The pitch
Unsolicited calls, emails and LinkedIn DMs. People are getting pitched to all day, every day, whether they’re asking for it or not. So how do you make sure they hear yours?
You have 3 seconds: Assume you are one of ten pitches that day. Put what you’re pitching, or demoing, up front. Make them want to see more.
Make it personal: Find a meaningful way to demonstrate that you’ve done your research and are intentionally pitching to them (and only them). Make them feel seen.
Anticipate the blockers: Why might they write you off? What not being said? Address this up front. This way you remove negative thoughts before getting into the pitch, allowing your audience to feel heard, relax and listen.
Speak like a human: Drop the jargon, the lingo, the acronyms. Don’t circle back, double-click or describe yourself as a ninja. Speak plainly, as if talking to a friend who isn’t in your industry.
Problem; resolve: Be clear on the problem you’re solving and play with that tension as you tell your story and take them on a journey. Make them feel it.
Work backwards: What’s the one ask? What’s the main takeout? Figure these out and work back from those outcomes. Make your one ask and main takeout clear.
Make it real: Find an example to bring your insight or promise to life. At Twitter, we used Tweets because they are in abundance and public. You can also search on other platforms or draw from news articles to validate your thinking and prove you are addressing a real problem or need.
Keep it short: You’re done when there is nothing left to remove
📸 Header photo by Efe Kurnaz on Unsplash
