PLEASE Stop Making These Basic Mistakes With Your Pitches

Apologies in advance if this post reads more like a rant. I've recently started editing a couple of blogs. Both accept guest blog posts. Both invite potential contributors to pitch directly to me - and I have been inundated with terrible guest blog post pitches ever since.

Now, I don't have the magic formula that means you will see success with every guest blog post pitch.

But I have worked as a freelance writer for many years. I have pitched to many, many publications. I am now on the receiving end of these guest post pitches.

And here's where you may be going wrong with your guest post pitches:

1. Your title sucks

Let's look at a pitch I recently received. It's the (poor) standard of pitch that's regularly hitting my inbox.

My first bugbear is the title. It simply says "Add My Blog Post".

Why?

Why would I add your blog post? Such a generic title tells me nothing about what you're pitching or your proposed content.

I get hundreds of these emails every day - why am I going to click on one that says "Add My Blog Post"?

You need to grab an editor's attention with a catchy title and details of your proposed copy.

For example, "Pitch: How to Rock An Event At Your Coworking Space" would be a far better title.

Tip: Use your title to tell the editor what you want to write.

2. Sorry, who are you?

The majority of pitches I receive have a generic "gmail.com" domain. This irks me because it tells me nothing about you and, when I open the email, there's also no further information on who you are.

Are you a freelance writer? Are you working on behalf of a specific company or agency? Where's your email signature with details about your job title?

Such pitches give me no idea why I should take you seriously as a writer.

Tip: Include a couple of sentences about you and use a corporate email account.

3. You don't even know my name

No, I haven't got all egotistical here. But you should, at the very least, add the name of the editor you're pitching to in your intro.

A "Hi Gemma" will suffice - it shows you're not just sending the same generic pitch to every blog editor in the world (because you'd never do that, right?).

Also, I edit more than one blog - which one are you pitching to? You just need to say "I'd like to pitch a post to your [INSERT NAME] blog..." here.

Tip: ALWAYS use an editor's name and mention the publication.

4. Have you really read my blog?

Great! You've read my blog! You think it's good and impressive!

So what? 

This isn't going to impress me. What would impress me is a more insightful statement with proof that our brands are aligned or that you have some value to add to my blog.

For example, a better start would be "I read your post on how words are failing women in technology, I recently decided to leave a career in science because of everyday sexism and would like to share my experiences on your blog."

Ta-da! You've also just told me a little bit about yourself, shown that you've actually read my blog and demonstrated how you can add value with a unique perspective on a complex topic.

Tip: Prove you've read the publication and provide insight.

5. Check your spelling and grammar

Oh my goodness. I shouldn't even have to write this down.

If you're pitching to WRITE for a publication CHECK YOUR SPELLING AND PUNCTUATION.

If you struggle with this, then download the Grammarly app. 

Admittedly, it is easy for such mistakes to slip in. But a glaring grammatical error can be all it takes for an editor to hit the delete button.

Tip: Double check every pitch for simple mistakes.

6. Read the editorial guidelines

Now, while there may appear to be nothing wrong with a polite concluding sentence, it's clear this pitcher has not read the editorial guidelines for the blog.

If they had read the guidelines, then they'd know that I only respond to pitches that follow a specific format and how I will proceed with successful pitches.

Editors receive hundreds of pitches a day. We don't have time to respond to every pitch and we certainly won't respond to lazy pitches that don't follow the guidelines we've taken the time to write.

Tip: Tailor every pitch to the specifics of every publication.

7. Know when to quit

If you don't hear back from an editor about your pitch, by all means send a follow up. Probably a week or so later, just to check they got your message and politely plead your case one last time.

DO NOT REPEATEDLY EMAIL AN EDITOR ASKING ABOUT YOUR PITCH.

It's a guaranteed way that all future emails from you will go straight to my spam folder.

Tip: Accept every pitch will not see success and editors are busy people.

So, what does make a good pitch? Here's a pitch template:

[TITLE] Pitch: [PROPOSED PITCH TITLE]

Dear [EDITOR'S NAME],

My name's [YOUR NAME] and I [DETAILS OF YOUR EXPERIENCE/BUSINESS].

I recently read [POST TITLE] on your [PUBLICATION TITLE] and [YOUR INSIGHTS HERE].

I would like to pitch the following idea to you:

Working title: [PROPOSED PITCH TITLE]

Synopsis: [GUEST POST SYNOPSIS]

Thank you for your time. Please let me know if there's any further information you need from me at this stage.

Thanks,

[YOUR NAME]

[YOUR DETAILS]

For example, here's the guest post pitch template with the blanks filled in:

Pitch: 10 Editors Every Writer Should Avoid Like the Plague

Dear Jeff,

My name's Gemma and I'm an experienced freelance writer in the science and technology sectors. You can read examples of my work here.

I recently read your post "10,000 things I hate about whinging editors" on the Completely Fictional Writers blog and, having worked as a freelance writer for more than 10 years, it strikes me that there are specific categories of editor that every writer encounters.

I would like to pitch the following idea to you:

Working title: 10 Editors Every Writer Should Avoid Like the Plague

Synopsis: From the overly critical to the over-askers, this post will identify 10 different types of editor, their character traits and how writers can work with each type.

Thank you for your time. Please let me know if there's any further information you need from me at this stage.

Thanks,

Gemma Church

The freelance writer who gets tech: www.geditorial.com.

Some final guest blog post pitch tips

In summary, good guest blog post pitches take time. You can't spam every editor you find with the same generic pitch hoping you'll get a hit.

You also need to keep your pitches short. If an idea peaks the interest of an editor, they'll ask you for more info.

Finally, don't offer to write the same generic fodder others could write. Identify an angle or information that's different from the competition.

Be polite. Be specific. Be brief. Be different. 

Remember, editors are human beings.

We all have our bad days (as this post clearly demonstrates).

But, if your idea is a good one, we can't wait to work with you.