Too early, too late, just right
Too early, and the brand has not decided what it needs. Your pitch has nothing to land on.
Too late, and the brief has gone out or someone is already booked. You are one of many, or you are out.
In between is the window. The brand knows it needs help. Few people have offered. That is when to pitch.
How long the window lasts
It depends on the signal. A new marketing lead usually spends the first few weeks settling in, then reviews who the brand works with. A job ad for a creative role means work is piling up now. New investment takes months to turn into plans. A launch needs content well before the day.
These are typical ranges, not rules. Every brand moves at its own speed.
Signs you’re early, signs it’s closed
You’re early when a new leader is in their first fortnight, when funding is announced with no plan attached, or when a launch is still months off and undated.
It has closed when the brand announces an agency or a new hire for the role, when the job ad comes down, when launch content is already live, or when the new look is already on every channel. Then pitch the next phase, not the original news.
How to use it
Before the window: get ready. Learn the brand, pick one idea, find the right person.
In the window: send one short, specific pitch tied to what changed.
As it closes: follow up once. After that, wait for the next signal. There always is one.