Pitch Effectively

Many fail to prepare adequately, which can lead to a disorganized presentation. It's crucial to research your audience and tailor your pitch to their interests and concerns. Setting clear goals and practicing multiple times can help ensure a smooth delivery.

To do:

- Where is the setting for the presentation? (Meeting room, cafe, lift etc)

- How much time does your audience has? (30 mins and any Q&A)

- How are you going to present? (Projector, printed copies, laptop)

A compelling pitch must convey a clear and engaging story. Pitches that lack a coherent narrative or fail to connect the problem, solution, and benefits can lose the audience's interest. Using storytelling techniques helps link facts in a logical sequence, making the pitch more relatable and memorable.

To do:

- Practice a few times the type of storytelling works to bring your message across to the audience

- Practice like an oral test in schools, where the storytelling should include emotions to get the audience captivated

- Get the audience involved as part of the storytelling to follow you on the journey

Reading directly from notes or slides can make the presenter seem robotic and disconnected from the audience. Instead, pitches should be conversational, with presenters using visual aids as supportive tools rather than crutches.

To do:

- Use the slides to tell the story but have the audience to look at you more instead

- No more than 2 presenters during the pitch, to minimize distractions and putting too much information over the allocated time

Lastly, build the confident up to present at anytime, anywhere through practicing. Addressing these challenges through preparation, storytelling, and engaging delivery can significantly enhance the effectiveness of any pitch. It may take time but if you are to start today, you will get yourself better by tomorrow.