photo by ajq82

Are you a verbal ninja?

Can you tell me who you are in the space of an elevator ride?

More importantly, can you Wow! me  in to wanting to know more about you?

All this, in seven words or less.

Pitching is the single most important skill you will ever need.   It is the key in winning baseball and softball games for a reason.  She who controls the ball, controls the game.  Ditto for dealmaking.

You have a great mission, an awesome project you need to fundraise for, a fantastic product you are seeking investment capital for, an innovative service, idea.  Well, guess what?  If you can’t excite people about it in the brief and unexpected windows of attention that life throws at you, you have nothing.  Pitching your story is daily practice of telling your story in the most concise and compelling ways.

Think about a major league pitcher’s repertoire of curveballs, knuckleballs, and my favorite – the split fingered fastball!  And at speeds of 90 miles per hour and higher.  Amazing!  Each of these pitches are deployed with deadly precision depending on the batter with the ultimate goal of striking him out.

Your repertoire

Know your batters.  Know the situations you can create opportunities in.  Then craft a version of your story to pitch for each one.  Here are five examples:

1  The Elevator Pitch

Your classic two minute story soundbite.  Who you are, what you do, why it is so relevant and then – what do you do?

2  The Waiting For a Drink at the Bar Pitch

My favorite.  This is where your ears and memory serve you best.  Do a little chit chat, take note of what they are drinking and throw your seven words or less pitch followed by your business card.  Leave them intoxicated but intrigued.

3  The Let’s Have Lunch Pitch

OK, this is the long inning.  You have about an hour to move from first pitch to a substantive dialogue about your project.  Remember, the most important letter in the word “lunch” is u, as in you.  So, listen.  Don’t do all the talking.  Leave room for the person to imagine themselves in your story.

4  The Meeting Pitch

You can explain what you do in encyclopedic detail or you can inspire the person on the other side of the table and let them to imagine.  Guess which one works better?

5  The Business Card Exchange Pitch

This is the curveball.  They are expecting the pitch so you need to be ready with the unexpected.  Be brief, be ready with your card, and be personable.  Chances are, they are not going to remember too much in such a brief moment so make sure they remember you.

When Not to Pitch

Never accept the invitation to do a pitch over the phone or via email.  It offers the other person too much opportunity to dismiss your effort.  A face to face meeting allows you to get an immediate read on the person and fine tune your pitch accordingly.

Your Story in Six Slides

A final thought.

A great way to think about telling your story is to think of it in six slides.  Here’s an excerpt from Fred Wilson that captures the spirit of this idea perfectly:

So when you sit down and build your pitch deck, think of six slides that will inspire and leave something for the imagination. The best part of six slides is that you will get through them in time to have a real substantive conversation face to face about your business. Imagine that.

Read the entire post here.

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Hoong Yee

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Thanks so much! I really appreciate your help.

Word of mouth is the best way to share, don’t you agree?