Whether it's for school, work or even for fun, knowing how to pitch your vision well will always give you the upper hand. Communication is the key to the success of all the great businesses you see today, from how you speak, your tone of voice to several strategies that you could apply to make your message more impactful.
The content stated below will provide you with the insight you need, let’s begin shall we….
TIP #1: Know Your Material Inside Out
Really sit down and study what you are about to pitch. Analyze all possible questions that you may potentially be faced with, and a great way to do this is by having a Q&A session with yourself. It is a great way to really churn out how much you truly know, and if you are dissatisfied with your knowledge level, good. It is the perfect opportunity for you to do more research and expand your mind on the topic further.
Let’s say you are going to pitch a new business idea for an electric bike. You probably should know everything about this product, from its mechanism to its production, basically everything. You should be able to answer any question proposed to you, of the product itself, the market conditions, and about the industry.
TIP #2: Story-telling
Have you realized that all the best TED talks out there start with a story? What better way to really immerse your audience in what you have to say, than taking them on a journey with you, from beginning to end. Let them have the privilege of getting to know you and the background behind your idea, this will make them feel more connected to you in a way and you will be able to tap into emotion.
If we are to continue this electric bike example, perhaps you could start your pitch with a brief history on the origin of bicycles/motor vehicles. Take them down a brief yet imaginable path, so much so they feel like they are back in the 1800s (which is when bicycles were invented). Then conclude your storyline, with why your product is something the market has never seen before, and could be the next “big thing”.
TIP #3: Visual Power
Our brains are wired to process imagery more easily. So it only makes sense that when we can, we should pitch something that is visually pleasing. Try to manipulate the elements involved in a way that reaches your audience. Do not spend all your time on the “telling”, instead, show them.
Let’s say you want to pitch your business proposal to potential investors, instead of explaining the great return on investments they could receive… show them. Draw up charts and graphs which clearly communicate your message, find some ways to bring in the element of “fun’ to enrapture their interests. Going back to the electric bike example, you could also make an animated video showing how the bike works.
Because at the end of the day, it does not matter how great your idea truly is, if your pitch is boring, chances are they will not pay attention, and…voila, you end up losing the pitch.
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TIP #4: Time Management
The last thing your audience wants is to sit there all day watching you “try” to make a point. Instead of taking a long turn, simply drive straight. Be straightforward, make your message so easy to understand, to the point that they do not even have to think. Make it engaging, there’s this misconception that things need to be complicated to be good, when in fact, the simpler it is… the better.
We also advise you to practice your entire pitch and time how long it takes. Investors and other professionals do not have much time to spare, so when they do make the time to see you, make it short lived yet worthwhile.
So if you are explaining about your innovative electric bike idea, and you want to mention its wondrous features, refrain from going too deep into its technicalities, it's better to simply scratch the surface.
TIP #5: Strategize
Whether you are giving a business pitch or a monthly presentation to your team, you need to have a strategy as its backbone. Especially if it is a business pitch. Your idea will possess great merit by having a solid strategy. So, it is important to devise a strategy that is innovative yet realistic, and can be supported with data of course.
State the “when”, the “where”, the “how” and the “why”. Why exactly should you do this, do your consumers need/want this right now? How will you bring this to them, during which time of the year and which location would be perfect for the plan?
The best thing you could do to really grasp their attention is to develop a simulation of your plan. Create an example within the room itself, so in the instance of the electric bike, you could physically bring it and test it in front of your audience. This would compliment the ‘story-telling’ aspect of your pitch suggested earlier.
Those were some strategies you could apply for any upcoming pitches coming your way. We wish you luck, go close that deal!
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