Five Ways to Perfect Your Pitch

Define your pitch style

There are several types of pitches and it’s important to match the pitch style with the setting. Daniel Pink outlines various pitching techniques in his book “To Sell is Human,” including an elevator pitch that is a brief and well-honed sales pitch that should last no longer than 60 seconds. A Pixar Pitch, named for Pixar Animation Studio’s clear and succinct plots, defines your mission and what it seeks to accomplish in six sentences. A question pitch uses the interrogative to make your case, by asking questions when you have facts firmly on your side. When presenting at an expo, Ambrose suggests that entrepreneurs clearly define their venture and create a dialogue and exchange of ideas with investors or judges. Your pitch should include an overview of your venture, the problem it solves, the solution, your competition, business model and use of funds.

“Make it fit your personality and what you feel comfortable with,” Ambrose said. “When it comes to being persuasive, you need to be passionate and you have to be solving a problem that matters to others.”

Connect with your audience

Sharing your origin story of where you got your idea can be a great way to connect with your audience and make your presentation more personable. Authentic pitches that connect with people on an emotional level are more likely to be remembered. Using an analogy or metaphor can also help explain the problem you are solving, especially if it involves a more technical approach. “In the world of science and engineering, ventures can be highly technical so you have to provide a frame of reference that gives them context,” Ambrose said. Compare your product or service to other ventures that have revolutionized industries or find an easy metaphor that describes how your technology works.

Describe your value proposition

How do you serve the needs of your customer in a unique way and how do you stand out from existing ventures? Those are important questions to address when defining your venture, Ambrose said. Potential investors are looking for market niches that new ventures can establish and successfully defend. According to the Expo judging criteria, you should be able to demonstrate your venture’s commercial viability, general interest and innovativeness.

Know your numbers

Your business model should define the market for your product or service in as much detail as possible. “This is where most folks fall down,” Ambrose said. “They fall in love with their idea but don’t focus on its commercial viability.” You have to know who your potential customer is. You need to know if you will have repeat customers or one-time customers and be realistic about the market share that your new venture can garner.

Include a call to action

What is it that an investor can contribute to your startup and what would it enable you to do? Ending your pitch with a call to action tells the investor or intended audience how they can support you, buy your product or provide feedback for research and development.