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Cold Pitch
Playbook
Your writing reference guide to
ethical cold pitches from start to send

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Ethical Cold Pitch Writing

Checklist
Point of Connection
Message match with relevancy
What is top of mind for them?
Focus on something relevant to their business
Recent news that might be happening
The last project that they worked on
Pain points and desires
Reverse engineer what their priorities might be
Identifying the decision maker might help with this
Look at their role, what they're tasked with and what their priorities are

Get specific
Specificity shows you understand your reader
Define what's happening in their industry or business
Identify the current events or current landscape they're experiencing
Use examples and numbers to show vs tell

Be complimentary
Never Lie!
Choose the facts that you respect or admire about your prospect
Briefly share what resonates with you and why
Be straight up and tell them what you like about them

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Checklist (cont.)
Shifting the Conversation
Shifting the conversation
Connect the relevancy of you reaching out to their larger goal
The industry landscape
An upcoming or recent event
Recent growth or change in their brand
Their response to market change

Flip the script

Reveal the problem or challenge within the opportunity or action
"But here's the thing…"
"The truth is..."
"What if you..."

Transition to the pain point, problem or challenge

Plainly state the problem
Keep it to a single line or 2
Be clear and concise
You're just defining it...that's all

Agitate like crazy

Agitate the heck out of the pain point, problem or challenge
Be as specific as possible, pull from your research and VOC
Use heightened emotion to dig deeper into the problem
Connect the agitation to their larger goals

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Checklist (cont.)
Solve the Problem
Present a solution
State your specific solution as the resolution to the problem
This is the "WHAT" you planned to pitch
Keep it to a single line or 2
Be clear and concise

Scope the solution

Outline the solution / scope out the project at a high level
Break it down into its main parts
Examples:
Launch package: webinar emails, launch emails, sales page
Website design: home page, about page, services pages
Brand photography: strategy session, studio access, styling

Identify the benefits

Draw out the features advantages and benefits
Draft each part of the solution as a fascination
Connect each part to the benefit it offers
Be specific and connect back to their goals
Bookend with the most compelling bullets
Bold format the benefit of each

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Checklist (cont.)
Talk about you now — but briefly
Introduce yourself
Keep it to a single line or 2
Be clear and concise
Connect your adjectives to their needs

Build trust with authority

Optional:
Name drop someone impressive
Summarize a similar project
Include your recent results
Link to your portfolio samples

Practice your introduction

Test out different adjectives and labels in your introduction, but remember to keep it brief! Try
this introduction formula to get started: As a [type of freelancer your solution requires], I help
[how your prospect sees themselves] (like you) to [accomplish outcome you're pitching].

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Checklist (cont.)
Invite to a conversation
Frame the problem
Restate the specific problem in new words again
Agitate the problem again
Show how the problem will get worse
Connect the agitation to their larger goals

Continue building urgency

Tie the solution to an upcoming event or deadline
Use loss aversion to show the pain of not taking action
Heighten the emotion with more feeling words
But don't fake or over-inflate the need to move quickly

Future pace the benefits

Paint the outcome of the solution clearly
Be specific to create a visual in your prospect's mind
"Imagine that..."
Illustrate a specific time in the near future
Connect the future benefits specifically to your prospect's goal

Balance the CTA to move the conversation forward

Always connect the CTA back to the result
Ask for the minimum viable commitment to continue the conversation
Consider the steps involved in saying yes to your CTA
Add value in the CTA, where possible

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Cold Pitch Example 1

Subject Line: Everyday Copy Launch Because this was an upcoming
launch for a new offer (Everyday
Copy) this was absolutely top of
Hey Belinda, mind and on message.

I know you’re gearing up for the launch of Everyday Copy

(which is a phenomenal idea btw), you shared what a big
mindset challenge that is right now.
Kicking off with relevancy around
this upcoming launch and
And I get it. It’s a difficult time to be launching anything right
now. incorporating specificity around
the current challenges she's
Everyone is in the house making noise and asking for your facing in pursuit of that goal.
attention. Concentrating is basically Mission Impossible right
now.

Everybody and their poodle is throwing out opinions on Validating those pain points she
whether people should be marketing, selling, or launching feels, by spelling out every single
right now. You’re constantly reminding yourself that you know thing on her plate. I'm starting to
what is right for your audience. agitate just how painful writing
copy for a big launch on top of her
You’re already stretched pretty thin between your The very full schedule really is.
Copywriting Master Class, Confident Copywriting Membership,
writing copy for clients, mom-ing, wife-ing, breathing and
heaven forbid you want to incorporate a moment for self-care!

Which is why I think I could be a huge asset to you for this Lots of authentic compliments
launch. here. These are all things I
genuinely believe about Belinda,
We both know you can tackle it solo. Because you’re a champ. so it was just a matter of layering
You built a business from the ground up the way every these thoughts into context.
freelancer dreams of doing it.

But what if you didn’t have to go it alone?

Notice how I'm already future
What if you had an experienced copywriter with multiple
pacing as I'm introducing the
launches under her belt who knew your voice and your
solution? I'm jumping right into
audience… and she could tackle those remaining copy projects
the outcome that is possible when
you need to tick off before cart open day?
she says yes.
I’ve pulled tips and tricks on how to emulate voice and tone
from brand copywriters like Abbey Woodcock and Justin
Blackman.
I didn't have fancy names to
I’ve studied conversion principles from CRO top guns like drop, so I'm borrowing credibility
Joanna Wiebe and ConversionXL. based on who I have followed
and learned from. I've also added
I’ve swiped sales page anatomy and email sequence structure in a complimentary layer to
from copy geniuses like you! acknowledge that Belinda has
been an important teacher and
mentor to me as well.

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Cold Pitch Example 1 (cont.)

And most importantly — I’ve helped coaches in the marketing,

writing, business, and mindset spaces to launch new programs, These results look impressive,
courses, and paid offers with incredible results. because I've framed them in the
best possible light.
I created the sales page and email sequence for a program launch
of a content marketing coach which brought in $12K in the first That launch that brought in $12k
hour. in an hour brought in $12k in
total.
I developed the sales funnel for a business coach’s first launch
ever, which resulted in 3X more conversions than she hoped for.
3x more conversions was for a
I wrote the email copy for 3 separate launches on behalf of a client with very low expectations.
marketing coach, all of which saw email open rates consistently
above 60%. And email rates above 60% were
for a coach with a small, highly
I’d love to help you get those kinds of results for your next launch.
engaged list.
Then you could have that time and headspace for more important
things.

You could spend the afternoon with your two tiny humans who
keep barging into your office with questions and announcements This future pacing is incredibly
every 20 minutes, while I craft a sales page that persuades each
detailed and specific, much of
decision-maker persona that yes, now is the time to invest in their
which has been pulled from voice
business.
of customer. I haven't just
You could wrap up with that book you’ve been dying to finish with identified what will be off her
Fenris on your lap, while I draft an email sequence that moves plate, but what becomes
readers through the stages of awareness and primes them to say available to her when it is off her
yes as soon as they land on that killer sales page. plate. I've shifted her attention to
all the desires and outcomes she
You could drift off to sleep without an ounce of sweaty anxiety
really wants.
because your lizard brain knows that I’ve got the funnel strategy
support you need to launch this thing on time and on par with
your previous launches.
This is all voice of customer,
I know you shared your course launch progress with the CC group
as a mindset reminder, but I’d love to help you make this next reflected back to Belinda. Our
launch your smoothest one ever (especially when everything feels VOC can extend beyond pain
so turned upside). points and benefits to include
what the brand teaches or values.
Because when you’re asked to step up, it probably means it’s time We can reflect those brand
for some help. visions, missions and values as
part of our pitches, too.
When the goal is to push through, a helping hand is the best way
to avoid burnout.

When you’re under pressure, unloading your plate is the way to

keep your cool.
Notice how easy this CTA is to
I know schedules are busy and trying to squeeze in yet-another-
respond to? I've acknowledged
call is a frantic game of calendar tetris. So, instead of hopping on a
call…
how busy she is and taken that
into consideration in this CTA. I've
Why don’t you tell me what’s left on your launch copy plate, and I’ll left the CTA as an open-ended
send you a video that walks you through how I can tackle it for question and provided context
you! into what I will do once I hear
back from her. It makes
What pieces of launch copy are still crowding up your to-do list? responding to this pitch a no
brainer.

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Cold Pitch Example 2 This subject line is very much

driven by the brand's goal and the
relevancy of external events. This
pitch was sent before the US
Subject Line: Scaling Run The World in officially went into lockdown, so it
the wake of the coronavirus outbreak was timely and top of mind for a
virtual events platform.
Hi Xiaoyin,

I’ve been seeing your name everywhere. Kicking off with a bit of honest
flattery.
People are saying that Run The World is the answer to the
rising number of conferences on the chopping block due to
coronavirus.
I'm introducing relevant context,
Facebook’s F8, Adobe Summit, Shopify Unite, Google Cloud some of which Xiaoyin knows and
Next 2020, and Microsoft MVP Global Summit have all been some that will be new to her, but
cancelled, postponed, or moved to an online-only event. all is pertinent to her brand's goals.
This section is very much outlining
And that’s just events in the tech space in North America. Many the incredible opportunity at her
smaller, regional conferences around the world are doorstep.
encountering the same questions: Should we cancel? Should
we postpone?

But cancelling (or even postponing) a conference is expensive. Reinforcing how her actions are
Often, it comes at a loss for the conference organizer, as well as already driving towards her goals.
for attendees who’ve already bought tickets.
This helps to align the work she's
already done with the solution I'm
Of course, you know all of this.
about present to her. I've also
You put Run The World front and center of the digital event layered complimentary language
space long before coronavirus accelerated public interest in about how much I respect and
live online conferences. admire that work.

I’ve been blown away by how you’ve scaled Run The World up,
due in large part to your quick response to coronavirus. By
waiving all set-up fees, you’ve removed one barrier to entry for I've flipped the script and
event organizers to move online. presented the problem in a
single, clear statement of fact.
But here’s the thing:

Event organizers are still questioning whether a digital event is The agitation I'm doing here is
effective. digging into the gap that my
solution will fill. I've used their
They know that technology can host conference speeches with
audience's VOC to compare their
no problem, but can it really foster the kind of learning that
audience's pain points against
adds up to those “a-ha” moments for attendees?
Run The World's solutions in the
They don’t know about Fireside Chat. context of what their audience
doesn't know. In other words, I'm
I’ve swiped sales page anatomy and email sequence structure using the specific features of their
from copy geniuses like you! product to show just how big this
knowledge gap is and how that's
preventing Xiaoyin from achieving
her goals.

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Cold Pitch Example 2 (cont.)

Can an online platform enable attendees to get close to the

speakers and panelists they bought tickets to see and connect
with?
(cont.) The agitation I'm doing
They don’t know about Mentor Office Hours. here is digging into the gap that
my solution will fill. I've used their
Can an app recreate the social happy hours, private coffee customer's VOC to compare their
breaks, and those chance networking meetings that happen in
audience's pain points against
between sessions that so many attendees crave?
Run The World's solutions in the
context of what their audience
They don’t know about Cocktail Meetup.
doesn't know. In other words, I'm
Event organizers still have a lot of doubts about moving their using the specific features of their
conference online. product to show just how big this
knowledge gap is and how that's
And every day, coronavirus causes more event organizers to preventing Xiaoyin from achieving
cancel… when they could shift their event to Run The World. her goals.

I believe I can help you remove those remaining barriers for

event organizers by transforming your coronavirus alert page
into a sales page, so your visitors can instantly see how
powerful Run The World is and why they should shift their at-
risk event to your platform.
The solution is brief, but clear.
I can write a high-converting sales page for you that includes:
Then I dive immediately into the
very loose project scope using
An attention-grabbing headline that gets event organizers
fascinations to draw out the
reading about how your platform solves their problems, so
more event organizers book demos and sign up benefits. I've also bolded the
Persuasive cross heads that identify and dismantle each outcomes to capture Xiaoyin's
obstacle and myth that event organizers believe about live attention in case she's skimming.
online conferences Most importantly, I've connected
Conversion-focused copy that digs into the problems event each general part of the proposed
organizers are facing due to coronavirus, and establishes solution to an outcome she cares
Run The World as the obvious solution about.
Powerful calls to action to increase your demo conversions,
and deepen the overall position Run The World has in the
online events space

You’re positioning Run The World to be the solution for event

organizers worldwide in the wake of COVID-19, but every day
there’s more news about cancelled events.
I'm reiterating much of the same
Game Developers Conference (GDC) was cancelled when Sony
context from earlier in the pitch,
and Microsoft pulled out of the event. Over 33,000 people have
petitioned to call off SXSW, and as a result both Facebook and but with new information. Earlier
Twitter have since pulled out. As public opinion shifts, more this set the scene for the
brands may back out, and conferences will be forced to cancel opportunity available to Xiaoyin
as a result. and her team. Now, I am
introducing urgency and future
If event organizers knew about how Run The World helps pacing what is possible for Run
conferences affected by coronavirus, they wouldn't have to The World with my solution.
cancel. If they understood the power of your platform, they
could be migrating to Run The World instead.

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Cold Pitch Example 2 (cont.)

You have an incredible solution to bring people together in a new

I've connected the CTA to the
way, worldwide. Your platform enables everyone to find their tribe desired outcome, but in hindsight
and engage with like-minded people. I made a big ask. Xiaoyin is a busy
founder with a calendar full of
We may not have a solution for COVID-19 yet, but I believe more calls, which is something to take
event organizers should know that Run The World is the solution into account. If I were to go back
to the problems coronavirus has wrought on their events and in time and send this pitch with a
community.
minimum viable CTA, I'd likely
Let’s talk about how a high-converting sales page can increase suggest she let me know how
demo and signup conversions from event organizers affected by interested she is so I could send a
coronavirus. Do you have availability on your calendar this week for brief summary of how I'd cover
a 15-min call? each product feature mentioned
in the agitation section to capture
a reader's attention.

Cold Pitch Example 3 Jump right in with a great mix of

relevancy and specificity in a lens
of complimentary language. The
SXSW finalist selection and round
Subject Line: 24 Days until T&W goes to of capital were recent milestone
SXSW achievements, and I connected
these wins to their larger goal of
targeting digital-first customers
Hey Cody, on their quest to taking market
share.
Congratulations on T&W being selected as a finalist in SXSW’s
Consumer Technology & CPG category — you beat out 95% of
applicants!
In this example, I've jumped right
Just a month after successfully raising your 2nd round of capital, it
to flipping the script. Here's why it
sounds like you’re on the right track to achieve some very
works in this context: the problem
aggressive growth goals.
that revealing is the SXSW
And if you’re trying to take market share, SXSW is a great opportunity that I've addressed in
marketing opportunity to target digital-first customers. the point of connection. What
they do with this opportunity
But here’s the thing: could either further their goals or
be a huge missed opportunity for
SXSW has a long history of internet darlings who died quickly after
them.
getting the media attention they craved. Circa. Highlight. Meerkat.
You know the list.

All flashes in the pan because they struggled to grow a user base In this example, I've jumped right
post-pitch. to flipping the script. Here's why it
works in this context: the problem
They didn’t have a targeted marketing strategy to capitalize on
that I'm revealing is the SXSW
that attention. In fact, most startups don’t. Inviting attendees to
opportunity that I've addressed in
your homepage simply doesn’t convert.
the point of connection. What
Relevant, specific copy is what converts. And conversion is the they do with this opportunity
pathway to hitting those aggressive growth goals. could either further their goals or
be a huge missed opportunity for
them.

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Cold Pitch Example 3 (cont.)
My bio is very much aligned with
how this brand sees themselves.
As a conversion copywriter, I help fast-growing disruptors (like
The adjectives I'm using, the
T&W) achieve and surpass their aggressive growth goals.
labels of who I help and the
Which is why I think I can help you avoid the fate of those startup outcomes I help them get are all
cautionary tales, and get you an influx of new prospects instead. reflections of VOC for this brand.

I can build out a killer SXSW funnel for you. I'm thinking that would
include: I've kept the solution short and
Write a landing page specifically targeting SXSW attendees snappy before immediately diving
with super relevant, specific copy to hook casual readers and
into the potential project scope in
boost conversions
Create a lead magnet to further position T&W as an authority in the form of fascinations. Each
the estate planning space and capture email addresses to build bullet point addresses Cody's
1:1 relationships with prospects just beginning their buyer ultimate goal of increasing T&W's
journey user base and taking market
Draft an email nurturing sequence to shift readers to a higher share in their industry.
stage of awareness — where they’re more inclined to buy
Optimize that sequence for SMS (where open rates are as high
as 98%) so that we truly target those digital-first customers This particular pitch had an
external deadline of the SXSW
SXSW is just a little more than a month away. This is crunch time.
event. This allowed me to weave
Let's talk about what a SXSW funnel for T&W could look like. Are in urgency without a ton of copy.
you free this Thursday at 10am PT to chat for 15 mins?
In this context, the CTA asking for a
call could be a good fit. There is
built in urgency and a fast timeline
so Cody does need to make a relatively quick decision about saying
yes to this solution or no (in which case I can continue to nurture
the relationship). All that said, there is still ample space to optimize
this CTA by making the outcome of the CTA more benefits-focused,
where I've addressed the possible topic of conversation.

Notes

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