5 ways to pitch yourself to brands, companies and clients

This article was originally published on PR Daily in June 2016.

In July 2015, I set out to engage Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) executives and agency representatives. I wanted to turn my lifelong love of Jeep into a job as the voice pitchperson for Jeep.

Fast-forward a year. My personal branding campaign has gained serious traction. I’ve already heard from Jeep executives and Jeep’s ad agency, and I look forward to seeing where those connections lead. I think my campaign’s takeaway—hyper-targeted, off-the-wall pitches—will change personal branding.

I’d like to share a few tips on pitching yourself to the brand, company or client of your dreams:

1. Research

Research has always been the first step of any campaign. When I did PR, research was my forte. It continually proves paramount.

If your goal is to make yourself marketable to a brand, client or company, start by learning everything about your target, from its key messages, to its history and its people. When I targeted Jeep, I broke out my Indiana-Jones attitude. Marketing to C-suite executives was just the beginning. I dug deeper, looking into Jeep-affiliated agencies and Jeep’s whole history. Each discovery led to another. Down the rabbit hole I went.