essential to keep the content impactful but also short and sweet to increase response rates.

Emailing a pitch operates like a cold call, which is why it’s essential to keep the content impactful but also short and sweet to increase response rates.
