The one golden rule of pitching
There are two sorts of pitch :
The Perfect Pitch:
This is used when you don't know what the person you are
pitching to might be able to offer you that would help your
business. For example you are responding to a question "what do you
do" from someone you have just met. It's worth giving a great
answer to this question because you never know what you might get
in return - some great feedback perhaps, or maybe an introduction
to exactly the sort of person you need to meet to move your
business forward.
I call a great answer to the question "what do you do", a
perfect pitch, because if you can answer well in under 2 minutes
you have a great weapon at your disposal - one no entrepreneur
should be without.
You will also distinguish yourself from the vast majority of
people out there who haven't got a clue how to pitch - this 2
minute pitch alone will make you stand out as a symbol of
excellence - it's a first step to becoming iconic.
I've taught well over a 1000 people the art of Perfect Pitch in
the last few years and its impact never ceases to amaze me.
Pitching for Gold:
This is the pitch most people recognize - you use it when you
want something from someone. You may want them to invest in your
company, to be your go-to-market partner, to buy your product, to
sponsor some aspect of what you do or to work for you. You are
normally invited to pitch and you are normally given a chunk of
time - anything from 15 minutes to an hour.
If you have a perfect pitch it's a simple matter to expand it to
a great pitch for gold. But I can give you one quick piece of
advice which will distinguish you from 90% of the pitches I hear -
which are simply dreadful. VCs will tell you the same story.
OK here it is :in the first 60 seconds, with crystal clarity,
tell them what your company does, what you want from them and what
they get in return and give them some facts about you and your
company/products which gives you sufficient credibility to be
heard.
People normally bury these in the pitch and make you work really
hard to dig them out.
If you are pitching to me every word you say is wasted until
I've understood what you do, what you want, what I get in return
and why I should listen to you.
After you have established these things you can then go into the
detail which substantiates the value of what you are offering.
Try it next time you are pitching for gold it's magic!
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