The BIG PITCH

Years ago, SXSW asked me to present an interactive workshop on How to Open Doors and Close Deals with a Winning Pitch. What fun it was brainstorming and strategizing participants' pitches. My brain was on fire in our POP! Seats and we created one-of-a-kind names and intriguing 60-second intro's on the spot.

I just had a chance to share my BIG PITCH tips with a virtual gathering of the Conscious Capitalism community, and promised to post a few here. Enjoy!

PITCH! Tip #1:

Don't wing it, W5 it. Eleanor Clift said, "We're all in a race to be relevant." If you want to earn people's favorable attention, introduce something recent/relevant in the 1st minute. Fill out this W5 Form to figure out what you can say that will pleasantly surprise people and motivate them to look up and listen.

PITCH! Tip #2.

The purpose is NOT to get funding; it’s to get a follow-up meeting. It’s idealistic to think people will invest/say yes after a ten minute pitch. The goal is to compel them to want to continue the conversation. How? By providing evidence/precedence that proves you’re worth betting on. One way to do that is to follow Elon Musk's advice and focus on the problems you've solved (vs. the positions you've held) so they trust you have the track record to carry this off.

PITCH! Tip #3.

Turn audience members into brand ambassadors by crafting a one-sentence phrase-that-pays they can repeat after hearing/reading once. How do you craft an AIR-tight HOOK, LINE and THINKER tagline? By using Alliteration, Iambic Meter and Rhyme. “Click it or ticket” is better than the original slogan “Buckle Up for Safety.” I helped a MIT Ignite Clean Energy team craft the pithy tagline “Any Plug. Anytime. Anywhere.” for their electric car that helped them get interest.

PITCH! Tip #4.

Include a 60-second success story to show how people have already benefited from your offering so decision-makers have context (not just content). I helped Lauren Williams of Movie Hatch craft a Start With Where origin story about a client who went from his film collecting dust on a closet shelf to winning the Jackson Hole film festival in less than 4 months. In an all-day pitch fest, SHE was the one people followed up because she didn’t just spout INFObesity in her deck.

PITCH! Tip #5.

Share what's rare. As Mohammad Ali said, "It's not bragging if you can back it up." Now is NOT the time to be too humble for your own good. Many people don't want to "boast," so they don't bring up intriguing, unusual credentials that would give them a competitive edge. Review your EEE - Experience, Expertise, Epiphanies - to identify and share how you are unique (instead of ubiquitous).

PITCH! #6.

Confused people don't say yes. You’ve spend months (years?) developing your project/business. Increase its likelihood of success by giving it an easy-to-say, hard-to-forget name. Here are a couple favorite POP! success stories and tips on how to craft a commercially-viable name/domain that helps you stand out.

PITCH! Tip #7.

Show and ask is more persuasive than sell and tell. I worked with an entrepreneur who created a “receipt aggregator.” A what?! I suggested she pull a carry-on suitcase up to the stage and rummage through it while asking, “Have you ever returned from a business trip and searched in vain for your receipts? Imagine never having to do that again.” In ten seconds, everyone in the room wanted what she was selling because she showed how her product solved a problem they've all had - and don't want to have again.

PITCH! Tip #8.

NEVER practice in front of a mirror. It focuses you on you which makes you self-conscious. When I coach people on their TED talks or keynotes, I suggest they WALK AND REHEARSE to get out of their head, into their body, and into the stream-of-conscious flow state. And instead of gripping the lectern, (which connotes nervousness - or terror!); hold your hands like you’re holding a basketball to project a natural leadership presence that commands respect.

PITCH! Tip #9.

Never end with "Thank you." That's leaves money on the table. Instead, close by 1) Repeating your name with a pause and a punch, (not a rush and blush). 2) Indicating where you’ll be when so people know how to contact you. 3) Plant 3 specific action options so people WANT to follow up, e.g., “I’m Chris Smith in the green jacket with CleanerGreenerNow. I’ll be (point) in the lobby by the registration desk at our next break at 2:30. If you’d like a product sample, a copy of our financials, or to talk with our CMO about how we’re scaling visibility, please come and talk with us. I look forward to meeting you in the lobby at 2:30.”

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There's more...:-) Want Sam to coach you on your next pitch, presentation, or interview so you can open doors and close deals? You can contact her here.