I was recently asked to help put together a very short but punch packing pitch for a business networking session. It’s not the first time I’ve been asked, so this blog (which is more by way of a blogette) is a quick recap of how to get the most out of your 1 minute pitch:
1. Take time to think about what you want to say before hand. If you need to, jot down your thoughts and even practice them out loud. And don’t worry if you get nervous, many of the best speakers do.
2. Keep it as short possible. The temptation for all of us is to cram as much as possible into our time slot and I’m the worst for this but that can dilute a message and if you’re one of a number of people pitching, your audience may well have switched off before it’s your turn. They’re far more likely to remember a short and snappy message.
3. Remember to focus on the “benefits” of your business or what I call the “which means” test. In other words, rather than telling you that i’m a qualified and professional copywriter who will provide dynamic copy and an efficient, cost effective service, (you see – you’re bored already) it will resonate with you far more if I say something like, “I can increase your sales and free up your time”.
4. In identifying the right benefit, don’t forget to think about your audience and what will appeal to them.
And yes I know a spoken pitch isn’t strictly within the definition of “copy” so I may have strayed of pitch (excuse the pun) slightly but all the words you use to promote your business are important and deserve a little time and thought.
