THE PITCH
Also known as Elevator Pitch or a Short Presentation
This is not a sales pitch, nor is it the time to go into full detail about your product or service. It is a brief overview that explains your approach and gives enough information so your listener wants more information, to set an appointment or possibly invest in you and your product.
Your pitch must answer these questions:
1) Who you are?
- Credibility/Trust
* Background, Years of experience, Achievements, Credentials, Big clients, Business built in dollars or percentages
2) What is your product or service?
- Briefly describe. It is not important for them to know at this point exactly how it works.
3) Different/Distinctive/Original
- What are your competitors doing, is your product/service/appearance unique?
4) Who are you selling to (target market)?
5) Benefit
- Depending upon your audience (end user, investor, strategic partner, referral relationship)
* Things to think about: How will you make money & how much? How will they make money? How will it benefit the listener?
6) Who is on your team (core management and advisors or early investors) and why is your team the best group to deliver your solution?
7) Investor pitch only: Seeking: Requested capital amount
Your enthusiastic elevator pitch should contain:
Interesting Opening
Your goal is to get your listener’s immediate attention. Your opening should be a statement or question designed to intrigue the listener. Try to make it relevant to the person you are addressing.
Clear, Concise Explanation
Depending upon the amount of time you have in front of your audience you will want to be sure to cover all important topics and not bore your audience or go over your time and possibly miss something.
For 60-90 seconds aim for around 200 words. Write down your pitch record yourself, edit what you’ve done, and finish with a pitch you can deliver smoothly.
For over 90 seconds write a draft using bullet points and practice by recording yourself. Be sure to cover all important points above and edit if you go over or miss something. Do it until you get it right.
Presentations are generally not over 10 minutes long. Be aware of your audience and know what is expected.
