Delivering the Perfect Pitch

from Ambition Issue 39 (March/April 2020)

by Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry

Travelling Ahead

John Ferris, Entrepreneur Development Manager at Ulster Bank

The Belfast Telegraph Business Awards in partnership with Ulster Bank returns to the Crowne Plaza Hotel in April this year. The glittering awards ceremony recognises firms across a wide range of sectors, and as always, is expected to be a very enjoyable evening, celebrating the very best of Northern Ireland businesses.

As part of Ulster Bank’s support for the event, it is bringing back the Dragon’s Den-style pitching competition, giving one overall winner a prize package of £4,000.

John Ferris, Entrepreneur Development Manager with Ulster Bank, explains how entrepreneurs can enter the competition and gives some useful tips on how to deliver the perfect pitch.

Entrepreneurs know that pitching is a vital tool for any business. And while it may not be the most pleasant experience, it’s a skill that needs to be polished and crafted so that when you’re put on the spot in front of potential backers, you can really deliver.

This month we are working with entrepreneurs from start-up and scale-up businesses across Northern Ireland to give them the opportunity to pitch their business idea live on stage at the event. Four shortlisted businesses will have one minute each to try and convince the room that they deserve to have the £4,000 prize money invested in his or her company.

So what makes the perfect pitch? It’s important to remember that the purpose of a pitch is to capture your audience’s attention. You want to engage people so they feel compelled to find out more about who you are, and what you do.

The crucial thing is not to over-complicate your pitch. When you only have 60 seconds in front of an audience, the common trap is to try and include too much detail; bombarding the listener with information that they simply cannot retain.

A good tip is to remember that you want to take your listener on a journey. If you don’t have buy-in within the first 10-12 seconds, then it’s probably not going to come. It’s similar to any book or newspaper article; if the reader isn’t captivated by the first few lines then chances are they aren’t going to persevere. When we are working with entrepreneurs in our Accelerator programme, we encourage them to begin with an unusual stat or interesting fact that will help strike up a rapport with the audience.

Delivering a good pitch relies on the same techniques used by any effective public speaker. You have to speak slowly and clearly and make a personal connection with your listeners. Of course the ticking clock brings another layer of pressure but if you are well-rehearsed, confident and assured of your product or business, you should be able to overcome this.

When crafting the pitch, I think it’s always helpful to write it down. Consider why people will be interested in your product and remember to make it clear what you are asking for. Using everyday examples can aid your audience’s understanding and it’s important to speak in layman’s terms, avoiding overly technical, industry jargon.

When it comes to remembering your script, go with what works for you. Some people prefer to learn it by heart, others rely on a few key points. Whichever option you choose, rehearsal is key. Practice out loud in the car, in front of the mirror, and to your friends and family. They should give you a good indication of what works and what doesn’t – if they aren’t getting it, then it’s unlikely the judges will either.

Finally, it’s important to stay calm and be yourself. Show that you really believe in your business and if your enthusiasm shines through, others will believe in it, too.

Through the Ulster Bank Accelerator, we’ve helped hundreds of businesses perfect their pitch and watched with pride as they’ve gone on to win pitching competitions across the UK and beyond.

To find out more about the work of Ulster Bank’s Accelerator or to apply for future intakes, visit www.ulsterbank.co.uk/acclerator

Stephen Beck, Zero Waste Bioteck, receives his prize for winning the 2019 Belfast Telegraph Business Awards pitching competition from Margaret Canning, Business Editor, Belfast Telegraph (left) and Lynsey Cunningham, Regional Director, Entrepreneurship with Ulster Bank.

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