3 tricks to give your business pitch a Marie Kondo clean

Over the last few days in London it has felt like spring has SPRUNG.

Crocuses are appearing, winter coats are being ambitiously swapped for denim jackets and people keep dashing out to catch rays of lukewarm sunshine then getting caught in quick bursts of torrential rain.

The change in season has predictably given me the urge to Spring Clean.

My must-clear-it-out-before-the-clocks-change energy has been directed to my clothes.

On Sunday I channelled my inner Marie Kondo, assessed every item in my wardrobe and made a pile of clothes that 'no longer bring me joy’, soon to be sold on Vinted (does that count as a passive income stream?).

I made a second pile named, ‘no longer brings me joy but might do again in six months time’, and stored it under the bed.

Then I organised my freshly stripped back wardrobe by colour so it looks like a t-shirt and trouser rainbow.

I may be a creative but I ?? an orderly environment.

Nothing brings me more satisfaction than a neatly tidied wardrobe ????

A carefully arranged cutlery drawer ??

A height-ordered fridge shelf ??

DON’t even get me started on a well-managed Tupperware cupboard ??

Now that my clothes have had a metaphorical dusting it’s time to turn my spring cleaning attention elsewhere.

Next up I’ll be donning my marigolds to tackle my business pitch.

I have a tried-and-tested framework for delivering a 60-second pitch that gets immediate results.

I’ve used it many times and got leads who have become clients.

I share the framework with my clients and when they use it they get leads too.

The formula is proven to work. BUT in my regular networking groups I’ve used it a lot.

That means when it’s my turn to pitch the audience knows what to expect from me.

There’s less element of surprise. Less intrigue. Less action.

While my message is still clear and strong, repeating the same method might be what’s standing in my way of keeping my audience interested in what I have to offer.

Next month I’ll be applying my Marie Kondo method to my pitch, stripping out what doesn’t bring my audience joy and fluffing up the style to deliver something fresh and attention-grabbing.

If your pitch needs to have the cobwebs shaken off it and some fresh spring air breathed back into it, here are 3 ideas of what to try:

1. Share a client’s story - Rather than read out a testimonial, tell the story of how you helped a client. Share how they felt when you met them, explain the journey you took them on and how they had transformed after working with you. Stories are a great way to build an emotional connection with your audience.
2. Use a metaphor - Help your audience think differently about what your business does by using a metaphor. I recently worked with a VA who used the metaphor of tidying a messy coat cupboard to describe her spreadsheet organising offer. A metaphor helps your audience visualise what you do and connect to your message in a different way.
3. Show (don’t tell) people what you do - This is a great approach if you can do something that quickly impacts how someone feels. For example, if you’re a mindset coach, instead of telling people, “I can make you feel calm”, lead a short breathing exercise. Your audience is more likely to remember how you made them feel than what you said.

Happy cleaning. Happy pitching.

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