Pitching is a form of art itself. Building a pitch that matters, impacts and resonates with an audience is not easy, but there is a simple structure and a set of rules that can help!
There are many types of pitches - investor pitch, startup pitch, pitching your idea to a boss, even a marriage proposal is a pitch in a way! Here is a simple 7-step guide to building a pitch that matters regardless of its purpose, length, core message and a target audience.
Final checklist:
☑ Less is more.
☑ From problem awareness to solution awareness.
☑ Open with an impact.
☑ Start with WHY. Finish with CTA.
☑ 10/20/30 Rule of Powerpoint.
☑ Know your audience.
☑ Be you. - Unlocking one's emotions.
2. WHAT'S IT ALL ABOUT
Pitch about the pitch
To outline (communicate)
your idea for a product,
service, project, campaign...
... in a form of short
verbal message which
can be anything from
10 sec to 20 min
... with the goal to inspire
audience for action (use your
product, join your project,
invest in your startup)!
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3. SUPER QUICK 7-POINT GUIDE
TO BUILDING A PITCH THAT MATTERS
Let'sgetto
essentials!
5. Less is more.
ONE SINGLE
GOVERNING THOUGHT
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HOW YOU DID IT
WHAT VALUE DOES IT BRING
6. INSTEAD OF STRIPPING DOWN THE UNNECESSARY DETAILS FROM A LONG PITCH,
TRY BUILDING THE BARE MINIMUM AND THEN ADD LAYERS ONTO IT.
7-word exercise
Our ________ is _________ for ________ to ________________.
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name, title what
(product/idea)
target
user
value proposition
(solving the pain)
8. PROBLEM (USING FACTS/DATA/STORY: WHO ELSE HAS THIS PROBLEM)
SOLUTION (CAN YOU SOLVE THE PAIN, AND WHY IS YOUR SOLUTION BETTER)
Buyer's Journey
What problem/pain
are you addressing?
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Is there a solution to
that problem/pain?
10. IMPACT CAN BE MANY THINGS!
It's harder to recreate impact mid-pitch.
☑ Personal story
☑ Joke
☑ Question
☑ Statement, fact, stats
☑ Ice-breaker
☑ Media (video, picture, music)
☑ Question to the audience
☑ Excercise
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12. THIS IS A NATURAL COMPOSITION - START & FINISH OF THE STORY.
Everything has to make sense.
START WITH WHY
Why people should
listen to you?
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FINISH WITH CTA
Call-To-Action: What
people should do next?
14. APPLICABLE FOR ANY PRESENTATION TO REACH AGREEMENT: RAISING CAPITAL, MAKING A SALE, FORMING A PARTNERSHIP
Guy Kawasaki
have
10 slides
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last no more
than 20 minutes
contain font no smaller
than 30 points
A PITCH SHOULD
16. EVERYTHING WILL DEPEND ON IT: LANGUAGE, STYLE, CTA, CORE MESSAGE, SLIDES...
Who am I talking to?
do the homework
beforehand
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ask during the
performance
18. THIS IS IMPORTANT
Unlocking your emotional self
connecting to the audience
through emotions
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personal story is the key
to sparking the interest
19. ― PETER COUGHTER
THE ART OF THE PITCH: PERSUASION AND PRESENTATION SKILLS THAT WIN BUSINESS
“Whenweare
sellingourideas,
theaudiencemust
firstbuyus.”
Food for Thought
21. T W I T T E R : @ Y U L I A N A N E S T O R
☑ Less is more.
☑ From problem awareness to solution awareness.
☑ Open with an impact.
☑ Start with WHY. Finish with CTA.
☑ 10/20/30 Rule of Powerpoint.
☑ Know your audience.
☑ Be you. - Unlocking one's emotions.
In no particular order.
FinalChecklist