Fundamentals of Writing a Pitch

Fundamentals of writing
a [ ________ ] pitch.
By Gleb Maltsev, @glebmaltsev
stoneful.com/presentation

a [persuasive] pitch.

an [informative] pitch.

an [inspiring] pitch.

a [memorable] pitch.

“THAT’S ONE SMALL STEP FOR [A] MAN, ONE GIANT LEAP FOR MANKIND.”
— Neil Armstrong

Distinction’s 2009 Presentation Impact Survey, distinction-services.com
2:00:00
0:00:00
74.8%

>350(POWERPOINT)
Presentations
ARE GIVEN EACH SECOND
Parks, Bob (2012-08-30), Bloomberg Businessweek

PITCHING AT THE HANNOVER MESSE.
MORE THAN 6,500 EXHIBITORS AND 220,000 VISITORS IN 2015.

91%
OF TRADE VISITORS USE THE
H.M. WEBSITE FOR PLANNING

50% OF ALL
VISITORS SAY THAT A
PERSONAL
INVITATION
IS THE MOST IMPORTANT
CRITERIA WHEN DECIDING
TO VISIT THE TRADE FAIR.
hannovermesse.de/en/... /lead-services

FROM 8 TO 4 WEEKS
BEFORE THE TRADE FAIR, IS THE BEST TIME FOR
LETTING PEOPLE KNOW THAT YOU’RE ATTENDING.
OCT NOV DEC
MAY JUN JUL AUG
JAN FEB
SEP
25 - 29 APRIL, 2016
APRMAR

OVER 6,500 EXHIBITORS
32
BOOTHS
ARE VISITED
ON AVERAGE
BY VISITORS
HOW DO YOU
STAND OUT?

PITCHING AT THE BYGG REIS DEG.
MORE THAN 500+ EXHIBITORS AND 50,000 VISITORS IN 2013.

PITCHING AT THE MOBILE WORLD CONGRESS.
MORE THAN 2,000 EXHIBITORS AND 93,000 VISITORS IN 2015.

PITCHING INVESTORS / COMPANIES AT SLUSH.
MORE THAN 3,500 COMPANIES AND 14,000 VISITORS IN 2014.

[AUDIENCE] [RESEARCH] [GENERATES IDEAS]
FOR [FEEDBACK] BEFORE A [SCRIPT] IS
TURNED INTO [STORYBOARDED] [VISUALS]
FOR [REHEARSAL].
MNEMONIC DEVICE

RESEARCH
AUDIENCE NEEDS
GENERATING IDEAS
ORGANIZING IDEAS
COLLECTING FEEDBACK
WRITING A SCRIPTSKETCHING A STORYBOARD
DESIGNING VISUALS
REHEARSAL

“THE FIRST DRAFT OF ANYTHING IS SH*T.”
— Ernest Hemingway

IT MAKES FOR GREAT CREATIVE FERTILIZER.

YOUR STORY IDEA
IT MAKES FOR GREAT CREATIVE FERTILIZER.

“SPACEX SEEKS THE TOP TALENT ON THE PLANET.”

ONE MORE THING (THE ACTUAL RESOLUTION)
In the next three to four years, SpaceX is looking to hire a 1000 exceptional individuals in Seattle to enable human life on Mars.
On December 8, 2010 SpaceX, a manufacturer
of advanced rockets,
became the first commercial
company in history to send a
spacecraft
into orbit and return it
safely to Earth.
WHEN WHO WHAT WHERE
CONTEXT CONFLICT SOLUTION COMPLICATION
A feat that at the time,
was only accomplished
by six nations or
government agencies
with technology that
had been developed
forty years ago.
This meant that it cost
from 28 to 38 thousand
dollars to put a kilo of
cargo into orbit. This
equated to more than $50
million for a single satellite.
Because of this, SpaceX has
developed the Falcon 9 to cut
the launch cost to less than
one tenth of the competition.
The model changed the industry.
By 2012, SpaceX had more
than enough contracts with
40 launch missions and one
to develop a next generation
crew-carrying capsule for NASA.
What it did not have, was enough
people to deliver on those contracts.
BECAUSE OF THAT AND THEN UNTIL FINALLY CLIMAX
SpaceX had to aggressively
pursue the top 1% of the
population by looking for
talent at the world’s best
engineering programs.
It had to filter based on
hardware and software
experience, engineering
competition results, GPAs,
SATs, drive and grit.
The hiring spree turned SpaceX,
a company with 1800 people
in 2012, to one with over 3000
within a single year.
By October 2013, the company
had grown to over 3800 people
all across the U.S. and built one
of the most formidable engineering
teams in history.
IN THE END
SpaceX is like special forces, it does missions that others think are impossible.
From automotive to software gaming to electronics, we seek the top technological talent on the planet.
Get in touch if you think you’ve got what it takes to change the future of humanity.
SET-UP
CONFRONTATION
RESOLUTION
THE STORY SPINE

THE HEDGEHOG AND THE FOX
A story of two principles, a single lesson in communication.

“THE FOX KNOWS MANY THINGS...”
— Greek poet Archilochusis, c. 650 B.C.

“...BUT THE HEDGEHOG KNOWS ONE BIG THING.”
— Greek poet Archilochusis, c. 650 B.C.

FOXES HEDGEHOGS
THOMAS EDISON
ADAM SMITH
WASHINGTON
DARWIN
EINSTEIN
ELON MUSK
PLATO
DANTE
PASCAL
NEWTON
DOSTOEVSKY
NIETZSCHE
MARX
CHURCHILL
STEVE JOBS
REAGAN
WARREN BUFFETT
BEN FRANKLIN
NICOLA TESLA
HERODOTUS
ARISTOTLE
ERASMUS
SHAKESPEARE
MONTAIGNE
MOLIÈRE
GOETHE
PUSHKIN
BALZAC
JOYCE
ANDERSON
BILL GATES
BILL CLINTON

DO YOU HAVE THE [S.T.O.N.E.S.]
TO TELL YOUR STORY?
MNEMONIC DEVICE

[T] RUTHFULNESS
Present references, cases and data relevant to the prospect.
Be transparent in communicating what your company is about.
[O] RIGINALITY
Did you know that our [ _______ ] are used on the [ _______ ]?
An original big idea will be remembered if you’re 1/1000 attendees.
[N] UANCE
Stay specific. “We have a wide range of products.” – is too general.
[S] TRUCTURE
Does your story have a big idea, a spine and a call-to-action?
[S] IMPLICITY
Have a detailed catalogue for support but avoid overwhelming your
prospect who would be just getting to know you and the company.
Too much choice can lead to decision angst. Guide them instead.
[E] MOTION
Finding the right approach to a lead can be hard at times, especially
for Nords. You will do well to show empathy, interest and excitement.
Use: “Our best selling product X has recently won a quality award.”

80%
100%
SIMPLICITY
TRUTHFULNESS
ORIGINALITY
NUANCE
EMOTION
STRUCTURE
20%
40%
60%
“BUSINESS AS USUAL”
0%
Partly inspired by “Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die”, Chip Heath & Dan Heath, 2007
STORY ANALYSIS
S.T.O.N.E.S.

80%
100%
SIMPLICITY
TRUTHFULNESS
ORIGINALITY
NUANCE
EMOTION
STRUCTURE
20%
40%
60%
“TECH TALK”
0%
STORY ANALYSIS
S.T.O.N.E.S.

80%
100%
SIMPLICITY
TRUTHFULNESS
ORIGINALITY
NUANCE
EMOTION
STRUCTURE
20%
40%
60%
“WATER COOLER TALE”
0%
STORY ANALYSIS
S.T.O.N.E.S.

80%
100%
SIMPLICITY
TRUTHFULNESS
ORIGINALITY
NUANCE
EMOTION
STRUCTURE
20%
40%
60%
“WHERE DO I SIGN?”
0%
STORY ANALYSIS
S.T.O.N.E.S.

[AUDIENCES] [EXPECT] [EMPATHY]
FOR THEIR [PROBLEMS] AND [CONCERNS]
BEFORE THE [NEXT STEPS].
MNEMONIC DEVICE

WHAT IS YOUR AUDIENCE LIKE?
Sit in their chair. Find out what they go through every day.
Sketch out their ethos. Get to know their story.
Answer the question of why are they important to you?
WHAT ARE THEIR EXPECTATIONS?
The audience is the star. You are the guide. Why are they at the event?
Did they want to participate or somebody told them to? Ask, listen.
WHAT KEEPS THEIR BLOOD PRESSURE UP?
Show understanding of and empathy towards their fears and pain.
Then see if you or somebody else can solve it. Reciprocity works.
HOW CAN YOU SOLVE THEIR PROBLEM?
A list of features and technical specs will be forgotten. A story will not.
Show how your product is improving the lives of people like them.
WHAT ARE THEIR CONCERNS?
Always address concerns. Beyond the usual references, projections.
Resistance to new ideas/products is a healthy sign of engagement.
WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS?
Answer “What now?” Be clear on what is that they need to do next.

ETHOS
Your personal story. Why will people listen to you?
Can the people relate to your experiences?
PATHOS
“Comfort me. Amuse me. Touch my sympathies.
Make me sad. Make me dream. Make me laugh.
Make me shiver. Make me weep. Make me think.”
— Guy de Maupassant
LOGOS
Analysis, Structure, Data, Argumentation, Cases.
Is what you are saying making sense?

“WHAT MAKES A GREAT PITCH?”

GO ANALOG.
THE BEST WAY TO FOCUS ON YOUR MESSAGE.

SEWING TOGETHER A STORY...
...THROUGH JUXTAPOSITION.
WHAT IS
WHAT COULD BE
WHAT IS
WHAT COULD BE

[OPEN], [EXPLORE] AND [ENCOURAGE]
CONVERSATIONS WITH [PARAPHRASE],
[QUESTIONS] AND [PAUSES] TO [LISTEN].
MNEMONIC DEVICE

BE A CONVERSATIONALIST.
YOU
PROSPECT

PREPARE QUESTIONS
“WHAT IS YOUR CONNECTION TO THE EVENT? ARE YOU [...] OR [...]?”
PAUSE AND LISTEN
“[ ........................................... ]”
EMOTIONAL OPENING
“I’M EXCITED ABOUT THE SPEAKER LINEUP [...], ARE/DO YOU [...]?”
“THE [...] HAS SOME IMPRESSIVE TECH, HAVE YOU SEEN [...]?”
ENCOURAGE
NOD. SMILE. REACT.
PARAPHRASE
“SO WHAT YOU’RE SAYING IS [...]”
“IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU [...]”
EXPLORE
“WHAT IF [...]? HAVE YOU CONSIDERED [...]? HOW WOULD YOU [...]?”

Who are you?
What is the problem or opportunity?
What are you doing about it?
How does this create value for the audience?
Can we meet again?
THE GOOD OLD ELEVATOR PITCH
INTRO
HOOK
VALUE
SOLUTION
CALL-TO-ACTION

Fundamentals of Writing a Pitch

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