27 January 2016
Top 5 tips for pitching with confidence
Pitching, like presenting, is an art form. It allows you to stand out from the crowd and get the right people excited about your business. In order for any business to thrive and grow, it is essential that you are able to deliver a pitch about who you are and what problem you solve.
Whether you are networking, seeking potential investors, customers or business partners, excelling at pitching will enhance any business. I’ll be at the British Library Business & IP Centre this February showing you how to perfect your business pitch but, ahead of that, here are five tips that I hope will help you get started:
1. Do your research
Know about your market in great detail. Who are your competitors? What is your unique selling point? Who are you pitching to? What are their problems? What are they looking for? Know the answers to these questions and address them during your pitch to show that you have done your homework. Most importantly, consider what the benefits are to those listening. What is in it for them?
2. Keep it simple
Like presenting, a simple structure enables you to deliver without notes and to come across as natural. It also enables the listeners to follow your pitch with ease.
3. Show your passion
Don’t hold back. Show us how passionate you are about what you are doing. People really do love enthusiasm. It’s infectious. Obviously your content needs to hit the right spot as well but ‘people buy into people’, so be alive with your passion and speak from the heart.
4. What problem do you solve?
Be really clear on what problem you solve. What makes you the right person to solve it? What makes you unique and why can nobody else do it the way you do it? When you make a contribution to the world, the world contributes back, so be really clear about how you will make a difference.
5. Practice, practice, practice
Lastly, practice your pitch and get feedback. This is essential. You want to know if it is easy to listen to and if you addressed the most relevant points. Did you manage to deliver the pitch in an engaging and confident manner? Will they be convinced that you have the solution to the problem and that you are the right person to deliver whatever it is you are offering?
Elaine Powell is a professional speaker, public speaking coach, storyteller, author and has trained 15,000 people and run over 500 workshops in the art of effective communication. CEO of SWC Training and Consultancy, a business that equips startups, business owners and entrepreneurs with the confidence and skills necessary to become masterful in presentation skills, business pitching, storytelling and effective communication.