How to Use AI to Personalize Cold Pitches for Copywriting Services

Part of 💼 SECTION 4: Branding, Niching & Getting Clients in AI Copywriting Business Crash Course (25-Part Series)

—Because “Dear Sir or Madam” belongs in a time capsule.

Okay, picture this: You’re staring at a blank screen, trying to write a pitch email that doesn’t sound like it was generated by an AI with social anxiety.

You want to sound smart but not stiff. Confident but not cocky. You want to land clients, not scare them off with weirdly enthusiastic emojis or an opening line that reads like a spam bot wrote it.

You think, “Maybe I’ll just wait until I feel inspired…”

But let’s be real. That “inspiration” is probably just you stalling. I say that with love, because I’ve been there. I once spent two hours writing a cold email that got zero replies — not because I didn’t try hard enough, but because I was trying to sound like someone else. Someone “impressive.”

Spoiler: what actually works is showing up like you, but smarter, sharper, and better-researched — and that’s where AI steps in. Not as your replacement, but as your wingman.

Let’s break it down.

🚫 First Things First: The Wrong Way to Cold Pitch

Before we dive into the AI sauce, let’s clear the air.

Here’s what not to do:

❌ “Hello, I am a freelance copywriter who specializes in website content and would love to work with your business.”

Yawn. That’s like walking up to someone at a party and saying, “Hello, I am a human who breathes air and is open to friendship.”

It’s too generic. Too vague. It puts all the work on them to figure out why they should care. And spoiler: they won’t. Not because they’re evil, but because they’re busy.

You’ve got five seconds — tops — to make someone think,
“Oh. This person gets it. Tell me more.”

Let’s use AI to get there.

🤖 Meet Your New Sidekick: AI-Powered Personalization

Alright, so how does AI actually help? Here’s the juice:

AI helps you write smarter, faster, and more tailored cold pitches by doing the heavy lifting with research, tone-matching, and structure. But only if you steer the wheel.

Think of it like a good bartender: it’ll mix you the perfect cocktail, but you’ve gotta know what you’re in the mood for.

🛠️ Step 1: Let AI Research Your Prospects for You

Okay, so you’ve got a list of potential clients — maybe small biz owners, coaches, e-comm brands, or startups that are this close to blowing up.

Your first job? Understand them. Not in a creepy “I read your tweets from 2014” way — more like, “Hey, I see you.”

You can use tools like:

• ChatGPT (paste in bios, website copy, etc.)
• Browse social bios or “About” pages
• AI summarizers for LinkedIn or blog content

Prompt Example:

“Summarize what [Company X] does based on this About Page. What seems to matter most to their customers? What tone of voice do they use?”

This saves so much time. And it lets you mirror their language in your pitch — which, fun fact, makes people feel psychologically understood. (Yes, we’re low-key hacking empathy here. It’s fine.)

📬 Step 2: Use AI to Draft a Custom Pitch — but Don’t Let It Do All the Talking

Now that you’ve got some context, this is where AI shines.

Give it a prompt that includes:

• Who the client is
• What you noticed about their content/brand
• Your specific idea or offer
• The tone you want (friendly, direct, quirky, etc.)

Prompt Example:

“Write a short cold pitch email to [Brand X], who runs a quirky wellness brand. Mention their funny About page and suggest a refresh for their welcome email sequence. Make it warm, witty, and concise. Sound like someone they’d want to grab matcha with.”

And boom — AI gives you a solid first draft.

But — and this is important — you need to human it up.
Add weird little quirks, soft hedges, or emotional nuance that makes it feel like you wrote it after two coffees and a little too much self-doubt.

Here’s how it might sound:

Subject: Just read your About page — and snorted matcha out my nose

Hey [Name],

Stumbled across your site while deep-diving wellness brands (don’t ask how many tabs I had open). Your About page? Gold. Actual personality on the internet. We love to see it.

I noticed your welcome emails are solid but feel like they were written pre-espresso. Want help turning those into high-converting, high-vibe intros that match your voice?

I’m a freelance copywriter who blends human storytelling with AI tools to work fast and write like an actual person. If you’re open to it, I’d love to send over a 2-line sample.

Either way — you’re crushing it.

Cheers,
[Your Name] [Link to portfolio or sample]

See what we did there?
✅ Specific reference
✅ Genuine compliment
✅ Clear offer
✅ Casual tone
✅ Optional sample

That’s a pitch that feels human — because it is.

🧠 Bonus: Let AI Help You Create a “Pitch Bank”

Let’s be honest — writing from scratch every time is exhausting.

Use AI to help you build:

• A library of subject lines
• Quick intros for different niches (SaaS, coaches, e-comm)
• CTAs with different levels of chill
• Email templates for warm leads, cold leads, follow-ups, etc.

You’re not being lazy — you’re being efficient. Smart freelancers systemize. They don’t reinvent the wheel every Tuesday at 11:47 PM when they remember they forgot to follow up.

🫶 Cold Pitching Is a People Game (Not a Numbers Game)

Okay, this part? This is me speaking from experience.

I once sent out 37 cold emails in a single weekend using a templated pitch. Know how many replies I got? Zero. Nada. Zilch.

Then I sent five hand-crafted pitches in one week using a hybrid AI/human approach — and booked two discovery calls. One of those became a long-term client who STILL sends referrals.

Why? Because I treated it like a conversation. Not a transaction.

People want to feel seen. Not sold to.

If your pitch feels like it could’ve been sent to anyone — it’s gonna resonate with no one.

🧃 Real Talk: This Isn’t Always Fun — But It Gets Easier

I won’t sugarcoat it. Cold pitching is awkward at first. You’ll overthink your subject line. You’ll wonder if you sound desperate. You might refresh your inbox 72 times in one day. (Just me?)

But it’s a skill. It’s trainable. And AI helps you take off the pressure.

Use it as your sounding board. Your brainstorming buddy. Your editor with no opinions on your messy desktop background.

Over time, you’ll start seeing cold pitching not as cold — but as a warm intro waiting to happen.

TL;DR – Your AI-Powered Cold Pitch Playbook

✅ Use AI to research each lead and pull out personal hooks
✅ Prompt it to draft pitches based on tone, context, and offer
✅ ALWAYS human-edit — add quirks, emotion, realness
✅ Build a pitch library you can remix on demand
✅ Keep it short, specific, and sincere
✅ Remember: you’re a person talking to another person

🧪 Mini Challenge: Your First AI-Enhanced Cold Pitch

Here’s your mission (should you choose to accept it):

1. Pick a brand you actually like.
2. Use ChatGPT to:
   • Summarize their About page
   • Generate 3 subject line options
   • Write a first draft of your pitch
3. Edit it to sound like you.
4. Hit send before your courage fades.

And if you want eyes on your draft? Send it my way. I’ve got a red pen and zero judgment.

You got this. For real.