The 4-Step AI Approach to Writing a Winning Pitch Letter by Ella Ritchie

How much should you use AI to write your pitch letters?

It’s a relevant question because people are flooded with scam emails generated by AI. Everyone is more cautious of pitch letters.

I’m a fan of AI, and I’m a bigger fan of humans. The tool lets me connect authors with people more efficiently, especially when pitching for book endorsements. The real issue today is how to pitch prospects genuinely using AI.

Here are the four steps our team takes with AI when using AI to send a pitch letter to a prospect for a book endorsement.

Step 1: Brainstorm your prospect list.

Aim for a list of about ten people relevant to your audience. Ten allows you to include a range of influential people.

Some authors land one good endorsement, which they feature on their front cover. Depending on how approachable your prospects are, some authors land three or more endorsements, which they may feature on the front and back cover. Some authors land so many endorsements that they spill over onto the first page of the book.

Consider three types of people:

People already in your network, such as influential colleagues or mentors. They can ensure you get at least one endorsement.
People you don’t know who may be within your reach. Perhaps you live in the same city or are part of the same nonprofit. They may be local celebrities, community leaders, or professionals, and respected authors in your field.
High-profile “dream” prospects. They might be politicians, household names, or social media influencers. The idea is to balance your list with warm and cold prospects.

You can use AI to help you think of prospects, but I’d start with your own understanding of your field. You’ve probably been inspired by or have admired an author or professional. Tapping the people who matter to you makes the relationships around your book more authentic and rewarding.

If you use AI to help you brainstorm, first acquaint the program with you and your work. You can upload the Introduction to your manuscript or write a brief synopsis. We like to share the marketing brief for a project because it addresses aspects like target audiences, comparable books, and the author’s platform.

An AI prompt for this step could look like this:

Based on the marketing brief for this book project, brainstorm a list of twenty prospects whose work overlaps with the author’s and who would be good candidates to write an endorsement. Include a strategic mix of people already connected to the author in some way, such as people in (city) or (organizations), as well as high-profile “dream” prospects related to these ideas.

Step 2: Gather information about each prospect.

When you’ve curated your list of ten prospects, create a spreadsheet to gather information about them. Record their names, contact method(s), and why their endorsement matters. You may want to include their position, website, books, and causes – anything that connects your mission with theirs.

Also think about how to make their endorsement a win-win. What’s in it for them? Mention that their name and credentials will be featured on your book cover. More win-win ideas include swag, social media shout-outs of them and their products, book bonuses, complimentary content or services, promotion of their book at your book launch event, an invitation to a business event, and complimentary books. Some high-profile people expect payment in exchange for a collaboration.

In addition to your personal reasons for wanting to target a prospect, AI can help you perform deeper research on each person with a prompt like this:

Tell me more about (name). What are the best contact methods, why would their endorsement matter to this project, what are their relevant positions/book/causes, and what are some ideas to make this a win-win collaboration for them?

Step 3: Send and track pitch letters.

Create an email pitch for each prospect. This is where I lean on AI the most. When an author’s intentions are genuine, and we’ve taken the time to consider each prospect, AI can suggest a good first draft.

I supply AI with a lot of guidance to shape the best pitch letter. In addition to the prospect’s information, I provide my 8-part pitch letter template:

Write a subject line that will capture the attention of that prospect. It works best when it’s personally meaningful and recognizable to the recipient.
Begin with a couple of sentences detailing the unique things the author knows, appreciates, and relates to about the prospect.
Introduce the book. Connect the author’s purpose with the prospect’s purpose or interests.
Mention the book’s unique value proposition.
Insert a placeholder for a link to the manuscript.
Propose the call to action. Explain why their endorsement matters to the author and how it will benefit the project. Make it a win-win. (If you’ve landed any endorsements that could sway their decision, mention the names here to let prospects know they’re in good company.)
Suggest a deadline, typically around six weeks. Shorter deadlines are acceptable for prospects who know you. If requested, it’s standard in the industry to offer a pre-written endorsement for approval if the recipient prefers assistance.
Close warmly.

Here’s an AI prompt that brings it all together:

Write an email pitch letter for (name), asking for an endorsement for this book, (manuscript title), based on the attached 8-part email pitch template. (Name) is (insert all relevant details about this person, including why their endorsement matters).

Revise the AI draft to ensure every detail reflects you, your project, and your voice. (If you’re sending the letter yourself, write the AI prompt from your point of view as the author.)

Then email the pitch, following up every week or two to nudge a response. Track your attempts in your spreadsheet. If you don’t hear anything, you can try messaging them through social media. Move on if you still haven’t received a response after several attempts on different platforms. It’s common for some never to respond, some to decline, and some to accept after several attempts.

Step 4: Follow through on your promises.

Prospects often request a sample endorsement for approval. They’re busy, and they want to meet your expectations. If they ask, you can use AI to suggest a draft. By this point in the process, AI will know your prospects and goals, so your prompt can be simple:

Write a sample endorsement for (prospect name) for (book title).

Revise it as needed before sending it to your prospect for consideration and approval. Invite your prospect to revise it to their liking, too. Your goal is to make the endorsement easy and accurate. While you’re at it, confirm their name, credentials, and initiatives listed in their byline.

If you suggested other win-wins, follow through on those ideas. It’s a great opportunity to express your gratitude for their willingness to lend their name to your project.

Final Thoughts

It’s okay to love AI, but don’t lose track of your love for people.

AI is an amazing tool for book marketing, especially sending pitch letters for book endorsements. It can help you brainstorm, learn, and draft.

But nothing replaces your human touch. Stay deeply involved by considering, curating, revising, and following up. Your care will show. This is what brings life to your book marketing and enables real connections!

Author Bio:

Ella Ritchie is the founder of Stellar Communications Houston, a premium, end-to-end book publishing, marketing, and PR team for nonfiction authors. Get monthly tips at stellarwriter.com/blog.

If you like this blog post, you’ll love our Author Toolkit on writing nonfiction books. It includes checklists, templates, worksheets and more. Check it out!