An essential passage for any self-respecting professional, the pitch is a decisive exercise that follows certain specific rules. Do you have a prospecting meeting planned? In that case, we advise you to read the following!
What is a pitch and why is it so important?
A pitch is simply the summary presentation of an activity, a project, or a company, particularly highlighting its strengths. More than just an introduction, the pitch is an opportunity to dive in impactfully while presenting to the audience. The goal: to make them want to know more and convince them to trust you!
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If, originally, the term was used to describe in a few words a film scenario (essential for capturing the attention of a producer who receives dozens of proposals daily!), this concept is now used in many other fields: meeting with investors, networking events, job interviews, meetings with prospects, cold calling…
How to make a good pitch?
Obviously, a pitch needs preparation. The first fundamental question to ask yourself in front of your blank sheet is who is the audience you intend to address? The selected elements, as well as how you present them, will obviously differ depending on whether you are demonstrating in front of a professional floor or in the presence of a potential client.
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It is also crucial to structure your argument around your objective: selling a service, presenting a new product, obtaining funding… Keep in mind that the goal of a pitch is not to provide the maximum amount of information in a limited time, but to present “exactly what is needed” to make them want to know more.
Why it is essential to aim for conciseness and simplicity! Your audience must immediately understand and retain your message. It seems counterproductive to try to impress them with unnecessarily verbose and technical speech.
Before you build your pitch, it is also essential to review your strengths. Indeed, this brief presentation should allow you to differentiate yourself from your competitors, particularly by highlighting your added value. So it’s up to you to find distinctive elements capable of convincing the person in front of you!
Unfolding an effective pitch
And how should your pitch unfold? Although it necessarily differs depending on the circumstances, it follows a relatively stable structure.
Below, we offer you a pitch structure suitable for a business meeting. This structure, known for its effectiveness, was formulated by Dan Roam in his famous book “Show & Tell”.
- Step 1 — Establish common ground between you, your audience, and the project.
- Step 2 — Present the problem. This must, of course, be based on common ground.
- Step 3 — Propose a comprehensive vision of the project to project oneself.
- Step 4 — Discuss the different options to achieve the goal. Ideally, you should parallel two distinct paths. The first is complex and filled with obstacles. The second is shorter, more efficient, and tackles the crux of the problem. Of course, it is this second option that you intend to implement.
- Step 5 — Now, it’s time to drive the nail home by showing how the solution you advocate is the best solution to solve the initial problem. At this stage, examples of your previous successes are welcome.
- Step 6 — Describe the methodology in place to achieve the goal.
- Step 7 — Finally, it’s time to project beyond the project results by highlighting the benefits the company can gain from this collaboration (increased performance, cost reduction, customer loyalty, reduced absenteeism…).
What attitude to adopt on the day of the presentation?
Once the content and structure of your pitch are clearly defined, you need to work on your oral communication, without neglecting your body language. This aspect, sometimes considered secondary, should not be overlooked as a relevant pitch will tend to lose all effectiveness if you are unable to highlight it.
As you probably know, a person you meet for the first time judges you within the first few seconds. The same goes for the pitch where the first 10 to 30 seconds are crucial.
On the big day, make sure you are relaxed, smiling, and show that you have complete confidence in your service or project! However, while some people are born speakers, comfortable in all circumstances, others fear being overwhelmed by stress and losing their composure. This is a struggle that many professionals face and has little to do with skills. You can indeed be an excellent transition manager and struggle to secure assignments because you don’t know how to sell yourself.
If you find yourself in this situation, know that simply preparing your pitch well and practicing in advance should already help you gain confidence. By the way, using relaxation exercises, particularly breathing, should be very helpful for you. Finally, by delivering presentations repeatedly, you will naturally gain assurance.
Be sure not to memorize your pitch verbatim, at the risk of falling into recitation and seeing your audience fall into a stupor within the first few seconds. In a word: be spontaneous!
To summarize: a good pitch is a synthesis, a relevant and impactful presentation of a company or project, tailored to its audience and addressing a specific objective.
Tag: How to present your company?