A pitch letter is a written communication sent by a company to a potential buyer or customer in the hope of arousing that person’s interest in a product or service. Generally restricted to one page, the letter introduces a company or person and its products to a potential customer to break the ice.
The pitch letter involves discussing an idea, product, or service and capturing the customer’s interest. But it is also a communication tool built by someone with a commercial interest in selling that product, attempting to attract the attention of potential buyers.
A pitch letter is prominent in many industries, such as publishing, where authors need their ideas to captivate the interest of editors and publishers. In those cases, the pitch letter is a page or two at maximum, summarizing the book concept, the writer’s credentials, and the reasons for publisher participation.
Ironically, outside of publishing, the usefulness of pitch letters extends to industries that want to stir up interest in new products or services. Companies will use pitch letters to draw would-be customers into trying their products. At the same time, people may use a pitch letter to sell an innovative idea to a potential employer with great enthusiasm.
The best pitch letters can draw interest and inspire action. The key to their success lies in meticulous construction and skillful arrangement.
