The most common question writers ask me is “How do you find new clients?” The answer is to brainstorm direct clients and find content marketing agencies in your niches, for starters. But without a doubt, the second question I get is about how to figure out who is the best person to receive your letter of introduction (LOI) and that’s the question I’m going to answer today.

With consumer and trade publications, it isn’t rocket science to find the right person to send your pitch. It’s usually on the website. And if not, just look at the masthead. All of the editors’ names and their departments are listed right there. Easy pickings. And if you are really lucky, you can find a market report online that lists exactly who to contact.

But with content marketing gigs, it’s nowhere near as easy. It’s actually very hard. There very few market reports. And no masthead to use. And to make it even more fun, companies like to come up with creative job titles. So it’s more of an art than a science. But don’t let that stop you from sending out LOIs. Just think of it as a game or treasure hunt or whatever metaphor appeals to you.

Here are three ways to find the best person to email with your LOI:

• Check the company website. Check the company website to see if there is a staff directory or contact list. Ideally, you want to find someone with the word “Content” in their title, such as Content Marketing Strategist or Content Coordinator. When pitching to a content marketing agency, look for a title such as “Director of Editorial” or something that indicates that they manage the freelance writers. If it is a small agency, then I would send it to the President or Vice President, since they most likely wear many hats. For brands, if you can’t find someone who works directly with content creation, look for someone in the marketing department, such as Marketing Director or Marketing Manager. However, don’t contact the marketing department at agencies since they are responsible for marketing the agency itself, not working with clients and their content.
• LinkedIn. Use the LinkedIn search for the same titles you looked for on the company website. If you find several people, read through their job descriptions to find the person who seems like they would be the most hands-on with content creation. I have had the best luck with mid-level managers as opposed to directors and vice presidents at larger companies. For content marketing agencies, you can also search for the account manager for the brands that you feel are the best fit for your skills. For example, if you are specifically targeting the Ford brand, see if you can find a staff member who indicates that they work on the Ford account.
• Call the company. If you can’t find a direct email through your online research, pick up the phone and call the main number for the brand. Ask who handles content marketing for the company and see if they will give you an email address. If the person you speak with doesn’t know what content marketing is, then ask for a contact in the marketing department. For content marketing agencies, ask for the email address of the person who manages freelance writers. This works especially well if you are targeting a specific custom publication for a brand and need to reach the editor for that publication.

How do you find the right contacts for your LOIs?