1/7/2021
When pitching brands do you ever feel like you’re reaching out to a dark hole? Umm, hello, is anyone there? Does anyone even see your message?
It can be frustrating to not hear back from potential brand partners, but the good news is, there are a few things you can (and should) be doing to ensure a higher response rate. Some of our tried and true tips below!
- To start, do what you can to be sure you have the right contact.
- Craft your pitch to pique their interest with a customized message. Show your genuine interest in their products or company.
- Follow up with specifics— a specific event, ask, meeting suggestion.
- Keep at it and don’t give up. Be politely persistent.
To learn more about why brands may not be responding to you, see here.
Let’s start with the first tip. How do you know who to contact and how do you find that person? Corporate executives and employees can come off as mysteriously unavailable, but it’s really not as hard to get in touch with them as you may think. Let’s dive in!
Who is the right person?
Start by figuring out WHO you need to contact. The individual will depend on the size of the company and your offer, but in most cases, your contact will be in the marketing department.
Potential contacts include:
CEO/Founder For smaller or very new companies, the founder likely wears many hats and manages many of the partnerships.
CMO Also for smaller companies or if you are offering a bigger picture consulting service – like sitting on their board of advisors.
PR Manager If you are offering any type of media (tv or press)
Marketing Manager If you are offering blog content or recipe development
Social Media Manager or Influencer Coordinator For anything social media related
Community or Events Manager For product samples
For companies that work with quite a few dietitians, they typically have one main contact for RDs. This is likely a PR, Marketing, or Brand Manager.
How to get in touch with the right person
Okay, so you know who to contact – but HOW do you find this person?
Direct Message on Social Media
If you are offering anything social media related, it’s not a bad idea to message the company from social media. The person that checks those messages will likely be the one who manages social media partnerships or who works very closely with the person who does. It will also let them easily see your social media profile and determine if it is a fit (stay tuned for more info on crafting your online presence to stand out!)
Contact Form on Website
This isn’t always ideal, but it can work, particularly for smaller companies. Usually, the person who manages this inbox will forward your message to the right person.
Search for the company on LinkedIn and look through the employees to find one with the appropriate title. Send them a brief message when you invite them to connect. This works well because the word count helps you get to the point and only share the most pertinent information. Clarity & brevity are your friends here!
Link, of course! On Link we’ve done the initial legwork for you. Each contact on the brand profile is the person in the company who is responsible for managing RD partnerships. You will see their name, title, and photo on each brand profile. (Tip: Be sure to use their name when sending a message to the brand AND make sure your message is customized to their brand too!)
The fortune is in the follow-up…
Don’t expect to close a sale or even hear back after your first message. It’s okay– don’t get discouraged! People are busy and if they don’t instantly see the value of your offer or you don’t pique their interest, they may not respond right away. Be polite, but persistent and don’t be afraid to follow up more than once– continuing to offer customized value all along the way.
For more tips on crafting your pitch to get a response, see this blog post.
