Introduce yourself and share who you are

Right after your greeting, introduce yourself by writing your name, specialty, and location, if relevant. For example, you can write an intro as follows:

Name + Location (if relevant) + Speciality

My name is Layla Taylor, and I’m a Dubai- based journalist specializing in fintech.

If you have a mutual friend or were referred to the prospect by someone else, make sure to drop their name. Editors like to work with a vetted person, and a familiar reference may make the busy editor pay extra attention to your pitch.

Using the example above, you can write your introduction as follows:

Name + Location (if relevant) + Speciality + Referrer

My name is Layla Taylor, and I’m a Dubai-based journalist specializing in fintech. I was encouraged to contact you by our mutual acquaintance John Bishop.

It goes without saying that your intro should be direct, professional, and typo-free.

You don't want to start your intro with something like the following:

Hi there, I’m a writer. I want to pitch to ur publication.  

In your worksheet, write down your introduction. You don’t need to be overly complex. Simple will get the job done.