KO Your Brand

Katrina Owens (00:00.328)
What's up guys, welcome back to another episode of KO Your Brand, the personal branding podcast for fame ready entrepreneurs. I'm your host Katrina Owens, top personal branding and public relations expert. And I am so overwhelmed by how many people reached out to me after the debt episode came out for lack of a better title. If you're just tuning in or you're new,

I recorded an episode a couple of weeks ago now came out sharing my story as it pertains to growing this business, getting a business loan, carrying some debt in my business, along with the shame and discomfort that kind of came along with it. And I knew that by sharing that story, I was going to resonate with whoever needed to hear it. Looks like a lot of you did. But more importantly than that,

After recording that episode, I feel so free. For whatever reason, I was able to release the shame and judgment in my body, and maybe that was through working on that episode and getting the words out of my body that way. I also think it was because I finally found a reframe that worked for me. So I'm working

I'm reading actually a lot of books on how to rewire the brain and your thought patterns right now. It's kind of like the thing I'm obsessed with because honestly, I do think that is the thing that holds me back from achieving a lot of the goals that I want to achieve. I would say that's probably true for most entrepreneurs. If you have negative thought patterns, you're constantly telling yourself negative things.

That is probably the most likely the thing that is holding you back from seeing all of the success that you know you are worthy of, or maybe you don't know you're worthy of. Maybe that's one of the things that you're telling yourself. So over the last couple of weeks, I've been on a journey. I mean, I've been on this journey for a couple of months now, but ever since recording that episode, I've been really conscious of how I can continue to flip that story. So interestingly enough,

Katrina Owens (02:17.907)
one of the reframes that have really worked for me and this all kind of happened along the same time. So I have to imagine that recording that episode about my debt and just sharing it with you guys and getting it out in the open. That was one thing that kind of like released me from the chains. But in the same 48 hour period, I had this realization and it actually came to me as I was doing my money tracker.

So I've mentioned to you guys before I'm in a living in balance seminars, which is a mentorship program for FEMA entrepreneurs. And so every single month I track all of my money. I look through every single account, every single line item, I track it all. And it had a really amazing realization too, actually. So the first thing that I realized as I was going through all my numbers is the past couple of months.

Since January, honestly, since I made the flip of my business where I only offer the two services that I'm most passionate about, which is group coaching and one-on-one coaching when it comes to personal branding and PR. Ever since tailoring down my service offering to just offer those services, closing my agency, all of that, my business has been so profitable. And I am so proud of myself seeing these revenue numbers increase month over month. I have actually secured

monthly recurring revenue up until September that is equivalent to the amount that I pay myself personally every single month. honestly, even just knowing that has taken a lot of pressure off of me feeling like this isn't a business model that's quote unquote working, because it is. But like with any business model or any business, success doesn't come overnight.

And what's been really empowering about doing my money tracker and the realization I had over the last couple months and a couple weeks ago, more specifically, was I was freaking out and telling myself that I wasn't successful and that this business was all kind of like a pipe dream simply because it's unlike any other business I've ever seen. There's no one else that offers the programs that I do with the level of success that I do. That I can say with confidence.

Katrina Owens (04:35.669)
And I used to think that that was a bad thing. And that was what kind of scared me because I was like, if no one else is doing this, it can't possibly be that great of a business model. But I've since learned that it's just because this is my gift and it's totally viable and it is the thing I meant to be doing. So with that, I basically had this realization as I was doing my numbers, looking at

the revenue, looking at the expenses month over month, was like, this debt that has been looming over me that I've been so hard on myself for that I've been detracting from my success because of is from an old version of me. I haven't been building on that debt. I haven't needed to like take on more credit. I haven't had to do any of those things because the business model I have now

is profitable and working and growing. And I had this realization where I was like, this money that I owe is from a previous version of Katrina who really needed it at the time. And it doesn't say anything about my business and where I am now. It doesn't say anything about me as a business owner. And I just love the previous version of me who had the confidence

and the strength to go after getting the support she needed for her business so she could be here today. So I had to realize that this debt doesn't reflect my current phase. It reflects a past version of me. And then there's two parts to this. So the second part I had to realize was, why am I okay with having this, you know,

mortgage on my home, which is a couple hundred thousand dollars, by the way. Why am I so OK with just like having a mortgage and paying it down and just knowing that real estate is a safe investment and I will continue to pay it down month over month, year over year with literally no stress? I do not stress about my mortgage. I actually look at my mortgage and think like, holy shit, I've made it. I bought a house at how old was I when I got it?

Katrina Owens (06:59.779)
my gosh, like I had like not even turned 30 yet and I bought my first home with the love of my life. And for whatever reason, I'm proud of that. The mortgage doesn't phase me, but I'm just like, what if I took that perspective and started thinking about my business loan in the same way? And I will just pay it down consistently. make weekly payments towards my business loan, you guys.

I got that little hack from one of my mentors in the living and balance space. It just really gets you in the flow of circulating money. Sometimes it's a larger payment, sometimes it's a smaller one depending on cash flow, but I'm always making a payment towards it. And I actually make weekly mortgage payments too. So there's something there. It's all kind of aligning. So I just thought that that was all really interesting stuff. And so between recording the episode,

telling you guys the weight that I had been carrying and then having this realization where this debt is from an old version of me who I love so much and I love that she got the product that she needed and I was able to make sound investments that got me here today. All of the things have just like put me in such a different head space. I have felt the best I'd ever had around this topic ever.

So I really appreciate you for listening and allowing me to share this other side of me. I also got a really sweet message from a listener. This was a couple of weeks before, I think in one of my episodes, I apologized for front loading with so much personal stuff. And I got a really sweet message from a listener and a client of mine who basically said,

I love that it's front-loaded with the personal. I love that I get to learn a little bit more about you, not just the PR and personal branding stuff. And I really appreciated that too. So honestly, this is just moment of gratitude right now for all of you that are listening, that reach out, that share with me when something resonates, when you have a question, you ask me. I love it all. This podcast is such a joy and it's really cool because

Katrina Owens (09:15.789)
There's some big things happening in my universe right now, which I always think is kind of a cheesy thing to say. Like there's so many things happening in my world, but there is. This summer is like the summer of KO. It really is. And I'm so excited for it. And I cannot wait to just share all of the things that are happening. You guys are going to follow along. You guys are going to see them all, but you know, on this podcast is where I'm to be able to dish like how it happened.

the results, I'm sharing it all with you because this really is the podcast where you get to learn how to build a personal brand from the ground up and make it profitable. So with that, today I want to talk to you guys about pitching. Something that I talk about a lot, right? Like I always talk about how most of my clients actually don't need to spend a lot of time pitching and I actually don't endorse spending hours and hours a week pitching because honestly,

If you have a press-ready or fame-ready personal brand, you don't need to spend hours pitching yourself. Opportunities come to you. And that's actually one of the signs when I know someone's ready to maybe spend more time on certain elements of PR, because if you have a press-ready brand, you are ready to invest more time into outreach and some of these things that take a little bit more work because you're more likely to get a yes.

So I don't always encourage my clients to start pitching themselves. This actually came up inside the Fame Ready Entrepreneur program a couple of weeks ago. On one of our weekly group coaching calls, one of the members asked me if she should start pitching a new product line that she has, and it's super seasonal. And based on where she's at in her personal brand right now, and just knowing that for her,

Starting to really increase the visibility and the awareness around her product line, I was like, let's not send cold pitches right now. Let's focus on building up a more solid brand presence before we start doing all this outreach. And I actually suggested she start using another social media platform that she hasn't yet, but one that I think is so crucial for the type of product that she has.

Katrina Owens (11:38.894)
Spoiler alert, it's Pinterest. If you're a product-based business owner and you're not using Pinterest to drive sales to your product, especially when you're in like the home decor, party decor space, that should be at the very top of your list because that's where you're going to build your client base. And once you have steady product sales, that's when you can start to invest more time into curating your personal brand. But...

Product-based businesses and personal brands are so interesting because when you are the founder of a product-based brand, that founder brand is really important, but you've got to do the work first. Think about Martha Stewart. Martha Stewart didn't just come out the gates like, hi, I'm Martha. She came out of the gates with having incredible tablescapes, recipes. She created the product offering, the thing first. And that's how she became known for what she does.

So I really apply that same kind of line of thinking to anyone that has a home goods, party decor, that sort of brand. It's like take the Martha Stewart approach, make the items or the products that you create so highly coveted and then showcase yourself as a, let's call it like a paid actor. Like you were a paid actor promoting this product and you build your personal brand alongside that.

But if you're trying to build awareness for both things at once, you're just taking away valuable time and energy from like really gaining traction with one or the other. So that was some of the advice that I'd given to one of the women inside the Fame Ready Entrepreneur Program, which is my 12 month group coaching container and community that you can join at any time. So the link is in the show notes if you want to check that out. Really, really cool space to be where I can actually give you super personal advice.

on growing your personal brand. do weekly group coaching calls and they are so juicy. They're never the same. And honestly, highlight of my week because I learned so much and I feel like we cover so much ground. So with all that said, that's what I mean when I say you need to have a press ready personal brand. And that's how serious I am about spending your time pitching. I wanted to record this episode because I do think when you have a PR,

Katrina Owens (14:03.455)
episode or PR podcast, I should say. I've got to do an episode about pitching, but I really need to tell you why I don't endorse spending all of your time pitching first. So now that we've got that out of the way, I'm going to walk you through two really exciting things today. First, I'm going to tell you just some like pitching best practices, what you should think about, what you should be considering, and then just to like really drive the point home.

I had a slew of bad podcast pitches land in my inbox this week. So KO your brand is obviously increasing in popularity. So now I am the lucky recipient of like bad podcast pitches every single day of the week. And the thing about that is if you're going to pitch a PR podcast, just know you're in the danger zone because that just becomes really great content. So

let's run through some pitching best practices so you can get a feel for what you should be including in your pitch first, what that looks like, and then I'll be able to really drive the point home by sharing some of these bad pitches with you. And really special offer just for podcast listeners, I have a resource called the Pitch Kit, which actually includes a pitch guide, a collection of pitch templates and follow up templates, the guide on how to use them.

and a collection of subject line examples. So if you are someone who wants to start learning how to pitch, this is a great place for you to start. So I recommend listening to this episode and then head to the show notes where you can buy the pitch kit. And I am going to include a $30 off coupon for you to grab that pitch kit just for being a listener. So head to the show notes and you can use promo code KO your brand to get $30 off the pitch kit.

But if you join the Fame Ready onto Printer program, you get it for free because it lives inside of the community. So pick your poison. Both of those are in the show notes if you want to check them out because of course you do. Why would you be listening to this podcast if you didn't want to take your personal brand to the next level using PR? So let's get into it. Let's start talking about, my goodness. This is why I need to print out.

Katrina Owens (16:31.659)
my outlines and turn the phone over. I just got so distracted by this text message. This is from Gabriel. He's on his way home and he says, we should hit the Texas barbecue over at Clearview Nurseries. All this man thinks about is food, I swear. Okay. The only reason why I have my phone on me is because I'm in the middle of renewing my home insurance policy and the rep said she was gonna email me or call me. She's gonna call me.

And so I didn't want to miss the call because I'm trying to get that one task just like over with. Okay. Enough about me. I'm going to take you through the anatomy of a perfect pitch. So the very first thing I want to address is that we're talking about email pitches specifically because really that's how most people are sending pitches these days. They are via email. I know I talk a little bit about like pitching on threads, pitching like in the DMs.

but this episode is focused on email pitching because that really is like the more traditional way of doing it. So let me run you through a couple best practices. So the first thing is personalize the greeting and the subject line. So let me take a look through these pitches that I received that are terrible. There's one that says, Katrina. So they personalized that one. The next one says, Hi, KO your brand team. Okay, I'll take that.

Honestly, would have been a bit more personal if you would have said, hi Katrina, but honestly, KO your brand team makes me feel like kind of legit. This one is the worst one, it just says hi. Do not do that. So dear Katrina is a great place to start. That's probably the best greeting out of the three that I have in this pile. But if you are emailing someone, you gotta use their name. Like for me, if I get an email,

and I see that it is not addressed to me, I'm like, and it's spam. So think about it. Spend a little extra time researching the podcast host or even the name of the podcast manager if it's a bigger show, the journalist, especially if you're pitching a larger publication, you wouldn't write Dear Vogue. You would find the journalist that you are writing to and you would use their name.

Katrina Owens (18:59.081)
that's how it starts to make it feel like a little bit more personalized and at least like you tried. So that's the first thing. And then you're also personalizing the subject line. Now, I don't want to go so deep into subject lines on this particular episode just because there's a whole science behind them. I think that would make a pretty cool pull and punches episode. So let me just log that. But if you are interested in what makes a really good subject line, you can obviously go to the show notes and grab the pitch kit, which gives you like

30 subject lines I've actually used before. And you can see what that looks like. And just so you know, when it comes to sending like email pitches, the subject line is so important. And here's just like a little thing to keep in mind. Don't include the word pitch in your subject line. I know, I know it sounds like it would be so obvious, but that is a really quick way to just like not be.

opened, right? Like if I'm getting something and in the the subject line, there's the word pitch. I'm like, I don't want to read a pitch. So actually, when I have these examples, let me take you through the subject lines and I'm going to I'll grade them. OK, so the first one says, let's collaborate featuring guest name on your KO your brand podcast. OK, that's OK.

But I I saw that subject line and I was like, I don't want to have a guest on my podcast. So I actually deleted it until I was like, wait, that's actually a great podcast episode. So I went back into my folder to get it. But I tend not to include the actual ask in the subject line because people hate to read a pitch, you guys. And by the way, like,

kind of trying to disguise a pitch as a collaboration is also, I don't love that take. And I know a lot of my clients will do this when they're learning how to pitch. They'll say like, I would love to collaborate with you. When what they mean is, I would love to be a guest on your podcast. A collaboration means that we are both like working together on a project or a shared initiative. Collaborating isn't you coming on my podcast. It's very one-sided.

Katrina Owens (21:22.199)
So I really recommend being careful with the way that you use that word, because let's be honest, it is overused these days. And just ask for what you really want, but don't do it in the subject line. The subject line has got to grab attention. It's got to really capture the attention, get the open. So I would rate that subject line. I'll give it a C plus.

What's the next one?

Katrina Owens (21:56.654)
This one's worse. This is like a D. Insert guest name on crafting brands that lead. Honestly, I didn't even know, like when I, and also it's all lowercase letters, which is also like, I don't like when people write in all lowercase, especially when there's a person's name and it's lowercase. Like, what is that? I know there's a couple like,

celebrities that do that. And I think it's, we don't like capitalize properly, please. So anyways, that one's bad because crafting brands that lead, it's boring. What does that even mean? It's a word salad. It kind of sounds interesting, but it's not specific enough to actually be interesting. And it leads with the guest name and

I'm so sorry to this guest. mean, someone probably would say the same thing about me, but they are a nobody. So like, I saw the name in the subject line and actually of all these pitches that I got, that was one that I didn't even realize was a pitch until I was like, wait a sec, let me take a closer look. And I was like, terrible. It really just looks like spam. Like I wish I could actually show you. Well, actually Heather's gonna craft cute little.

carousel, know, infamous bad pitch carousel and she's going to put screenshots of all of these in them. She just has to redact all of the personal identifiers because honestly, the one thing that I will say about these three pitches is all of these three people are using like a publicist or agency to pitch on their behalf, which is also a no from me. And I have to tell you guys.

There's a big part of me that every time I get one of these, I want to reach out to the actual person and say, hey, your agency is doing a really bad job of pitching you, come to the dark side, which is where I show you how you could easily do this yourself with much more success and way lower costs. So anyways, yeah, the lowercase, everything in lowercase in the subject line really gives spam, honestly.

Katrina Owens (24:17.877)
Okay, and then finally, this, no, okay, so that was a D. This is an F. And I'm gonna tell you why the last one was a D in comparison to this one, because at least that one tried with the crafting brands that lead, like at least they tried to make it interesting and less pitchy. This is fully just like, this is bad. Podcast guest proposal, colon.

Guest name.

Like, come on, podcast guest proposal, like, this is the thing. Like I was just saying earlier, unless you are like an A-list celebrity where everyone's gonna know your name, you don't need to put the name in the subject line because that's not going to incite op-its because people are like, I don't know who that is anyways. And podcast guest proposal, like...

You know how many unsolicited proposals I get like from sales agencies, marketing agencies, and now I'm getting yet another proposal for someone to come on my podcast and have the opportunity to share my platform? No. And honestly, this was the one that I did open just because I knew it was a pitch from the title. Like, yeah, he did use the word pitch, but he used the word proposal. So I was like, okay, that is going to be great fodder for this podcast.

Okay, so that's enough. Okay, so we've talked a little bit about the greeting and the subject line and why it's so important to personalize that The next thing that's really important for you to do in the first paragraph You need to demonstrate that you have paid attention And are interested in the content of the person that you are reaching out to So what do I mean by that? Well, let's go back to this f rated

Katrina Owens (26:10.401)
pitch and it says, Hi, I also wanted to introduce a fantastic potential guest for your podcast. He can dive deep into topics like delegation, business scaling, team building efficiency, all while keeping the discussion relatable and actionable. He's eager to share insights on how smart hiring decisions can make or break a company's success.

Katrina Owens (26:38.571)
So tell me this, you guys, would any of you, dear listeners, listening to KO your brand about personal branding and PR be interested in that content?

I'm gonna guess no. And if you were, it's because I'm going to put a little bit of a spin on it to tell you why business scaling or delegation is important to building your personal brand. Because it is. And maybe if the guest or the person pitching on behalf of the guest, if they had said that, if they had linked that person's work to what I talk about here on this podcast, my response may have been different.

I mean, it wouldn't because I don't take like random guests on this podcast, handpicked only and only once in a while. But that's what you need to do. All of my clients, when I'm training them on how to pitch, the very first thing you do is immediately show that you have listened to a podcast episode or read some of the work from the journalist or have gone to previous events that the event coordinator has run. That is how you start to build a relationship.

And that is what is missing from that one. Let's see if any of the others did that.

Okay, this, okay, let's work backwards just so I'm not all over the place. So this is the D-rated pitch that I got. And so this is the intro paragraph. I wanted to highlight guest name from guest company as a potential guest for an episode of KO Your Brand. At least they mentioned the name of the podcast, honestly.

Katrina Owens (28:24.489)
Guest names, combination of communications leadership, creativity and innovation is a great match for your show's mission.

At Insert Guest Company, he champions a distinct blend of data-driven analytics and behavioral science to craft personalized communication strategies. They provide services from digital marketing to crisis communication, ensuring each message hits its mark without settling for generic approaches. Okay, so while this company and the guest from this company might not settle for generic approaches, the pitch.

sure is giving generic. At least they mentioned the name of the podcast. Like I'll give like two points for that. But still there's no link to why this content would be interesting for my podcast that's so focused on personal branding and PR. So that's a no from me. And then finally, what do I have here? Okay.

This is the C rated podcast pitch. So the one from the very beginning, it says, I hope you're doing well. My name is, insert this person's name. And I assist with arranging podcasts appearances for inspiring guests. I don't care who you are. Like I don't, I know it's a pitch and now you're not even introducing the potential guest. You're just introducing yourself as the pitcher.

which I really don't care about. Okay, so it continues on to say, I recently came across your podcast and was captivated by your content. It's truly impactful. So here's the thing, like that's a really nice thing to say, but I don't believe this person. You know what would make me believe this person? As if they were like, I recently came across your podcast and was captivated by your content.

Katrina Owens (30:25.045)
I really liked the episode where you talked about and then repeat back to me something that I talked about. And you must be specific. So don't just like look at the episode title names. Listen to an episode, pull out a quote that you liked and say it back to me. Because I ain't a dumb bitch, okay? Like this is my line of work. I know every trick in the book. So I...

I read this and I'm like, you were captivated by my content, but like which part? Because I know my content's captivating. So you're going to have to do a little bit more than like flatter me, right? So that's why that intro paragraph is so important. And the pitch kit really gets into how to structure this properly. So you can start sending really great pitches that don't sound like a pitch. Okay, so the next point I want to make, I talked a little bit about this, but just so you remember is,

providing that connection point between their work and yours. So really trying to make the connection, like let's just use one of these as an example, the one where the guy was talking about like behavioral science or things like that. I think that was pitch D. Yeah, so he talks about like data-driven analytics and behavioral science. Like that's cool, but how does it

pertain to what I talk about here. And that's what people so often forget. Like you're going on a podcast to speak to the audience that's interested in what the host talks about. So your content needs to relate to that audience and the show's theme. So if you're pitching a really obscure topic, that's okay. That's actually sometimes like to your benefit, but you need to very clearly articulate like why.

and how that's interesting to the audience and what that will look like. My clients do such a good job of this, by the way. Last week on our coaching call inside Fame Ready, one of my clients was talking about how she listened to three episodes of this podcast she really wanted to be on. She ended up pitching a very niche topic that the host loved. And to be honest, I was actually surprised to learn that she had heard back from this podcast so quickly because it is a highly ranked one.

Katrina Owens (32:50.445)
which is always really cool. So that just goes to show you like the more you can understand what you're actually pitching to the better. I always say quality over quantity. I would rather you pitch one thing a week, but it's a really strong pitch. Then you try to send out five pitches that are all bad and don't get you the results anyways, because like what a waste of your valuable time. Okay. So.

This is on the topic of value. Actually, that's the next thing on my list. You need to clearly articulate the value that you bring to an audience. So this is something we can get stuck on because how to articulate value is actually quite challenging. And especially if you're a newer business owner, you may struggle to actually put into words like the value that you as a speaker has.

So for me, I know that when I share my PR and personal branding tactics, I am giving business owners ways to create a profitable personal brand. That's value. And that value comes in the form of actionable takeaways, but also client stories and case studies. I have so many of those. I mean, even on this podcast, right? I give you so many examples that like...

You can't argue with the fact that if you talk to me and spend an hour like on a podcast with me, you're going to come away with something that will add value to your business. So that's something that I need you to be able to articulate for your own personal brand. How do you explain the type of value that you deliver to an audience? And if you don't know the answer to that yet, that's something I really need you to focus on figuring out because that's not only going to make your pitch stronger.

but that also makes your personal brand stronger, your social media stronger. Like I know exactly what value I bring and that's why I have such a high success rate when it comes to pitching myself. And then that's actually why I don't spend that much time pitching myself anymore because people know my value without me having to explain it. I just convey it. And that's where I want each and every one of you to eventually get to.

Katrina Owens (35:10.347)
Okay, I talked a little bit about this earlier, but the other thing that you need to do, this goes back to using that word collaboration, is clearly say what kind of opportunity you're looking for. Because if you just say, I just want to collaborate, or I'm open to collaborating, someone might say, okay, bet, let's collaborate. And that doesn't mean you're going on the podcast. That means you might've just got yourself a job.

because now you're gonna like run a master class together or an Instagram live, and maybe you're not going to get the platform that you were hoping to get through like a podcast interview. So just be really cautious of the language that you use. Sometimes my clients feel uncomfortable with making that direct ask, but that's the whole point of a pitch. If you use really soft language and try and dance around the ask and aren't direct about it,

you're either not gonna get responded to at all or you're not gonna get the result that you were looking for because you didn't ask for what you really want. So ask for what you want. Yes, pitching is uncomfortable, but the more that you can get good at it and start crafting pitches that you know get yeses for yourself, the better you're gonna start to feel about doing it. Because honestly, I don't send, I mean, I...

barely pitch myself these days, but I am moving into a season of business where I'm going to start pitching for sponsors and also for a very type of niche speaking engagement. So that requires me to go back and do some work on when it comes to sponsorships, being able to articulate the value that the sponsorship is going to bring to the person that I want to sponsor, or if it's me pitching these like niche speaking gigs that I want to do.

it's also being able to articulate like, what's the value of that? Because in both of those cases, I'm actually not even asking like to just go on a podcast, I'm asking for money. And so you thought asking to go on a podcast was uncomfortable? Okay, how about when you're asking someone to pay you thousands of dollars? That hits different. So when you guys get there, we can do an episode on that, but I got to get some practice on that myself under my wing first, but.

Katrina Owens (37:26.069)
I do have to say I'm really, really proud of a woman in my community named Zulare, who she runs the Business Besties event in Orlando, Florida, that when you guys listen to this, I will have actually just spoken up. And I did a little bit of coaching in the DMs for her early on when I knew I was speaking at this event because I saw the vision and I knew she could get some big name sponsors. So I'm super proud of her stepping up to the plate.

and realizing just like how much potential this type of event has to bring on big sponsors. And that was the reminder to me too, as I start to plan my next season of events. Spoiler alert. And that my events have value too. And I got to go out there and look for look for sponsorships myself. So don't be afraid to ask. Closed mouths don't get fed. And then finally, here is actually one of the most important things. After you send the pitch,

you need to follow up. So say you send a pitch via email on a Monday, and now a week has gone by and you've heard nothing at all, you must send a follow up. But the thing is, the follow up can't just be a, hey Susan, just following up on my email below. Nope, it cannot. It needs to be a mini pitch. It's almost.

brand new pitch, it's just shorter than the original one that you sent. And this is actually why the pitch kit is so great because I give you templates for the original pitch but also the follow-up because they are structured differently. And you have to understand like how much information you should be giving in the second one, how you can gain a yes on that follow-up message. So that's why I include both because there is a bit of an art to that. Okay.

So that kind of covers pitching best practices. Dexter has just joined us for the final grading, let's call it. You wanna grade? You wanna grade these podcasts pitches with me? Okay. So I know I've read you like snippets of each one just to kind of illustrate the best practices. But now what I'm gonna do is I'm going to read through each one and I'm gonna tell you guys why...

Katrina Owens (39:52.374)
each one is bad. I'm to tell you why each one is bad, but I'm also going to tell you what parts could be improved and how to be improved upon because obviously I don't believe in just saying like this one sucks. I'm going to tell you why so you don't make the same mistakes.

Gotta take a little sip of water for this.

Katrina Owens (40:16.479)
And actually, I should have got the elephant out of the room earlier. I know I'm sounding a bit congested as I do this. And it's because before I started recording this episode, I sneezed like 30 times. And 30 is like the actual total, not just me exaggerating. I don't know if this happens to anybody else. If it does, please DM me and let me know I'm not alone. But I will get into these like sneezing fits where like I

will sneeze for so long. And it is, it really like fucks up your day because now here I am congested, but we're getting through it. So I know I'm going to listen to this and be like, wow, it sounds like I have a cold. Nope. I don't know. Just got some dust or something up the nose. let's, let's get into these podcast reviews, podcast pitch reviews, I should say. Okay. So

This is the first one. So this was what I had rated the C rated podcast pitch. So I'm gonna read it to you in full and then I'm going to tell you exactly why this is bad. And then if you are wanting a visual, all of these will be up on the KO your brand Instagram. So you can actually like take a look, obviously we redact all of the like personal identifiers just so we're not like calling anyone out.

I do think it's helpful for seeing a visual. I mean, I am like such a visual learner, so important to me. I'm sure it's important to some of you out there. Okay, so here we go. Subject line as a reminder was, let's collaborate featuring Katie on your KO your brand podcast. And Katie is not her real name, but that's what I'm calling the guest just so I don't have to like awkwardly say insert guest here.

Dear Katrina, I hope you're doing well. My name is Isabel and I assist with arranging podcast appearances for inspiring guests. I recently came across your podcast and was captivated by your content. It's truly impactful. I wanted to suggest Katie as a guest for your show. She's amazing. Katie is a transformative business mentor, internationally recognized for her work with entrepreneurs and leaders

Katrina Owens (42:45.655)
seeking to master their field of excellence. What Katie offers goes directly into a list of one, two, three, four, five, six services that she offers. Signature topics Katie can discuss. One, two, three, four, five goes into a list of five topics she can discuss. And I'll tell you the topics. I don't want to tell you the services because I don't want to like out anybody, but

The topics, personal branding, how to build a brand that feels magical and authentic, startup success, tools, mindset, and strategies for business growth, entrepreneurial mindset, overcoming challenges and staying inspired, women in business, empowering women to find their voice in success, community building, the power of creating a network that uplifts and motivates.

Katie's approach combines clarity, actionable plans, and a deep understanding of the evolving demands on business leaders. She has inspired thousands and continues to do so through her workshops and transformative programs. I've attached Katie's media kit for your reference. If you believe Katie would be a great fit for your podcast, we'd love to discuss scheduling a recording session. Please let me know your availability and I'll coordinate everything smoothly. Thank you for considering Katie for your podcast. I'm looking forward to the possibility of collaborating.

Well, let's get one thing straight. This is not a collaboration. This is a request. So the biggest problem I have, and this is so funny, and this is why all experts are not created equal, okay? Because this is someone who is apparently a personal brand dean. I wanna say expert. They don't call her that, but.

Personal branding is the first thing on both of these lists, what her service offers, which is do not include your service offering in your pitch. If you're pitching to be a guest on something, you do not need to articulate what your business offers. I do not need to read through six ways that you offer services to clients. That's so irrelevant to me and it makes this pitch so long. And it's not like any of these are so specific that it entices me. I'm just like,

Katrina Owens (45:07.531)
This is so broad and generic. And that's what I was gonna say. This is someone who is apparently a personal branding expert, but I can't tell what the personal brand is from this. Just sounds like every other random business coach I see on the internet. And that's the problem you guys. That's why if you are not taking the time to really build out your unique position, what makes you interesting and...

Press ready, fame ready, as an entrepreneur, your pitches aren't gonna land. This is like so not memorable. There is nothing in this pitch that screams to me, my God, that's so interesting. Like I know I rated this pitch a C based on some of the discussion we had earlier, but I would even say that because this is so generic, I wanna give it more like a D. Because honestly, there is nothing in here that makes me feel like,

Oh, wow, there's something really unique about this personal brand and business. Even if there is, it's not coming through here. That's why I harp on my clients to like nail the unique position, nail the tagline, get so good at explaining why you're different because it does so much. So unfortunately, Katie, it's a no from me, but I really hope you're not paying this podcast outreach specialist too much money to...

go in the trash folder. Okay, next one. This was podcast pitch that I had originally rated D. This is the subject line where it says, okay, so I'm going to name this person Joe. So it says Joe, all lowercase, on crafting brands that lead. Hi, KO your brand team. I wanted to highlight Joe from insert company as a potential guest for an episode of KO your brand.

Joe's combination of communications leadership, creativity, and innovation is a great match for your show's mission. At his company, he champions a distinct blend of data-driven analytics and behavioral science to craft personalized communication strategies. They provide services ranging from digital marketing to crisis communication, ensuring each message hits its mark without settling for generic approaches. Joe can speak to a range of topics that would complement the insightful content you regularly learn.

Katrina Owens (47:31.136)
regularly share on social media. His expertise spans public affairs and crafting persuasive investor narratives. Whether it's helping startups establish themselves through clear brand development or leveraging analytics for growth strategies, Joshua's approach is holistic and thoughtful. KO your brand listeners looking to deepen their understanding of strategic communication would appreciate his insights. If this aligns with your future programming goals, let me know how we can make this exciting collaboration happen. There it is again.

It's not a collaboration. It's just a request. Okay, so this podcast pitch is definitely still a D, maybe an F. Interestingly enough, I know that like, obviously they know the bare minimum about KO your brand, but they say insightful content you regularly share on social media. And like, obviously I talk a lot about social media on this podcast.

but I would never describe this podcast as a social media podcast. Like to me, by him saying that, I'm like, you know, my podcast is like a personal branding podcast or a public relations podcast, but none of these pitches are actually mentioning that part. Even with the pitch before where it actually specifies that Katie talks about personal branding, you should be articulating. Like if you talk about personal branding,

and you want to go on someone else's personal branding podcast, you better understand that host perspective on personal branding so deeply that you can articulate why you would add value to her conversations. So if you want to talk about personal branding on my personal branding podcast, you better be able to tell me how you talk about personal branding differently than how I talk about it. And that goes for anything. The other thing that was like a like set off sirens.

like it was like, wee, wee, wee, was Joshua can speak to a range of topics. No, I don't want him to. I want each and every one of you with your very unique personal brands to just pick one. Pick one thing, get really good at talking about it and be able to go so deep into the details. That is what's going to make your personal brand so strong. That's what's gonna make it easier for you to get press. Please.

Katrina Owens (49:54.734)
true experts go deep instead of wide. So I do not want to hear about a range of topics. I just want to hear about one and why it's awesome. So the last one, this is the longest. This is the one that I had rated F from the very beginning. as a reminder, I'm going to call this person Adam. Podcast guest proposal, colon Adam. Hi.

I also wanted to introduce a fantastic potential guest for your podcast, Adam. He can dive deep into topics like delegation, business scaling, and team building efficiency, all while keeping the discussion relatable and actionable. He's eager to share insights on how smart hiring decisions can make or break a company's success. Every mistake I make when selling my company for eight figures, living in the lab, building engagement driven teams.

how to replace yourself using international talent. Why AI is going to make peak performers exponentially more valuable in the future. Adam is a serial entrepreneur who has built multiple seven and eight figure businesses, including two successful exits. Named one of the top 50 digital marketing thought leaders in the US, Adam brings deep expertise in scaling businesses, delegation, hiring world-class talent. He's also the author of Insert Bookname Here that became

that become number one international bestseller. Bad grammar. Suggested questions. And they actually provide a list of two, three, four, five, six, 10 questions, none of which have the words personal branding or public relations in any of them. Okay? You may also check out Adam's episode as a guest on

another random podcast. His mix of real world experience, actual strategies and engaging storytelling makes him a perfect fit for your audience. Please see his one pager for more details about his background and other additional infos. Connect with Adam on LinkedIn. Thank you.

Katrina Owens (52:06.859)
was an F when I read the subject line, and it's an F at the end. So much stuff wrong with us. Obviously, no personalization in the greeting, which we talked about. There's really bad grammar throughout this whole thing, which to me just screams spam and unprofessional. When I got this pitch, I actually went to the person that is being pitched, like the potential guest. I did go to their LinkedIn, and they have like over 20,000 LinkedIn followers.

To me, I'm like, okay, I am struggling to understand why this person would be a relevant fit for this podcast. And that's what people get wrong. You think that just showing up on as many podcasts as possible is going to be the thing that like gets you more visible. But visibility without clarity on your personal brand is just noise. So the fact that this person can talk about all of this different stuff, that's how, that is the...

If watching this on YouTube, I just flashed the pitch and it's a whole page long. And that's also way too long for a pitch, honestly. It's just like, I read this and I'm like, okay, he's just another founder and he sold a couple of businesses. Good for him, but doesn't tell me why he's an interesting personal brand and why my audience would be so lucky to hear from him. Honestly, I know my audience would hate that episode.

So I hope you got something out of this one, you guys. I know that pitching can be a bit of a dry subject and can feel a bit intimidating when you're just starting to learn how to do it. But it can be something that drives results for your business if you don't do it like the people that I've just shared. The common denominator between all of these pitches too is that they're all using an agency or a publicist to reach out on their behalf. So I didn't hear from any of these guests.

Personally, I heard from their agency. And that makes it a lot easier to just delete it because I have had an agency. I know what agencies are like. And I just know that this agency is mass pitching to meet their quota. And it's just not the process that I believe in. I really believe in quality over quantity, forming relationships with podcast hosts, forming relationships with other business owners.

Katrina Owens (54:32.469)
And that's what's going to lead to more and more PR opportunities for you anyways. So I really hope you found this episode insightful. Remember to head to the show notes to download my pitch kit. You can use code KO your brand for $30 off just for being a listener. That code does not expire. So even if you're listening to this months later, you can still head to the show notes and get the pitch kit. And if you want help,

on using the pitch kit, putting it into action. And if you're like, Hey Katrina, I actually just want to really dig into making a name for myself and my personal brand. Head to the show notes and learn more about joining my fame ready entrepreneur program. That is my group coaching program where I can give you custom support advice on weekly group coaching calls. I provide you opportunities to guest on podcasts, to speak on stages, to appear in the media.

real opportunities that I come across. I'm constantly sharing inside the group on a weekly basis. And I'm also bringing in guest experts. So in just a week or two, I'm going to have an expert talking all about how to use threads to grow your personal brand. I have personally gained clients, speaking gigs, I got one of my clients on TV.

all using the social media platform Threads. So I'm really excited to be bringing in that guest speaker to speak to all of the clients in my community on how they can do that themselves. So all of that information is in the show notes. If you're interested in checking that out, working with me and my team, remember to follow me at Katrina Owens PR on Instagram. You can follow KO your brand on Instagram too, rate and review this podcast anywhere you listen to podcasts. And I will see you next time.