OTA The Art of the Pitch Workshop handout

Penny JacksonDavid Terrar

Over The AirPitch Workshop

11 September 2010

Penny Jackson & David Terrar


Workshop Handout

• This handout covers the key points and ideas of the workshop, combined with notes from the discussions we had on the day

• Although we’ve created this using PowerPoint, these slides aren’t intended to be used as a presentation


AgendaTime Activity Materials/

who delivers

1030-1040 Introduction, Penny and David intro themselves set objectives and get group to introduce themselves.

Flip chart, Projector, PJ,DT

1040-1050 The Cook, The Wife and The King, Exercise One, an ice breaker and review exercise that places the delegate into another’s role and perspective.

PJ

1050-1130 The art of the Elevator Pitch, why, what, how and the 9C’s of a great pitch DT

1130-1135 Quick break All

1135-1220 Pitch on Pitch (The real experience) A practical session where delegates practice pitch skills with presentations to plenary.

PJ

1220-1230 Summary and Close PJ,DT


Pitch Workshop Objectives• This workshop will help you improve your

presentation skills and learn the art of "the Pitch".

• Penny and David will get you on your feet, thinking about how to get in to the mind of your audience, whether they are prospects, customers, friends, potential investors or partners.

• We'll show you how to craft and refine your message, and explain the 9 C's of a good elevator pitch.


The Cook, The Wife and The King, Exercise One, learning Points

The purpose of this exercise is to take a quick light hearted view of considering another’s point of view. Taking on a persona and then being asked to make observation as that persona is to help you focus on what you need to consider as you make your pitch. The most important view in the room is the client and therefore place your pitch with their needs as your focus.

Equally the power of language is such that simple easy accessible language will clarify your product from the outset. Over complex language will detract from the pitch, even if you feel the product is complex by its very nature. Your pitch is looking at why do these people want/need this product, not how complicated it was to create it.

Simple statements are preferred. Once hooked clients can always augment their interest with deeper questioning. Be prepared to supply those answers, but always be clear and concise.


What is an elevator pitch?Wikipedia definition:

• An elevator pitch or elevator speech is an overview of a product, service, person, group or organization, or project and is often a part of a fundraising, marketing communications, brand, or public relations program.

• The name "elevator pitch" reflects the idea that it should be possible to deliver an elevator pitch in the time span of an elevator ride, or approximately thirty seconds to two minutes.

• An elevator pitch is often used by an entrepreneur pitching an idea to a venture capitalist or angel investor to receive funding. Venture capitalists often judge the quality of an idea by the quality of its elevator pitch and will ask entrepreneurs for their elevator pitches in order to quickly weed out bad ideas and weak teams.

The start of all of your messaging:• Different versions for different audiences in context:

– A phrase– 2 Lines– 1 minute– 2-3 minutes– 20 minutes (for VCs & investors)


Why do it?• Get people interested, grab their attention Sell the product, win

business• Establish communication• Clarify what you are all about (people have a short attention span,

“don’t make me think”)• Sell to potential investors, raise money• Help get to as many people as possible • Sense test what you are doing• Focus on what is important• Identify weaknesses• Rehearse and rehearse so that you craft your message - continuous

improvement• If you can't fully explain your product in 2 minutes, maybe it needs

more work• This is the starting point for all of your messaging• Transfer to everyone in your organization so they can pass it on


Who is your audience?• Potential clients• Users (who may or may not be clients)• Existing clients• Investors• Press• The Boss• Employees• Friends and family (friends down the pub)• Everyone• Partners• The bank manager• People who aren’t interested


What makes a bad pitch?• Not knowing the subject• A confusing message• Too technical• Can't see the wood for the trees• Too long• Too quiet• Irrelevant• Don’t understand the market• Don’t understand the numbers, financials• Wrong economics, unworkable business model• Unrealistic superlatives

(if yours is the best, explain why with evidence)• Unexciting, underwhelming• Not reviewing the material by prioritising the needs of the client


What makes a good pitch?• Focus the pitch on the benefits of the product/app/project first, last, always• Achieves the objective (nothing else matters!)• Good preparation - ask questions before and tailor your pitch to the audience• Has a story, a journey• Simple• Credible• Compelling, grabs the interest• Clear• Concise• Avoids the technical detail• Captures what is unique (differentiate or die)• Communicates your passion• Builds confidence• Has a hook - excites them so they want to hear more• Has a goal - next step, call to action• Deals with questions• Is a dialogue (listen!)• Remember people buy:

– People– On emotion not logic

• Don't be afraid to think different• Don't be afraid to be controversial• See it their way - put yourself in the shoes of your audience


Why does everybody start with PowerPoint? (or, what visual aids are you going to use?)

• Too many people start with PowerPoint to give them structure (as some sort of crutch)

• Too many slides are a prompt for the presenter rather than a visual message for the audience

• Use PowerPoint/Keynote/Slides where appropriate, in context, notalways

• If you do use PowerPoint:– keep slides to a minimum – make them with uncluttered content– use more pictures than text– don’t have too many bullet points per slide or unreadable text

• Just you and your passion (voice only) can often work well • Flipchart stand/white board• Video• Props


How should your pitch start?• Highlight how the product/app/project benefits the client• With a simple, compelling proposition• With a story• Use a character• Present a theme• With a question• An attention grabbing fact• With a hook• Using some research• Comparisons relating to a product they know• Explain what the user does now, before your solution• Define the problem you are solving?


Do you have a tag line?• Encapsulate the project/app/product in single

phrase/sentence• If you can distil the idea down to it's essence, it always

helps• This can be difficult to do, but the effort is worth it • A mantra is better than a mission statement• Make sure you test it with people, the target audience


How do you tell the story?• Like any story - beginning, middle, end• Get them interested, explain the core message, have a call to action• Characters• Passion• Engaging• Need presence, charisma, good social skills

(but these are all skills you can learn to do better)• Use quotations• Avoid jargon and technical detail• Use attention grabbing facts• Make the story an evolution• Put yourself in their shoes• Assemble the right team, have the answers prepared• Listen and respond, make it a dialogue• Leave them wanting more


What about delivery?• Passion and enthusiasm

(they'll be more impressed with the height of your enthusiasm than the depth of your knowledge)

• Clarity• Tailor to the audience• Get the visual aids right• Make eye contact with everybody you’re pitching to• Entertaining• Confident• If you are enjoying it, they'll enjoy it• Dialogue, not debate• When something goes wrong, don't apologize, just recover and carry on• Dry mouth, stage fright, getting lost? - see next bullet point• Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse (down the pub, with friends & family)• Test it properly• Get someone to video you and then watch all the bad habits you've got and

the mistakes you make – then improve• Try and keep it spontaneous


What do you need to cover?• Depends on the context and the audience• The core message:

– The problem/needs– Your solution/benefits– Why you are unique

• The opportunity• The return• More on the quality of the team - investors back people more than products• Less on the budget, forecast, numbers, business plan

(but you will have to cover those at some point)• Market, business model, competition• Weave a MAT (says Guy Kawasaki in The Art of the Start):

– Milestones– Assumptions– Tasks

• Spell out what you need• Be honest, don't try and hide anything• Cover the risks and the issues• Explain next steps• Prepare what to do/say next if they say yes


Pitch on Pitch (The real experience) Exercise Two

We are splitting you in to groups of 2.

With your partner take it in turn to pitch your product emphasising 3 benefits of your product. You each will take a turn to listen actively and carefully to the other’s pitch. As a listener you must only listen but not take notes.

After 5 minutes swap over and let your partner take their turn to Pitch.

Return to plenary and each take turns to pitch your partner’s product.


Pitch on PitchExercise Two, learning points

Listening to your advocate pitch your brief helps illustrate the strengths of your own pitch. It reveals the other’s comprehension of the product from your original pitch to them.

Observe the language your advocate uses. Is the order of the pitch or the language more effective? If so why ?

How does the experience of listening actively to another’s pitch help you consider how your pitch comes across to another person?

Simple explanations are always a good starting point for a pitch. Just because the product is complex don’t over complicate the message from the outset. If you find your self doing this go back to thinking in terms of needs and benefits; i.e. why did I make this product? what was the perceived need and how does the product address these in simple benefit related statements?

Ultimately, put yourself in the listener’s shoes.


Summary• Tell a story• Start from the audience’s point of view• Think benefits and needs• Test your message thoroughly• Use energy and enthusiasm• Be clear and concise• Avoid too much detail• Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse• Follow the 9 C’s of a great pitch


The 9 C's of a great Pitch• Clear• Concise • Compelling• Credible• Conceptual• Concrete• Consistent• Customized• Conversational

Chris O'Leary - Elevator Pitch Essentialshttp://www.elevatorpitchessentials.com/essays/ElevatorPitch.html


Recommended BooksJack Trout –In Search of the Obvious: The Antidote for Today's Marketing Mess

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Search‐Obvious‐Antidote‐Todays‐Marketing/dp/0470288590/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1284369128&sr=8‐1

Al Ries & Jack Trout ‐The 22 Immutable Laws Of Marketing

http://www.amazon.co.uk/22‐Immutable‐Laws‐Marketing/dp/1861976100/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1284369394&sr=1‐1Seth Godin –

Meatball Sundaehttp://www.amazon.co.uk/Meatball‐Sundae‐Marketing‐Transforming‐Business/dp/0749929480/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1284369488&sr=1‐1

Jack Trout with Steve Rivkin – Differentiate or Die http://www.amazon.co.uk/Differentiate‐Die‐Survival‐Killer‐Competition/dp/0470223391/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1284369561&sr=1‐1

Youngme Moon –Different: Escaping the Competitive Herd

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Different‐Escaping‐Competitive‐Youngme‐Moon/dp/0307460851/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1284369642&sr=1‐1

Nicholas B. Oulton ‐Killer Presentations

http://www.amazon.co.uk/KILLER‐PRESENTATIONS‐Imagination‐Visualise‐PowerPoint/dp/1845281845/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1284369812&sr=1‐1

Garr Reynolds –Presentation Zen

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Presentation‐Zen‐Simple‐Design‐Delivery/dp/0321525655/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1284369873&sr=1‐1

David A. Peoples – Presentations Plus http://www.amazon.co.uk/Presentations‐Plus‐Peoples‐Proven‐Techniques/dp/047117730X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1284369699&sr=1‐1

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ReferencesGuy Kawasaki ‐The Art of the Start

http://blog.guykawasaki.com/2006/06/the_art_of_the_.html#axzz0zOj4nYGJ

Chris O’Leary –Elevator Pitch Essentials

http://www.elevatorpitchessentials.com/


Contact details

Penny JacksonPresenter, Film Maker and Facilitator

m: +44 (0)7973 342065

e: [email protected]: http://pennyjackson.co.uk/

twitter: pennyjacksonlinkedin: http://uk.linkedin.com/pub/penny-jackson/b/7ba/209


Contact details

David TerrarCEO – D2Cand Executive Director - ITBrix / WordFrame

p: +44 (0)1727 866309 (direct)m: +44 (0)7715 159423

e: [email protected] and [email protected]: www.d2c.org.uk and www.wordframe.comskype: david_terrartwitter: DTlinkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/davidterrarblog: http://biztwozero.com