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5 Things I Know For Sure About Writing
a Successful Pitch Letter
by Steve Slaunwhite
Need more clients? Then put your paper army of salespeople to work for you! I'm talking, of course, about pitch letters.
A pitch letter is a letter or email – usually one to two pages in length – that introduces you to prospective clients.
Over the years, I've tested dozens of pitch letters for my own copywriting business, enduring the painstaking process of discovering what works and what doesn't.
Yep, I've had my share of big winners. (Yeah!) And spectacular flops. (Ouch!) But, today, I consistently generate a response rate of about 2%-5%, depending on the list. So if I send out 500 letters, I receive 10 to 50 relies. And about 20% of these folks eventually try my services.
What are my pitch letter secrets? They're fairly straightforward. Follow these tips and you'll be well on your way to writing a winner:
1. Highlight the problem.
Believe it or not, clients don't hire you for great writing. They hire you to solve problems - looming deadlines, sagging response rates, work overload, etc. So begin your letter by addressing a specific concern a client might have that YOU can solve.
For example, I specialize in writing sales letters. So I often highlight the difficulty in getting a decent response rate from direct mail and email promotions.
An investor relations writer I once read about began his pitch letters by asking: "Is your Annual Report an annual headache?"
On her website, copywriter Janice King leads with, "Finding a writer who understands the technology in high-tech isn't easy..."
2. Position YOU as the solution.
If you remind a client that he or she has a problem, then you better suggest a solution but quick. And that solution is, of course, you.
What is it about your copywriting that can relieve a client's pain like no other writer's can? Do you have extensive experience in his or her industry? Are you particularly adept at reaching the target audience? Do you specialize in a specific project type (direct mail? online selling? newsletters?)
One copywriter I came across recently specializes in reaching the luxury market. So if Rolex needs a sales letter that gets results (“the problem”), she is positioned as the expert who can make that happen (“the solution”.)
3. Reek credibility.
After you have positioned yourself as the solution, you need to prove your case. Or else the client will have no reason to believe you.
List some of the companies you have written for… highlight your successes… point to the availability of samples… cite response statistics… quote client testimonials… reference trade publications where you have been featured or quoted… say how long you've been in business…
You get the idea.
And don't forget your presentation. Make sure you use quality letterhead and consider having your logo or wordmark professionally designed (along with your website.)
You're asking clients to be their go-to copywriting expert. So look the part.
4. Don't write a resume!
The most common mistake I see in copywriter pitch letters is that they look too much like job applications. You're NOT looking for work. You're looking for clients.
In my experience, clients want to deal with professionals, not job hunters. They want to hire writers who demonstrate skill, experience, and the ability to work independently. They're not interested in training you or holding your hand - an impression they might very well get if your pitch letter looks like a resume.
So leave out the hobbies, list of schools you've attended, special formatting, and other elements you normally find in a curriculum vitae. Make your letter look like it's from a busy professional, not the hungry job seeker.
5. Offer FREE giveaway.
A sure way to increase the response to your pitch letters is to give something away. This could be as simple as a customized CD featuring portfolio samples and current fee schedule. You could also offer a reprint of an article, special report, tip sheet, or booklet.
For years, I offered a free booklet, published electronically as a PDF, called: “101 Writing Tips for Successful Email Marketing.” It not only boosted the response to my pitch letters, but also positioned me as an expert in email marketing! As a result, I attracted hundreds of thousands of dollars in lucrative email writing assignments within just a few years.
Well, there you have it. The five things I know for sure about crafting a client-getting pitch letter.
And here's a bonus tip: Don't give up too soon. If your first letter doesn't do as well as you had hoped, try, try again. Keep revising and testing your letter until it consistently generates the response you need - which, for most copywriters, is about 1%.
Note: For a terrific book on writing sales letters, I recommend “The Ultimate Sales Letter” by Dan Kennedy. Click here to learn more about this book on Amazon.com.
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 "Steve is always number one in my book. A real copywriting expert."
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