Pitching Postscript
A quick word first
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Earlier this week I posted “Perfect Pitch” about persuading other people to support your project, plan, or product. The next morning I came across a classic article on this topic by Darden School of Business Professor Tom Steenburgh, “Perfecting the Project Pitch.” Tom laid out three things that pitchers often do wrong. And he offered a clever suggestion for getting positive engagement right at the top.
As for the mistakes, the first is making your presentation before you are truly ready. He says that “People may think they know their idea, but they don’t. An idea isn’t well understood unless it can be explained to someone else.” Practice your planned pitch with friends and colleagues before you actually make it.
The second common mistake is getting your content upside-down. “They’ll give you tons of background information and at the end of the five minutes, they’re just getting around to the actual idea. It should be just the opposite.”
Third, even if people get those things right, they can drone on about numbers and details, but fail to convey their commitment to the project or their excitement about partnering with the people whose support they are seeking. “Passion and enthusiasm can be contagious, Tom says, “but so can the lack of these qualities.”
His tip for grabbing people’s attention right from the start? Give them a puzzle.
Describe the problem your venture will address, then ask, “What if working together, we could . . .. “ Fill in that blank with your innovative solution.
That simple question is an invitation for them to problem-solve with you. Give the audience just a moment to think. Then jump into your pitch.