You’re applying for a job in advertising, public relations or marketing and you’ve been given this assignment: “Write a compelling pitch for a soap product that will make the average person want to reach for their wallet and grab a bar of Dial.” What do you do? How do you start?
Here are some of the things you’re likely to encounter:
Complex Instructions
You’re probably used to writing copy for websites and blogs. But, the world of marketing and advertising is not like that. You’ll frequently be handed press releases to read and respond to. You’re also required to write short pitches for journalists. The instructions may be simple, but the execution can be tricky.
The Need to Create Trust
Imagine you’re reading an article about a luxury brand in a popular magazine. The article praises the brand’s craftsmanship and unique design elements. Suddenly, you’re faced with a choice: Should you believe the article or should you doubt it? You need to create trust with your readers. The brand’s product and message deserve to be believed, so you write something similar. But, you may not want to come off as too much like the source.
The Need to Be Entertaining
As a writer, you undoubtedly write for an audience. But, you may not always write for people. Sometimes, you need to entertain a room of 20 people, whether you’ve met them or not. To do this, you need to grab their attention and keep it. To achieve this, you use various methods to grab your reader’s attention, from using the right words to playing some cool parlor tricks. These methods include:
Pitching Perfectly
In the world of marketing and advertising, you’ll frequently be asked to pitch a product or service to a potential client. To ensure that you deliver your best pitch, you need to follow some tried and tested techniques. One of the most effective methods is called “pitching perfect.” This technique is based on the idea that your audience is more likely to trust your words if you present them with confidence. To achieve this, you repeat the following three steps:
Step one: Select your position
Firstly, you need to pick a position. This could be your unique selling point or the key benefits that your product provides. For example, if you’re pitching a car insurance product, you could begin by referencing the importance of safety or security in today’s world. Or, if you’re pitching a facial scrub product, you could begin by talking about the effectiveness of your formula or the ingredients it contains.
Step two: Craft an hook
The second step is to craft an hook. An “hook” is something that draws the reader in and keeps them wanting more. For example, with a luxury car insurance product, you could write about some of the exotic models that the company can offer. Or, with a facial scrub product, you could include a quirky character or an unusual story to make the person reading or listening to your pitch interested in your product.
Step three: Match your strategy to your target market
The final step is to match your strategy to your target market. Your target market is the group of people you’re likely to sell your product to. This group could be defined by age, gender, location, language, interests, hobbies, and so on. To find your target market, you need to ask yourself questions about who you’re currently talking to and what they want. Begin by finding your competitors’ strengths and weaknesses. Then, you can map out your own strategy to fit your unique selling point.
To create a memorable pitch, you need to craft a compelling narrative that hooks your readers. If you keep these steps in mind and apply them to your writing, you’ll have no problem pitching your product or service.