Asking first: The secret upside to pitching potential collaborators - Michelle Pontvert

Inviting people you admire to take part in your online events opens the door to them offering visibility opportunities to you in return

Website: www.michellepontvert.com

Threads: https://www.threads.com/@michellepontvert

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michellepontvert

[00:00:00]:
Hi, welcome to my presentation, all about asking. First, I'm sharing the secret upsides to pitching potential collaborators and helping you really fall in love with sending those scary invitations for people to collaborate with you. So, hi, I'm Michelle Ponvert. I am an easy events expert and lover of low lift strategies that help you grow your business without sacrificing your other priority. I'm also an introvert. I'm neurodivergent and I struggle with pretty major rejection sensitivity. So it might be kind of surprising that I'm now turning around and teaching you to pitch people and sharing how much I've just turned out how to love pitching when it's done right. So hear me out and I think I can convert you into loving sending those pitches too.

[00:00:39]:
So here's what I'm going to be sharing. I'm going to be really digging into why you think pitching is so hard and what you think pitching is. I'm going to then talk about what pitches really are, what it means to be pitched, and having a pitch really done well, and then I'm going to share some of those secret upsides to sending really stretchy pitches. So first, let's look at what you think pitching is. I'm going to make an assumption here. And before I tell you all about the amazing upsides of pitching, I think it's only fair that we dig into what you might be thinking about pitching and the feelings that might be coming up when I tell you you have to go pitch some people. And this helps us also reframe those wobbles. But I want to kind of get on the same page first.

[00:01:19]:
So what I hear comes up when I tell my students to start pitching potential collaborators for their events is worries that people will say no or even why would they want to say yes? What's in it for them? Why would they even bother? What if you're bothering them? What if you're annoying them by sending them pitches? What if they don't answer? Or what if you don't even know who to pitch? There's lots of reasons why we can stop here and just let all of that potential rejection get in the way. But I think there's so much underneath that that's really coming up. I think really when we start to push back on the idea of pitching collaborators is that we're scared of putting ourselves out there because it is scary and you are potentially exposing yourself to the risk of getting rejected. It's really tough. I hate being rejected. Even perceived rejection is really tough. So I Think that's super valid. But calling a, you know, a potter pot is that the expression really helps us not blame other things for it.

[00:02:14]:
Because if we're just saying, I'm scared of rejection, we can actually dig into those fears that you've presented of, you know, what if I'm bothering them? And make sure that we're designing a pitch that answers that so we're not bothering them. You know, there's ways we can help mitigate those problems, but until we figure out what's really behind them, it's pretty hard to solve for. I think the other big thing that's coming up is that you're just not seeing what it's like to receive a really great pitch. And I think that's because we get pitched really badly all the time. I don't know about your inbox, but mine is full of really clumsy, really impersonal, really pushy pitches that just don't feel nice to receive. So what I want to do is help show you what a pitch looks like and then help you see what actually it looks like from the other side to receive the pitch, because I think it's going to help you feel a lot better about sending them out. So what pitches really are. So let's look into what goes into creating that compelling pitch and really designing a pitch people want to say yes to, and then what it looks like to receive a really great pitch.

[00:03:13]:
So creating that compelling pitch. First up, rule number one, don't just pitch anybody. Nobody likes to just have a blind pitch sent to them. That's what I mean by your inbox being full of all these kind of personal, cold pitches. They feel like people are just working through a checklist. Nobody likes that. Nobody wants to be on the receiving end of that. I want to make sure there's a real reason why someone is on your pitch list.

Michelle Ponvert [00:03:33]:
That's what I call the list of people we're going to pitch. And their list size isn't enough of a reason. I want you to get really clear on why you've chosen those people to pitch and really get clear on why you picked them. I also want to make sure you're highlighting in your pitch what's in it for them, why should they say yes? Help literally spell it out for them why they should say yes. And if you don't think you have a big audience, if you maybe don't know if you have enough to offer, I think you've got much more on your side than you think. So, obviously, when you're hosting an event or inviting people onto your podcast, you are offering them exposure to your audience, even if it's a small audience that's still putting them alongside you as an expert and really positioning them as an expert to those people, you're spotlighting their expertise, particularly if you give them some sort of exclusivity on their topic. If they're the only person speaking about their topic, that is a huge value add because they can really stand out as the expert in that arena. Perhaps if you're collaborating with multiple people, you're pitching multiple people for something you can actually build in the sense of bringing them into the same room with those other collaborators.

[00:04:39]:
As a value add, you can make networking a big part of the offer you have on their side and making it a really big value add that you're putting them in the room with these other amazing people. You might want to offer affiliate commissions so when they promote your event, your podcast, whatever, that you're then able to earn a commission off the back of any sales they make through their affiliate cookies. You could also look at other ways to promote them to your audience beyond the thing you're pitching them for. If you're hosting, say, a summit, you might also want to invite people to your podcast on social media, YouTube, any other places you can show them. Again, maybe one of those audiences isn't that big, but the cumulative effect of being really shown off by someone is still really valuable. And then finally, you also help position the thing you're pitching for your event as being something that is a mission or a cause they'd like to be part of. They're standing for something, and being part of this is being part of that movement. Again, there's much more you have on offer than just your list size too.

[00:05:38]:
And that's where I think when we do get more personal, when we do get more specific about why you picked them specifically, it helps move it away from just exposure to your audience and their list size as why you both mutually should benefit from this collaboration. Speaking of getting specific, I think a really great pitch always comes with a specific request for what you want from them, not just the requirements of like, I want you to email your list twice or three times, or however much you're asking for. But I think specifically if you're asking for them to speak on something, what would you like to hear them speak about? What do you think your audience is going to be really interested to hear about? If you're asking them to provide, say, a paid offer or free offer, which one? And why have you Chosen that specifically. This not only shows that you've actually chosen them specifically, you've done your homework, but it helps save them a lot of time having to figure out what they have to talk about or what they have to offer. Your really strong streamlining that process for them and making it a lot easier for them to say yes because you've kind of done the work for them. And then finally you can also play with things like your promotional requirements, deadlines and demands to make it a really easy yes for your collaborators. This is something I've been really playing with in my online events that I host. By not requiring promotion, but instead asking for it to feel like a fair exchange.

[00:06:52]:
I've been able to pitch up into much bigger business owners than I am myself, because I've not required of them something that isn't that reasonable when they're bringing other things to the table. You know, we're not all bringing just, just our email list to the table here. We might be bringing our clout in an industry, we might bring our name, we might be bringing our expertise. So I think we can play with what we're really requiring, what we're really asking for in exchange for this collaboration, and then also look at the ways we can streamline the process on there and to not add a bunch of homework to their list. We don't want to be adding to people's do lists when we're asking something of them. We're asking for a favor. So let's make this really easy. Let's not ask them to fill out a bajillion forms or send a bunch of things or book in multiple calls or a call even to start the conversation, it really easy does go a long way.

[00:07:40]:
So what it feels like to receive a really great pitch, and I've had people comment and compliment the way I pitch, but I've also received some really lovely pitches. And honestly, even if it's not the right fit, it is super flattering to be thought of, especially when it's pitched so specifically to me or to you. It's lovely that people knew who you were, knew what you did, thought of you specifically. That is really nice to hear. And it's a really, you know, flattery goes a long way. I think it also removes a lot of friction to know exactly what people want from me. I can say I don't know when, you know, maybe the promotion requirements seem a bit sort of much, maybe the deadlines don't work out for me, but I feel so much more inclined to explore the option if I have that information up front. So knowing explicitly, like what do you want me to talk about if you're pitching me for a summit, what do you want me to provide if you're pitching me for a bundle, when do I need to get it by, when am I promoting, how much promotion are you requiring? Means that I have an informed place to come from my decision, but it also can open up a conversation to make sure it is again, a really mutually good fit both ways.

[00:08:43]:
And then finally, pitching is good visibility for you. You are also getting your brand, your business in front of these people. Maybe it's not a yes this time, but they'll have known you because you've had a conversation with them now. And so it might bring you other opportunities down the line just by having pitched people. It's good visibility for you, it's good brand building, list growth, potentially monetization opportunities for them and for you as a business own, just by having more open conversations with business owners, peer to peer. And then finally, having a good pitch always helps if it's clear and it makes it really easy to understand what's in it for me. And that's where again, I think it's really important to spell out specifically why you want them and what you want from them because then it's really easy for them to see why specifically you chose them and what you're asking of them. So now I've told you how pitches really can come together to be something really generous, can feel lovely to rece I want to share some of those secret upsides to sending the stretchy pitches because even when you've designed a great pitch that feels really generous, feels like a win win, it can still be scary to pitch people who are bigger than you or more well known or more famous or whatever.

[00:09:52]:
So some of the secret upsides to sending those even stretchy, stretchy pitches is that sometimes people say yes. You know, sometimes I've had my biggest stretch goal person say yes. And sometimes it's the small people who I thought were a shoe in who can't make it. And that's lovely because then you get to experience, expand your network, you get to highlight those amazing people and you start to align yourself with those business owners as well. There's also something really magic that comes from actually sending a pitch is that once someone receives that pitch, the event is happening, it's real, and it goes from just being this idea in your head to actually happening. And I see this happen over and over again in my program when people are like in idea phase, they get quite sort of, I don't know, dreamy and can optimize things to death until they start pitching and then they actually have to do it and the timelines, you know, happening. And I think there's something really fun and energizing by just sending the pitch out and getting it going, because then you're actually building something and we're out of just thinking and now we're doing. You also get to validate your event idea and get excited about it all over again.

[00:10:50]:
We often come up with these ideas, you know, months, sometimes years before we create them. And I think again, sharing them with other people, getting them on board with the mission or the idea or the, you know, thing you're creating, helps validate that other people think it's cool and interesting, but also helps you get excited about it all over again, which is lovely and builds a lot of momentum as you have to go and do the doing and actually build it out. And then finally your event becomes bigger than you. And I think this is really important for those of us who are a bit rejection sensitivity inclined, maybe more introverted, struggle with showing up and showing off ourselves. There's something really magic about having other people around us, having collaborators we're really excited to be working with, that suddenly it becomes not about us, it becomes about these amazing people you've pulled together and this really cool thing outside of ourselves. It's so much easier to promote, to kind of push for it, because it's not just you. And I think that's really, really undersung reason why pitching collaborators and pitching collaborators who you might not immediately think of as being an easy yes, but might be a bit stretchy because suddenly it becomes something you're super excited to share about. Plus, when you invite someone to collaborate with you, even if they say no this time, you've opened up a peer to peer conversation with them.

[00:12:05]:
You've actually started communicating with them on an equal level. You've put collaboration on the table, which means that it'll be easier for you to pitch next time. But they might also think of you for their collaborative stuff they're doing. If they host a podcast, have an interview series, if they're hosting an event now they know you're open to collaboration and you've started that conversation. They also might be known to refer other collaboration partners. They might also be able to refer other people for you to collaborate with. I've had this happen quite a lot where people say, no, I can't do it this time, but have you thought of X? And that's a really great way to start getting introduced and having a really warm introduction to these new people. Because now you can turn around and say this big person I pitched recommended I reach out to you.

[00:12:47]:
That conversation is going to go so much easier because you've already started on again this equal footing. And then finally there is sort of this cumulative effect of the more pitches you send, the easier they get. There is an element of just having to rip the band aid and do the reps. But I promise you it does get easier. I've sent over 100 pitches in the last six months and it does get easier. And you do start to learn that even when people say no 99.999% of the time it's not about you. It's about the timing not being right, about the focus not being right, or maybe them just not having capacity right now. But it is so rarely about it being you.

[00:13:22]:
And it's so much more about what's going on on their end in their business. So I hope I've inspired you to get pitching. If you are event curious, I would love to invite you to take my free fun film themed quiz that helps you pick out your perfect fit, event, genre or format. It helps basically ask you about your goals, your audience and get matched up with the event format that's going to be the best fit for you. You can go find that over on my Website michelleponver.com Quiz thanks so much and I'll love Thanks so much and I'd love to hear how you go with pitching. Thanks so much and I'd love to hear how you get on with pitching now.