Pitch Emails

INDIE RETAIL ACADEMY

What Retailers Wish You Knew

Pitch emails aren't about you.

Hold still for a second, would you?

WHUFT.

There we go.

I just vacuumed all the YOU out of your productsubmissions.

All your anxiety about approaching a store and your wildimaginings about what might happen if they actually placedan order, have been compacted into this tiny bale of fluff.

You can keep it if you like.

Now we’ve got a big, empty space, ready to be filled up withwhat really matters.

THEM.

The specific retailer you’re writing to.

Their unique point of view.

Their fears, dilemmas, hopes and dreams.

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HER E ' S T H E B I G S E C R E T

Hello!

And how stocking your lovely thing can help their particularbusiness to thrive.

Most artists don’t get this.

They assume that since they created their product, whatthey think and feel is always most important. Instead offiguring out what's going on in their stockists' heads, theycamp out in their own.

Which is why most product submissions don't result in anorder.

And why indie retailers like me need a stiff gin and tonicbefore opening our inbox.

If you really want to sell your work to shops, it's time to stopworking your own angle and start seeing things from ourpoint of view. When you do, it's much easier to side-step themistakes, pitfalls and screw-ups that trip up most artists.

In this guide, I'll show you how to do that. I'm going to letyou in on what retailers wish you knew about pitch emails.

Of course, this doesn't mean that every pitch you send fromnow on will be a slam-dunk. No-one can guarantee that (andif they say they can you should probably back away slowly.)

But I can promise you that there's no downside tounderstanding indie retailers better, especially when itcomes to pitch emails. This little guide is designed to giveyou the inside scoop and help stack the odds in your favour.

With every warm wish for your success,

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Clare

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We're not angrywith you

#1

SO S T O P F R E A K I N G OU T

I asked dozens of indie retailers to describe the least-effective pitchesthey receive. Here's a selection of the words they chose:

Awkward, pushy, timid, unprofessional, apologetic, obnoxious, vague,desperate, over-familiar, clueless, boring.

Now, this is weird.

Artists, in my experience, are likely to be bright, funny, sensitive andemotionally intelligent. I bet you are.

But if that's the case, why do most product submissions suck?

Why is there such an enormous chasm between how most artists comeacross in their pitch emails and what they're actually like?

It's fear.

You're scared of pitching your work to a store, right?

Come on. You can be honest.

Thought so. When you sit down to write to a store, fear gets in the way.

Well, here's the number one thing indie retailers want you to know.

You don't have to be frightened.

We're not angry with you for getting in touch, showing us the lovelything you make or asking us to spend our money on it.

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T H I N G S R E T A I L E R S W I SH YOU KNEW # 1

Seriously, relax

We don't think you're being forward.

We're not expecting you to be perfect.

We're aren't terrifying orc-monsters who'll pulverise your dreams andsprinkle them on a toasted sandwich.

Seriously, if we get the Breville out it's for the toasting of legitimateingredients only.

Bread. Cheese.

Maybe a bit of pickle if it's been a particularly trying day.

My point is that we don't actually want you to fail, and we'd much rathersay yes to your pitch than no.

Saying yes is exciting. Discovering a new supplier, placing our first orderand getting your work into the hands of our customers is a thrill. It's thereason many of us became retailers in the first place.

But many artists assume that retailers have a negative mindset - thatwe're permanently on the look-out for the tiniest excuse to knock themback.

This makes them feel scared, judged and intimidated, and as a resulttheir pitch email is torture to write (and read.)

They let their fear do the talking.

Listen up.

You don't have to be scared of retailers any more.

Yes, we want you to be professional. Yes, we want to feel that if we goahead with an order, we're going to be in safe hands.

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But we're also just people.

Often, quite nice people.

People who care about art and artists. People who, like you, are trying tokeep their small business afloat.

We put our trousers on one leg at a time, just like everybody else.

So instead of approaching your pitch email from an orc-monsterperspective, try thinking of each individual retailer from a trouserperpective.

As you research their store, build up a picture of what they seem to careabout.

Do they stock a lot of ethically-sourced products? Do they run a busyprogramme of events and workshops? Do they create colourful or funnywindow displays?

Treating this shopkeeper as a faceless source of potential income is,frankly, lazy, arrogant and exactly what hundreds of artists have donebefore you.

So show that you're different.

Find the human hiding behind the title of "retailer."

In your pitch email, talk to that human.

And remember that you're a human too.

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What's in thisfor us?

#2

T E L L U S WHY WE SHOU LD CAR E

When I began researching pitch emails, I didn't realise that indieretailers had quite so much to say about the subject.

Let's just say they have feelings. And since it's not something we get totalk about that often, many of my respondents jumped at the chance tolet it all out.

One of the common things I heard was "Most of the submissions Ireceive simply aren't relevant to my store."

Another said "We get a lot of blanket emails. They've obviously sent thesame message to several shops and are expecting me to figure out iftheir product is a good fit. I wish more artists would say 'Here's whyyour customers will like my work.' That makes my life so much easier."

In other words, indie retailers want you to help them out in your pitchemail.

They want you to do your homework and only get in touch if there'shard evidence to suggest that they might be interested in stocking yourstuff.

If there isn't, don't pitch to them at all.

When there is a good match, they want you to go even further. Tellthem why your wall hangings, lambs-wool socks or massive sculpturesmade from bronze and your own frozen blood will be of interest to theirspecific customers.

Do your homework and give them a reason why reading your pitch andconsidering your product is worth their time.

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T H I N G S R E T A I L E R S W I SH YOU KNEW # 2

Help us out

Are there parallels between your style and theirs?

Are they in a busy seaside location and you just happen to makeamazingly realistic seagull figurines?

Do they have an audience of hip young things and you make snarkygreetings cards for the Snapchat generation?

Give them an answer to the question "Why should I care about this?"

Tell them what's in it for them.

Because you know what?

That's exactly what their customers are going to wonder when they seeyour work on the retailer's shelf.

Instead of leaving the shopkeeper to figure it all out by themselves,break things down for them. Point out why this is a match made inheaven.

And do it fast, at the beginning of your pitch email. Prove to the retailerthat they're not wasting their time by reading on.

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Send everythingwe need

#3

T O MAKE A DEC I S I ON

Sometimes artists feel like they have to get permission to pitch theirstuff to a store.

They feel weird about just bouncing into the retailer's inbox and askingthem to spend a couple of hundred quid.

So they invite the buyer to join them in a little dance.

A gavotte, perhaps, or maybe some light moonwalking.

They email the store with a few details about their product and ask if it'sokay to send them a catalogue and price list.

The retailer has to email back to say "It's okay."

Then the artist then emails them their proper pitch with all the relevantdetails.

There are two big problems with this approach.

First, you're asking the shopkeeper to do a lot of work.

They have to notice your initial email, find time to read it, make adecision about whether it's worth learning more and reply. Then theyhave to wait for you to get back to them, notice your reply in their inbox,find time to read that and finally carve out a spare moment to look atyour catalogue.

I'm knackered just typing that out.

Secondly, you're banking on a pretty fragile chain of events.

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T H I N G S R E T A I L E R S W I SH YOU KNEW # 3

Attach your buyers' pack

If the retailer gets busy, a delivery comes in or they're off for a day ortwo, responding to your initial invitation to dance is likely to plummet tothe bottom of their to-do list.

Plus, a retailer who doesn't know you has very little incentive to do allthis work, just to see a product that might possibly be of interest tothem. In fact, they almost certainly can't tell if it's of interest withoutknowing your wholesale prices, minimum order, minimum quantitiesand carriage paid level.

Moral of the story?

Attach your buyers' pack every time you get in touch with a store. Don'task for permission - just send it.

Also attach it to any follow-up emails you send. Don't make theshopkeeper dig back through their inbox for a message you sent twoweeks ago.

So there's no need to get the green light from a store to pitch your work.

If the idea still bothers you, however, there is something you can do. Ifyou know you're going to approach a store in the near future, startbuilding up a rapport with them via social media, several weeks inadvance.

Reply to their tweets or ask questions on their facebook page. Begenuinely interested in them and pay attention to their answers.

Then, when you're ready, message them to say you're about to emailover some information that might be of interest.

If they already know who you are, the buyer is more likely to click "open"right away.

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QuickfireTips

T O RA P I D L Y I M P ROV E YOUR P I T CH EMA I L S

The pitch email I designed for my What Retailers Want class isunder 200 words. Lengthy pitches = tl:dr for weary shopkeepers.

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MORE T H I N G S R E T A I L E R S W I SH YOU KNEW

1. Keep it short

2. Use the buyer's nameIf I had a penny for every pitch email that begins To The Manager orDear Sirs, I'd have a yacht by now. Pitch emails that succeed speak to theretailer as an individual. There's nothing more fundamental thanaddressing them by name.

3. Get to the pointThis is related to keeping your email brief, but it's also about making itdirect and punchy. A pitch isn't the time to beat around the bush - tellthem what you do in one sentence. Ask for what you want (which is forthem to open up your catalogue) in another sentence. Don't waffle. (Feelfree, however, to have as many waffles as you like once you hit send.)

4. Don't assume anythingHowever much research you've done, you don't know this shop as wellas the person who owns it. Many artists say "my work is perfect for yourstore," but unless you're a leprechaun, how could you possibly knowthat? You can and should make suggestions, but show you understandthat they're the one making the decision.

If you're funny, consider allowing yourself to be a tiny bit funny in yourpitch email. If you're warm and friendly, let that shine through a little.Write like a real, live human who likes and admires the person they'repitching to. If this is hard, pretend you're writing your pitch email to me.You're not scared of me, are you? Scribble down what you'd say if youweren't freaking out, then revise it to suit this particular buyer.

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MORE T H I N G S R E T A I L E R S W I SH YOU KNEW

5. Show your personality

6. Keep it simple

7. Ignore the benefits to you

Retailers don't need to read your artist's mission statement or know thatyou're deeply inspired by Orphic Cubism in your pitch email. Some ofthat stuff might be useful later, but for now use clear language and skipbuzzwords or jargon.

8. No meaningless praise

Don't say a word about how this store placing an order will benefit you.Anything along the lines of "I'm looking to expand my list of stockists" or"I want to raise the profile of my brand" is to be avoided like the plague.The retailer knows you stand to gain - the whole point of your pitch ishow stocking your work helps them.

Bland, generic compliments like "you have a beautiful shop" meannothing to indie retailers. We hear it so often from potential stockiststhat we tune it out. Instead, figure out what matters to us, or what we'reproud of, and say something sincere about that.

Although politeness has its place in a pitch email, using"please" too often can come across as desperate. Instead of"Please could you consider stocking my work?," switch it to"I've attached my catalogue for your consideration - ifstocking my work feels like a possibility, perhaps you coulddrop me a line and we'll take it from there?"

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MORE T H I N G S R E T A I L E R S W I SH YOU KNEW

9. Don't over-use "please"

10. Mention your wins

11. Make it easy for the reader

If you've got a stunning testimonial from a happy stockist or you'realready supplying some starry retailers, drop those names. Do it verysuccinctly, though - a line or two at most.

12. Don't overload their inbox

Making your pitch email easy to read is an obvious but often over-looked point. Choose a readable font, in a size that doesn't requiresquinting, and don't include any images or HTML bells and whistles thatmay not show up correctly.

Sending seventeen massive attachments with your email is unlikely toendear you to a retailer, and may get your message automaticallymarked as spam. One or two small attachments, or simply the link toyour online catalogue, is a much better option.