HOW
to deliver a winning pitch
As you probably guessed from the title of the competition, Pitch to Rich, your pitch is the most important part! A great pitch can set your business apart, highlight your USP’s, and be your best tool for convincing people why they should back you… and buy from you. It’s your chance to really impress. embrace it. Here are some do’s and don’ts to help you deliver a winning pitch.
DO
BE CONCISE
IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM
Being able to articulate your business simply will help people understand what you’re trying to do. You don’t have a long time to convince somebody they should support your campaign, so be clear and use that time wisely. Identify two or three key points you want to get across before you start your pitch.
Tell your audience what’s in it for them if you win the competition. Richard Branson says:
Identify the problem you’re solving, the size of the opportunity and the benefits.
“ Emphatically explain how your company will give your customers a better deal than your competitors.” To do this, you must clearly frame the problem you’re trying to solve. How you are going to solve it, why your solution is better than others, and how many people will benefit from your innovation. If it’s a problem that people can identify with or have experienced, immediately they will be more likely to support your campaign.
DO
DO
TELL YOUR STORY
REVIEW
People connect with stories. Sure, the facts and figures are definitely important, but every great pitch has a human element too.
You have as many opportunities as you like to get your video pitch right, but only one chance to convince the viewer to support you once your pitch is uploaded. Take your time. Review and tweak your pitch until you’re happy with it.
Let your story demonstrate your personality, or bring in a bit of humour so it feels authentic – use your creativity. You could add the human element by introducing your team or highlighting your passions – why do you care about the business? Your story is your defining feature and will help your business stick in people’s minds and continue to support you through the competition. Here is a great video from THNKR identifying six different ways to deliver a pitch:
Remember that once you submit the pitch, it cannot be changed or tweaked. So time spent planning it beforehand – and checking before you submit – will pay off later.
DO
USE JARGON Remember who you’re pitching to. This isn’t a meeting with a select group of experts familiar with jargon related to your industry. The name of the game is to get as many votes as possible, so make sure lots of people understand what you’re saying. That doesn’t mean you can’t be technical and informative. It just means you have to communicate clearly and in a way people are likely to understand.
DON’T
DON’T
EXAGGERATE
FORGET THE BOTTOM LINE
It’s tempting to exaggerate a business idea’s potential when trying to gather support and build momentum. We’d advise against this. Be honest and authentic – people see through embellishment. Also, it makes your business idea seem unbelievable and impossible to execute. That can make you seem ill-informed or untrustworthy. Some of the best businesses in the world started off by dominating a niche, such as Amazon who started off just selling books online, and expanding from a strong base to sell practically anything! Don’t be afraid to start small or be focused.
Don’t forget to touch on how your business is doing financially. Remember to get a line or two in your pitch with some growth, revenue or profit figures or forecasts. Outlining some financial goals you want to achieve in the future is also important.
DON’T
Now we’ve given you some pointers on how to fine tune your pitch. Grab our other “How to” guides to find out how to start spreading the word on your big idea. Everyone at Virgin Media Business wishes you the very best of luck. We’d love to help you #VOOM.