A memorable pitch - without being a clown

Are you working on the perfect pitch for your idea? My experience is that the pitch is dependent on so many different factors that there are plenty of good ways to do it. It depends on your audience, their state of mind and perhaps even the weather. The best pitches are those that people remember and it will be more about how YOU connect with your audience than the actual message that you deliver. Be memorable … but in a good way ;-)

This week I’m going to a press pitching session with WSJ and NBC. I will only be one out of 50 other entrepreneurs pitching their story. I have 20 seconds to leave an impression – how do I do that? How do I make sure that I will be remembered when we’re all done? The press will only write about stuff that seems to be newsworthy and the good press people get pitched at a million times a week. My position in the sequence of pitches is important – early is good, mid field is ok, last third is bad. I could wear a black topper and put a monkey on my shoulder, but again while this is memorable, it may not be perceived as to the point unless I run my own little circus.

So apart from delivering my key message, I decided to introduce my co-founder (= action in the room), ask an open question (= gets everybody to think s. http://bit.ly/XImel9), and wear a branded T-shirt ( = lets people find me after the show). I will try to be vocal in the Q&A (without being annoying) and I will network with as many people as I can. I’m looking forward to the event – This is going to be fun!