4 Tips to Get Your Pitch Right
<p>We hate to tell you this, but pitches are now part of your daily routine. Whether it's meeting with your bank advisor for a loan, in front of potential clients or informal networking, you'll often have to sell your talents and your business. You may not be very comfortable with doing this so Momenteo has come up with 4 tips to help you successfully execute a pitch.</p>
<h3><strong>Before You Start, Let’s Talk About What Exactly a Pitch Is.</strong></h3>
<p>First of all, the term "pitch" refers to a summary, presentation or demonstration. According to the <a href="https://www.definitions-marketing.com/definition/elevator-pitch/" target="_blank">marketing definitions</a> website, a pitch is a short sales presentation made to a prospect. The idea is to get someone, the prospect, interested in an offer or service in a matter of seconds. In short, it's about being able to summarize your services in a short time in order to attract customers. We are not going to hide this, it can be difficult to master the art of pitching, but we reassure you that it is possible to improve to a point where it is natural.</p>
<h3><strong>Step One: Preparation</strong></h3>
<p>When you were younger, how did you feel before giving a speech? Were you the nervous, last-minute or confident type? To make sure everything goes as well as it can, the key is to prepare. This will allow you to remove some stress from your shoulders. It is your duty to know your company, to know its strengths and weaknesses. Have you done a market study? What sets you apart from your competitors? Why should we invest in your business or require your services? What is your turnover and what are your budget forecasts for the coming year? Start by gathering as much information about your business as you can, and then learn about it. You may not be able to remember everything but know the main points. If you don't know the answer to a question, just say that you will follow up with the person as soon as possible.</p>
<h3><strong>Personalize Your Presentation</strong></h3>
<p> Pitches are meant to meet a need. So, they must have a purpose. As mentioned above, you may need to talk about your business at both a networking event at a local café and an investor meeting. Because your prospects have different goals, you need to customize your approach. A potential client will probably want to know more about your services and benefits, while a bank adviser will want to know about your numbers and productivity; which means you have to prepare different pitches for different clients. Research these people and try to determine what their needs are. This will make your job easier.</p>
<p> You also have to customize your speech according to the time you are allotted. Sometimes you will only have two minutes to do your pitch while other times you will have 10, 15 or sometimes 30 minutes to talk about yourself. Once you know who you're dealing with, take the time to create a tailor-made presentation. You'll probably need to have shorter versions and longer versions of your pitch. Keep what's important, then be brief and concise, if necessary.</p>
<h3><strong>Practice It Over and Over Again</strong></h3>
<p>There are no magic recipes to help you master the art of pitching. As is the case in sports, you must practice, practice and practice some more to improve. After doing your research and creating different versions of your pitch, why not do your pitch in front of the mirror? You could also film yourself to see and analyze what you look like when presenting. Are you talking too fast? Do you have some tics? Are you standing up straight? Don't hesitate to present your pitch in front of your friends and family for feedback. Before you go to bank advisors or investors who might eat you alive, you could also go to <a href="https://www.momenteo.com/blog/networking-101" target="_blank">networking</a> events from time to time. In short, practice your pitch as much as you can. Your non-verbal communication is as important as what you say. You only have to watch a few episodes of the show Dragon’s Den to know this.</p>
<h3><strong>Don't Forget About the Visuals</strong></h3>
<p> When you're happy with your pitch, don't forget to work on your visual presentation. What your audience sees has to jive with what you are saying. At an event, wear clothes that you like and suited for the occasion. This will help you be more confident. Then, if appropriate, you might have some visual elements during your presentation. This can be business cards during networking events or a PowerPoint presentation if you want to show charts. However, make sure that all your mediums are professional and represent your image.</p>
<p> When you arrive, don't forget to stand up straight. Be proud of your product or your company. Be proud of yourself and your journey. Speak with confidence. Whether or not your pitch yields the desired results, tell yourself that this is going to be a good experience. Remember that Walt Disney and several others were turned down several times before being given a chance. Tip: Don't start your pitch by saying you're making a dream come true. Your potential investors have heard this many times before.</p>
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<p>In conclusion, do not hesitate to follow up a few days after your presentation with the people you met. You can also avoid doing a long monologue by asking a few questions to your audience to find out what they think of a specific topic. Start by preparing your pitch, do your research, adapt your text to your audience, and then practice. This mandatory job will become less and less painful over time.</p>
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