Pitch Communication WorkshopFebruary 23, 2013

Rick Schell

Agenda

Level set video

Three keys to a successful pitch

Managing Q & A

Sample pitch

Discussion

Keys to a Powerful Presentation

Create a great story

Tell it well

Make it visual

Plan Analog

Don’t begin here !

Brainstorm Broad Categories What problems do we solve?

What opportunities do we enable?

Who should care and why?

What’s unique about our solution?

How do we prove our capabilities?

How big is our potential market?

Where is our market “sweet spot”?

What is our offering status?

What do we need?

Cluster and Prioritize Input

Problem: what’s “not right” in the world?

Promise: how do we solve it?

Proof: why should anyone believe us?

Plea: what do we need to move forward?

Keys to a Powerful Presentation

Create a great story

Tell it well

Make it visual

You Must . . .

Take command of your space and your audience

Open and close with authority and clarity

Establish and maintain eye contact

Cut the “noise” (fillers and random movements)

Command, Authority, and Clarity

Open with a HookProvocative Statement

Your Hook “Over three million people die every year from water-

borne diseases. 90 % of them are children under the

age of five.”

“If laptop batteries had followed ‘Moore’s Law,’ today

they would be the size of a match head and would

hold a charge for 10 years.”

“How much money do you spend every month on your

household electricity bill?”

“150 years ago, Henry David Thoreau remarked that,

‘Men have become the tools of their tools.’”

Respect time commitments. Shorter is better than longer.

Conclude With Clarity and Authority

Recap the journey

Take them to a new place

Give them a vision of the future

Provide a Call to Action

Answer Questions Effectively

Anticipate questions, especially the hardest ones

Prepare and rehearse answers

Make eye contact, listen, “square up”

Try not to “compliment” questions

Keep answers short and specific Avoid dialogue with one person

Move eye contact after answering

Handle Tough Questions

If you don’t understand a question, say so “Could you restate your question?” “Let me be sure I understand your question. . . .”

If you don’t know, say so Offer to find the answer Follow up with the questioner

Don’t bluff or apologize If the question requires a long, detailed response, ask

to discuss it offline

Close by summarizing your pitch / providing a “final thought”Do not end on the answer to the last question

Keys to a Powerful Presentation

Create great content

Present it well

Illustrate it effectively

Who is going to create a “water cooler” moment?

Information Retention After Three Days

5 %

50%

Text Only Text and Graphics

More immediate impact; better retention

Use a Prop

The Successful Business Plan “Pitch”

Content Pain (the problem) Promise (your solution) Proof (why they can believe) Plea (what you need)

Delivery Enthusiasm

Confidence

Credibility

Make them “see” it Visuals Props Language

Let’s Watch One

How Did He Do?

Content Pain (the problem) Promise (your solution) Proof (why they can believe) Plea (what you need)

Delivery Enthusiasm

Confidence

Credibility

Make them “see” it Visuals Props Language

Take Aways From the Workshop?