The Great Pitch

A great deal of winning at pitching is about getting it right beforehand

 

Understanding the audience

Thinking through a clear position

Writing a pitch which has clarity and a big idea

 

How you pace and shape the presentation

How you deal with questions

The use of humour

 

Remember:

When someone asks you a question, they do not really want to know the answer…

 

What they want to know is that they can have a working relationship with you.

 

How you interact with them is far more important than what you say.

 

The type of Pitch

You’re after a new job, and you go to an interview with the person you’ll be working for. A week later, they ask you back – it looks as if they want you to do the job, but they also want you to be checked by their own boss.

In short, the 1^st interview, you want to avoid a ‘NO’, the 2^nd interview you want to achieve a ‘YES’

Every pitch has a balance between reassurance and excitement.

 

What is the interviewer thinking?

He doesn’t care what you think; he cares what his boss thinks.

 

So the key is to identify what his boss/company is concern about.

Be tactful: Never imply to him what you think the real power lies above him.

Which is better? Being able to please vs being eager to please?

 

You can’t measure something, which doesn’t exist yet; you have to use your own judgment.

 

1. Use as much reassurance from the past as you can (Track Record)

(People enjoy benefits of a new idea without taking any risk)

1. Speak their language
2. Human emotions: Confidence
3. Clarity & Simplicity