For our first edition, we're tackling our namesake—the cold pitch. What message does this medium convey? And is that really how we want to represent ourselves to strangers?
What an excellent piece, thank you!! I’m excited about this experiment of yours. I had a podcast for a while called What is Leadership? I completed it for unrelated reasons, but I don’t miss the pitches. Once I got multiple ‘this exec at this big Pharma company Would be a great fit for your show’ in a single week and it was clear they weren’t taking a single second to understand the angle of the show.
I started to feel that my own work and the title was ‘off brand’, but this article helps me see that this is simply the norm.
I love the content you share. Even more I LOVE how you write. You could write about anything and I’d want to read it. I’m inspired by how you wield your craft. So thoughtful, smart and punctuated with funny in ways that keep me with each line. Now that I’ve said nice things, expect to see my pitch in your inbox. Just kidding. Genuinely admire you and your work.
Hi Chela! Thank you so much!! I found myself writing in a slightly different voice in this piece—and I quite liked it. I'll be curious to see if that continues as we continue the experiment!
And yes, your cold pitch experience was TOTALLY normal. I wish I could remember some of the doozies I've gotten...
I’m very into this substack, even though I found it because I was looking into pitching What Works? 😳 😂
This is really interesting, to think about processing emails / cold pitches the way an autistic person might. I get really emotionally exhausted contemplating the layers of hidden agenda behind pretty much all online interactions—like, am I writing this comment right now to grease the wheels for a future pitch, or do I genuinely like what I just read? YOU WILL NEVER KNOW 😈
(Just kidding, I really do love it and bravo on trying a new thing)
Yesss! When I first started listening to this, I was thinking about the connection to how we as Autistic people often communicate and how it relates to the small talk of email pitches. I was thrilled when you tied it into how you move through the world.
Also I loved hearing this collaboration between you two. More of Sean saying “malarkey” in my feed, please.
This is super interesting to me as a neurospicy person who thinks about psychology literally all the time. I think you're totally right—it's the emotional whiplash that makes these pitches so yucky to get. I'm going to completely rethink how I reach out to people in the future. The truth is that I only want to develop real relationships, but I find so often that most people don't have the interest/space/bandwidth to do the same. So we develop a pretend relationship for the short time that we collaborate on a podcast. It's very odd.
It would be easier if we could stop that pretending.
Yes, most of the cold pitches that I receive are shockingly, embarrassingly lame and counterproductive!
And it is bleak to consider that cold pitches are how people choose to portray themselves and their work to people they've never met.
But does it make it better or worse that most of those pictures are sent by PR professionals? I mean, it's their whole job. How can they be so very bad at it?
And if my cold pitches are out there making me look terrible, isn't it even worse that I'm actually paying somebody to do that for (to?) me?
I would challenge that these people are actually PR pros! There are plenty of people on Fiverr who will pitch a buyer to hundreds of shows for like $50. (Which, I wish I would have thought about before I published this because there could have been some hilarious screen caps!)
I'm pretty sympathetic to the people who pay for these services. There is a HUGE information in balance in the industry (actually, in both PR and in podcasting). And, people are desperate. If not financially, then sort of existentially. Bleak in its own way...
What an excellent piece, thank you!! I’m excited about this experiment of yours. I had a podcast for a while called What is Leadership? I completed it for unrelated reasons, but I don’t miss the pitches. Once I got multiple ‘this exec at this big Pharma company Would be a great fit for your show’ in a single week and it was clear they weren’t taking a single second to understand the angle of the show.
I started to feel that my own work and the title was ‘off brand’, but this article helps me see that this is simply the norm.
I love the content you share. Even more I LOVE how you write. You could write about anything and I’d want to read it. I’m inspired by how you wield your craft. So thoughtful, smart and punctuated with funny in ways that keep me with each line. Now that I’ve said nice things, expect to see my pitch in your inbox. Just kidding. Genuinely admire you and your work.
Hi Chela! Thank you so much!! I found myself writing in a slightly different voice in this piece—and I quite liked it. I'll be curious to see if that continues as we continue the experiment!
And yes, your cold pitch experience was TOTALLY normal. I wish I could remember some of the doozies I've gotten...
I’m very into this substack, even though I found it because I was looking into pitching What Works? 😳 😂
This is really interesting, to think about processing emails / cold pitches the way an autistic person might. I get really emotionally exhausted contemplating the layers of hidden agenda behind pretty much all online interactions—like, am I writing this comment right now to grease the wheels for a future pitch, or do I genuinely like what I just read? YOU WILL NEVER KNOW 😈
(Just kidding, I really do love it and bravo on trying a new thing)
This comment is a rich text.
And by that I mean, I love it!! 🥰
Yesss! When I first started listening to this, I was thinking about the connection to how we as Autistic people often communicate and how it relates to the small talk of email pitches. I was thrilled when you tied it into how you move through the world.
Also I loved hearing this collaboration between you two. More of Sean saying “malarkey” in my feed, please.
I've got a lot of Malarkeys to share!!
I think that I even dropped one in this weeks Phone Tree recording... I'm on a tear! (1-406-200-8460 🤪)
As someone who has spent a lifetime trying to be less blunt, it's lovely to hear a validation of just presenting the facts!
Ooof! Same. I have often been complimented for being "no nonsense," but that flips into a complaint REAL fast!
I like what you're saying here! Yes, yes, yes! Lots of cogent analysis and clear thinking.
I am so stinkin weary of the markety-mark-mark-schtrategization BS! Blech.
We. Are. People. Not. Things.
Looking forward to seeing your creativity and growth!
This is super interesting to me as a neurospicy person who thinks about psychology literally all the time. I think you're totally right—it's the emotional whiplash that makes these pitches so yucky to get. I'm going to completely rethink how I reach out to people in the future. The truth is that I only want to develop real relationships, but I find so often that most people don't have the interest/space/bandwidth to do the same. So we develop a pretend relationship for the short time that we collaborate on a podcast. It's very odd.
It would be easier if we could stop that pretending.
Yes, most of the cold pitches that I receive are shockingly, embarrassingly lame and counterproductive!
And it is bleak to consider that cold pitches are how people choose to portray themselves and their work to people they've never met.
But does it make it better or worse that most of those pictures are sent by PR professionals? I mean, it's their whole job. How can they be so very bad at it?
And if my cold pitches are out there making me look terrible, isn't it even worse that I'm actually paying somebody to do that for (to?) me?
I would challenge that these people are actually PR pros! There are plenty of people on Fiverr who will pitch a buyer to hundreds of shows for like $50. (Which, I wish I would have thought about before I published this because there could have been some hilarious screen caps!)
I'm pretty sympathetic to the people who pay for these services. There is a HUGE information in balance in the industry (actually, in both PR and in podcasting). And, people are desperate. If not financially, then sort of existentially. Bleak in its own way...
Yeah, it's sad to think that people are buying into these embarrassingly counterproductive (totally agree!) services...
My cynical side feels like the PR agencies are just taking advantage...
But there is there is my other side thinking that they too are being duped into participating.
Am I being too generous?