One entrepreneur, many pitches
For any entrepreneur or project leader, the pitch is an obligatory exercise. Whether it is to present a solution to the general public or to raise funds from investors, the pitch allows you to communicate effectively about your project. Nevertheless, to make a good pitch, there are a few pitfalls to avoid!
In folk tales, the magic wand is an object that allows you to cast spells depending on whether you want to become invisible, fly or turn your enemy into a frog. Its main quality is its ability to produce different effects, depending on the audience and the objectives. The pitch is exactly like a magic wand.
However, the majority of entrepreneurs only use it to cast a single spell. In other words, they create and learn a single pitch and then repeat it over and over again, regardless of their audience and purpose. The pitch should not be set in stone, it should evolve over time and according to the context of delivery. To increase your power of conviction and persuasion, you should therefore develop several pitches.
What is your objective?
A simple but often overlooked question is what is the most important message you are going to share with your audience. Why are you speaking? If your objective is to raise funds, you will surely insist on the financial aspects of your project, on its economic viability and the complementary nature of the profiles that make up the company.
On the other hand, if your main aim is to make your product known to as many people as possible, you will dwell on its characteristics, its competitive advantages and even give some technical explanations. Like a course, the objective will guide your entire speech.
Selected and detailed examples
In the vast majority of cases, the failure to adapt to the audience is easily seen in the examples chosen and detailed. The more expert your audience is on your subject, the less the examples need to be presented in a pedagogical or even simplified way.
If you are pitching your medical project to investors who are specialists in the health sector, do not waste time with too many details. On the other hand, if you are participating in a public event or presenting your project to someone who knows nothing about your business, you should choose one or two concrete examples that are easy to understand and take the time to explain them.
The embodiment
The image that the speaker conveys, which the Greek tribunes called ethos, also differs according to the audience and the objectives set. In front of professional investors, you will probably want to project the image of an entrepreneur who is confident, experienced and sure of his project. In front of a general public audience, this recognition as an expert on the subject, although important, will perhaps be less necessary. It will then be replaced by the image of a speaker capable of teaching his project and transmitting it with passion and enthusiasm.
Avoid repeating yourself!
There is nothing worse than a speaker who repeats the same thing. So never say to yourself: "No problem, I'm used to doing this pitch, I've done it dozens of times". Not only will you end up bored, and so will your audience, but you won't question the way you speak. The latter is always unique and therefore needs to be adapted to be relevant and impactful.
As with any magic wand, each pitch is unique. It is not a question of reinventing everything each time, but of varying the catchphrases, the structure of the argument, i.e. the order in which you state your ideas, the examples chosen and finally the conclusion.