Last year I went to the Small Business Expo here in LA and was told everyone needs a two-minute pitch. This was the first time I had heard those exact words… “a two minute pitch.”
I’ve been told year after year how to improve, tips and tricks on delivering my investment pitch. No matter what industry or role you play in business, I’m now convinced everyone needs a solid two-minute pitch. You don’t need to include your entire work history and career objectives.
The moderator started to invite attendees from the audience up on stage, we had over 10 people lined up ready to give there pitch, some of which had worked within their company for 5 years whilst others had their own business saying their pitch daily. This was definitely a fun and energized session. Surprisingly only 15% were able to deliver their pitch in a way that encouraged you to want to hear more.
Responses were:
- Able to say a sentence and then lost their train of thought in the middle of their pitch
- Can deliver their two-minute pitch but their body language showed a lack of confidence
- Speech habits took over and they constantly said “Umm” and “Uh”
I turned to my colleague and said, work on your “pre-planned two-minute pitch” over the next week and we will stand up in front of the whiteboard and say it out loud to one another.
Looking back after seven months and lots of practice, I can share the importance of being concise and not vague as it’s shown for me both confidence and determination:
- Limited time on the clock – Need to give a coherent message hitting key phrases
- Much easier to say “what” you do than “why” – but the “why” provides the personal connection for your audience to resonate and warm to me on the spot
- Show your credibility – You can earn trust and show that you’re perfectly positioned as the right person for them to talk to without sounding boastful
- Don’t talk $$$ – Make it easy for the audience to like you, once you understand what you’re doing, it makes it much easier for them to connect and show an interest
- Open Minded – Usually I’m giving my pitch to someone who knows little about the company or what I do. You don’t know what they have to offer either, so be flexible in your approach whilst keeping on track
- Practice, practice, and practice! – Let it come naturally without sounding robotic
Let me encourage you to work on your two-minute pitch! Embrace your own uniqueness.
The Right Up 