Pitch Perfect

It had been over a hundred years since the Cubs took the World Series (until recently). Whatever the reason for the drought, throwing consistently stellar pitches wouldn’t hurt the cause. A perfect pitch is crucial for marketing success as well. Whether your approach is cold calling, sending lead-based emails, or making proposals face-to-face, launching a powerful pitch could very well be the jumpstart your business needs.

Taking the Mound

Before actually offering a pitch, you need to prepare one. Every strike needs a windup. The more time and energy you invest in its preparation, the more likely it is to succeed on some level. After brainstorming ideas, you should be able to boil down your preliminary pitch proposal to a clear statement that is only a few sentences long. Each word should ideally have a purpose, maintain a genuine feel, and be precise about what it actually has to offer.

There are various points to take into consideration, too. What is the end goal and is it feasible? Winning the World Series might not be practical just yet. Try striking someone out first.

What is the overall business strategy? Have finances been put in order? How long will the process take and what is the projected return? Being practical is an advisable way to keep your pitch grounded and realistic.

Choosing the Type of Pitch

When creating your pitch, there are three fundamental perspectives to take into account: the business, the investor, and the client. A refined pitch depends on the needs of all three groups. Constructing the pitch taking into account the angle of each may help put things in the right light.

The pitch itself is composed of a few key elements. The central idea should be thoroughly examined.

• What does the pitch actually do?
• What problems does it solve, if any?
• How is it going to increase profits?

The market is an important factor as well. What is the size of your particular community and what are its standout patterns? The customer is just as critical. Who are they, what are some common characteristics they share, and what are they looking for?

Winding Her Up

Here are a few ways to make sure your pitch sails into the catcher’s glove:

1. Stick to the Essentials. When you’re giving a pitch, less is often more. Highlight the key points of your presentation and stick to them.
2. Crystal Clear. Practice your pitch with someone who knows little about your company and have them repeat back what they believe your business model is. Your values and your offer both need to be very clear. Avoid technical jargon and acronyms as much as possible.
3. Outline. To exemplify the first two steps, outline your business model. Why should your customer be interested? How sound are the finances for investors?
4. Numbers Help. What are the actual numbers behind it all? Present your forecast and the reasoning backing it up. What other specific data and information do your clients need?
5. Challenge the Competition. Acknowledging competitors is a professional way of demonstrating confidence in your product. Differentiate your services from your competitions and highlight why yours are better.
6. Who Are You? Clients and investors are looking to back not just a product, but you as well. Demonstrate why you and your business are a valuable investment. What have you done to warrant such support and how? What are some of your relevant accomplishments?
7. Keep it Real. Sharing an actual customer’s story turns your product from a still artifact into a living, breathing memory.
8. Show Your Product. People like to see what they are being sold. Visual representations, even if they’re only mock-ups, can do wonders.

Bringing Her Home

Trust in your preparation and present your pitch as it is. People dig sincerity, and sometimes they’re even willing to give you the benefit of the doubt once it’s established. There’s rarely a need to spin your arm multiple times to get a solid wind-up. Just pull back, release, and watch it fly.