Pitching Fails #1: Dog Groomer Asks for a Spot on Music Business Podcast

Sounds oddly like an Onion headline, but with God as my witness, this really happened

Welcome to pitching fails, where we dissect losing pitches that never had a chance of landing with the recipient.

Study these well, and you will start to figure out exactly what not to do when you’re seeking out guest posting, interview, collaboration, partnership, cross-promotion, and any other opportunities you might be chasing.

The point isn’t to stop pitching. It’s to figure out how to do it the right way, so you can get a better response rate.

Let’s dive into our first pitch:

Decent pitch, right?

WRONG.

Why is that the case?

Well, here are some things to think about:

Fail #1: The Email Isn’t Addressed to Anyone

This immediately increases the chances that it’s a form letter and usually denotes a complete lack of research on the part of the sender as well (which in this case is accurate).

Pitches should always begin with “Hi John Smith” or equivalent, indicating that you know who you’re talking to.

And if you can’t figure out that you need to replace “John Smith” with the person’s name you’re addressing the letter to, I can’t help you…

Never address your email to “107.1 FM K-RAP,” “Music Director,” “Yo,” or “Hey buddy.”

If you’ve scoured the web for their name and still can’t find it, lead with that!

Hey, I’m XYZ from ABC. I tried everything I could to find your name online, and simply couldn’t find it! I’m sorry. But I’m reaching out because…

Fail #2: Clueless Who She’s Pitching to

So, she’s an experienced dog groomer… that’s great!