As a creator, you have a unique voice and vision that you want to share with the world. But you also need to make a living and reach a wider audience. How can you balance authenticity and marketability in your pitch? Here are some tips to help you craft a compelling proposal that showcases your value and resonates with your target platform.
Before you pitch, do your research on the platform you want to work with. What are their goals, values, and audience? What kind of content do they produce and promote? How do they support and reward their creators? Align your pitch with their mission and vision, and show how you can add value to their platform. Use their language, tone, and style to communicate your message.
Crafting a pitch that balances authenticity and marketability hinges on understanding your audience deeply. Beyond aligning with the platform's goals and values, tailor your pitch to resonate with the specific interests and needs of their audience. Showcase your authentic voice while demonstrating how your content can seamlessly integrate into the platform, fostering engagement and offering unique value that resonates with their existing content and community.
I would add to Robert Guicheteau's contribution by understanding where the platform is going. Look deeply and understand what they are trying to achieve. The obvious example is here on LI and these collaborative articles. LI wants to become a more valuable resource for professionals (their network) to learn and grow. *Posts that share knowledge and advice are prioritized *Posts that are relevant to "your" audience (stay in your lane)
Your pitch is not only for the platform, but also for the potential viewers, readers, or listeners who will consume your content. Think about who they are, what they need, and what they want. How can you solve their problems, inspire them, or entertain them? How can you make them feel something, learn something, or do something? Use storytelling, emotion, and empathy to connect with your audience and show them why they should care about your content.
*Empathy and understanding *Humanize interactions *Combine data with intuition There is always a balance to be struck between science and data (knowing your customer, their journey, and their pain points) and being human. On an emotional level, being able to connect with another human creates a connection that can form the foundation of trust. From trust, relationships are built, and from relationships, customers are developed.
It is so easy for creators to focus on the symptoms of a topic without addressing the root of the issue. If you are posting educational content that provides tips & tricks but doesn't get to the heart of why your audience is in the situation they're in, you miss an opportunity to connect in a more authentic way.
Your pitch is also a reflection of your brand, your expertise, and your personality. What makes you different from other creators? What is your unique selling proposition? How can you demonstrate your credibility, authority, and authenticity? Use data, testimonials, and examples to back up your claims and show your results. Use humor, passion, and voice to express your identity and style.
Here's the brutal truth you may not want to hear... but you'll thank me for it IF you embrace it and implement: The most attractive, money-making pitch you can make is... your authentic self. Period. The catch... is this is why 99 out of 100 people avoid this... is the truth takes a lot more work to make attractive than a fabrication or a half-truth. The reason for this is, truth is inherently dull, most of the time. Normal. Familiar. Boring. But when you do the discovery... when you look at your message from 12 different angles... when you find out how people who know you really see you, describe you... ... a funny thing starts to happen. The clouds clear. And finding that rare but powerful magnetic truth—it works like gangbusters.
David Garfinkel contribution is gold. Nothing new to add, I only wanted to push you to read his contribution. You should follow him too!
A recent development that I'm seeing pop up more often is companies asking for verified rate cards. Services like trydrippi.com offer verified rate cards that show all of your metrics and what you should charge based on those metrics. It's a fantastic resource as a creator and a way to ensure you are being compensated for your reach and audience.
Your pitch is not complete without a clear and specific ask. What do you want from the platform? What do you offer in return? How will you measure your success and impact? Be realistic, but also ambitious. Show how you can create value for the platform, the audience, and yourself. Use numbers, timelines, and deliverables to outline your expectations and goals.
Your pitch is not a contract, but a conversation starter. You don't have to compromise your vision or values, but you also have to be flexible and open to feedback. Be prepared to negotiate, revise, and adapt your pitch according to the platform's needs and preferences. Know what you can and cannot change, and what you are willing to give up or gain. Use questions, suggestions, and alternatives to explore different options and scenarios.
Your pitch is not just a document, but a presentation. You have to use the right tools and formats to convey your message effectively and professionally. Depending on the platform, you may have to use a written proposal, a video pitch, a slide deck, or a combination of these. Use visuals, audio, and text to enhance your pitch and make it engaging and memorable. Use templates, guides, and examples to follow best practices and standards.
The question is about BALANCING authenticity with marketability. There should be no question when it comes to authenticity. You have it or you don't. You show it or you don't. It isn't a faucet that runs hot or cold or far worse, tepid. Establish who you are and likeminded people will like it. Or they won't. Either way, you can look in a mirror and like what you see.
When you're making a pitch, make it personal. To mirror what David Garfinkel shared above, the more specifically YOU your pitch and the more personal your idea, the better. It is much better to create a product (or service, etc) that only a handful of people REALLY connect with and love, than it is to make something less unique that appeals to a mass audience. Why? Because it's very uniqueness is its strength. It can't be replicated. What is it about your product that makes it truly unique? Why were other products in the space not working for you? Why is it something YOU love?