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A business pitch is a presentation by one or more people to an investor or group of investors, though it can also be an email, letter, or even an impromptu conversation. The goal of a business pitch is generally to secure the resources and funding necessary to move forward with a business plan or to continue with an already established business or venture.

Get to the point

The best business pitch gets to the heart of the matter quickly in order to keep investors from losing interest or worse yet, thinking there's no point to the presentation. Get to the meat of the pitch as soon as possible; if investors don't understand the idea right away, they'll think customers won't understand it either.

Elevator pitch

You may want to consider starting with an elevator pitch, so named because it should be short enough to deliver during a brief elevator ride. It can introduce your business pitch and is handy if you stumble across a brief opportunity to sell your idea to a potential investor (for instance, if you find yourself riding to the tenth floor with the likes of Bill Gates). An elevator pitch is a concise and carefully planned description of your company or idea that can be quickly and easily understood. In a longer business pitch, the elevator pitch can be used as the hook: a line or two in your business writing that captures the attention of potential investors.

Pay attention to details

Once you've started off your business pitch with a brief overview of your business idea, it's time to flesh out the details. You want to get across the reasons investors should to buy in; for example, what benefits will investors receive if they provide the necessary capital? Your business pitch might include the following:

Industry analysis

Customer needs

Marketing strategy

Business model

Overview of the competition

Risks

Implementation plan

Financial projection

Financial needs

Do your research

It is important to do your research. You must know your product, audience, and competitors well and should be prepared to answer any questions potential investors may have. It is important to ensure you are pitching your idea to the right people. Research potential investors and ensure your pitch idea is well-matched to their interests.

While your overall idea is the most important part of your business pitch, make sure to polish the details: be sure your numbers are correct and have evidence to validate any claims you make. Use powerful, convincing words and avoid using superlatives or hyperbole; and, of course, edit your pitch to ensure you have used proper grammar, spelling, and punctuation! You want potential investors to judge your business pitch based on merit rather than surface errors.
Image source: pressmaster/BigStockPhoto.com

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How to Write a Business Pitch | Scribendi

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A business pitch is a presentation by one or more people to an investor or group of investors, though it can also be an email, letter, or even an impromptu conversation. The goal of a business pitch is generally to secure the resources and funding necessary to move forward with a business plan or to continue with an already established business or venture.

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What is your 30-second message?

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The Elevator Pitch

Today's article idea comes from a reader named Alex who wanted to know how to "convey important information in a short period of time?"

Ah, the old "elevator pitch" (you know, talking about yourself or your ideas in 30 seconds or less). This skill is very important to a salesman or entrepreneur; but if you think about it, it's equally important for job seekers, podcasters, speed-daters-- really everyone. You never know when you might be called upon to quickly explain an idea or be direct about who you are and what you do.

So is there a trick to making your pitch successful?

How to Create Your Pitch

To help folks with this skill, I generally provide a bare bones model that works like magic.

First, it helps to think of your pitch like a very short commercial. Brainstorm the bigger messages that set you apart from the competition. It needs to be clear, concise, and compelling. Come up with five core ideas:

1. Your name or area of expertise

2. How you help

3. What you do

4. Why you're different or the best

5. A call to action

Pages

Update Required To play the media you will need to either update your browser to a recent version or update your Flash plugin.

Hide player

The Elevator Pitch

Today's article idea comes from a reader named Alex who wanted to know how to "convey important information in a short period of time?"

Ah, the old "elevator pitch" (you know, talking about yourself or your ideas in 30 seconds or less). This skill is very important to a salesman or entrepreneur; but if you think about it, it's equally important for job seekers, podcasters, speed-daters-- really everyone. You never know when you might be called upon to quickly explain an idea or be direct about who you are and what you do.

So is there a trick to making your pitch successful?

How to Create Your Pitch

To help folks with this skill, I generally provide a bare bones model that works like magic.

First, it helps to think of your pitch like a very short commercial. Brainstorm the bigger messages that set you apart from the competition. It needs to be clear, concise, and compelling. Come up with five core ideas:

1. Your name or area of expertise

2. How you help

3. What you do

4. Why you're different or the best

5. A call to action

Pages

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The Elevator Pitch Today's article idea comes from a reader named Alex who wanted to know how to "convey important information in a short period of time?" Ah, the old "elevator pitch" (you know, talking about yourself or your ideas in 30 seconds or less). This skill is

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Quick guide with examples

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4 ways to make an effective and impressive business pitch

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To help your business plan mold into a successful reality, you must know how to make an impressive pitch to you investors. Here are 4 ways to make an effective and impressive business pitch

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http://www.superoffice.com/blog/sales-pitch/

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CRM Blog: Articles, Tips and Strategies by SuperOffice

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Post summary:

Why do the top sales reps use sales pitches?

How can you appeal to prospects and get them to buy?

7 step formula to writing a sales pitch in 10 minutes (!)

Generating new sales is hard work.

But, imagine if you were given the exact process the best sales reps in the world use to reach their targets.

Or even better:

What if you were given a proven formula that helps you close more deals.

You would want it, right?

Shockingly, 20% of top sales reps close 80% of all sales deals.

Why are they closing so many deals?

Well, they're using proven sales techniques that take them being a sales rep that just meets their targets versus a sales rep that consistently reaches their targets and outperforms everyone else on the team.

Their little secret?

It's a 7 step formula to creating a winning sales pitch.

Best of all, these 7 steps can be applied so you can create a brand-new, deal-closing sales pitch in just 10 minutes!

Let's get started.

Less pitching. More conversations

Let's face it, there's nothing appealing about the idea of the "traditional" sales pitch.

The term "pitch" often conjures up images of plaid suits, talking at prospects rather than inviting conversation and discussion. It's not exactly the most attractive image to have in mind - that's why we recommend you retire the term "pitch".

The traditional pitch offers two outcomes:

Your prospects will love what you have to offer, which will lead to a successful sale

They'll hate it, and all you'll get is a polite decline (and that's if you're lucky!).

Successful selling is about building a relationship with your prospective clients and demonstrating how your product or service offers a direct solution to their problem. As Jacqueline Smith says, "A successful sales pitch isn't a monologue. It's a dialogue."

And I'm sure that the idea of a dialogue between you and your customers is much more appealing than a monologue, right?

Buyer's needs come first

Once you've moved away from the idea of a "pitch", you can start to form a conversation based around your buyer's needs. Everyone is different and in B2B sales, and when you pitch your product, you need to communicate clearly how it can benefit each individual buyer.

And I don't mean knowing the company they work for and the amount of budget they have available. I mean really understanding who the buyer is, such as whether your buyer is a left-brain thinker or a right-brain thinker.

If you think this doesn't apply, think again.

For example, left-brain thinkers are more analytical, logical and practical whereas right-brain thinkers are more innovative, intuitive and emotional, as the graphic from Visual.ly illustrates below:

Now you know the difference, you can approach your conversation in the right way.

Only 13% of executive buyers believe that salespeople truly understand their business issues, while demonstrating a way to solve them. The importance of showing that you understand your buyer's needs cannot be stressed enough as it helps to build trust between you and your prospects, and to clearly display a need for them to purchase the product or service you offer.

Tell a story to create a connection

When is the last time you told the story of your brand during a sales pitch?

Any successful sales pitch can benefit from telling the story of your brand and product. And when you do this effectively, you will create a stronger connection between you and your buyers. This connection is often based on the fact that they can relate to your brand on a personal level, giving them even more reason to buy.

Storytelling has been scientifically proven to boost sales.

According to author Erik Luhrs, "In sales situations, stories allow the subconscious mind of the prospect to truly 'get' and see the valuable application of the solution." This is because neuro-linguistic programming shows that " all humans run 99% subconsciously and 1% consciously. "

I'm not losing you with the science and research, am I?

Good!

Because by pairing the story of your brand and product with facts and figures that back up your claims, you can quickly engage modern buyers to want to know more. Then, use this opportunity to tell the story of your brand, which is much more likely to closing the deal and generate revenue.

OK, so now that we've covered the components of successful selling, how can you transfer these into writing an effective sales pitch in under 10 minutes?

Lets find out.

7 steps to writing an effective sales pitch

To help with your sales pitch structure, we've put together seven simple steps for you to use in order to create your best sales pitch that's guaranteed to sell.

1. Find the perfect hook

If you're planning to send your sales pitch via email, crafting the perfect subject line is imperative. Your subject line or opening sentence will be the hook to capture your buyer's attention. It is the difference between your client reading or simply dismiss your pitch altogether.

Taking inspiration from the points stated above, your hook needs to connect with your buyer's needs while also communicating the story of your business. By getting these two aspects right, you can successfully engage your customer and convince them to read on.

2. Solve the problem

Once you've convinced your buyer to continue reading your pitch, you next need to show how you can help them. Are you aware of a common issue that your buyer faces, which your product or service can solve?

In your written pitch, directly address the issues that your buyer faces. Then focus on how your product or service can help fix these problems. By tackling the problem head on, your customers will see that you have taken their needs into account and found the fix. What better way to prove the brilliance of what you have to offer?

3. Back it up with facts

A survey conducted by Dimension Research found that 90% of respondents claimed that reading positive online reviews influenced their buying decisions. With this statistic in mind, your pitch needs to be full of facts and statistics that back up your claims.

When it comes to writing your sales pitch, be sure to include testimonials and case studies, which also contain statistics and figures to prove the success of your product or service. If you claim you can solve your buyer's main problems, show them how with facts.

4. Ask for the sale

You should now have a pitch that addresses your buyer's problems, shows how your product or service offers a solution, and backs this up with facts and statistics to support your claim. The next step is to give your buyer some clear instruction on what they need to do next.

So what would that be?

Ask for the sale of course!

Incredibly, 85% of the interactions between salespeople and prospects end without the sales person ever asking for the sale.
Yes, you read that correctly, 85%!
By now, you've convinced your prospective customer of the brilliance of what you're offering and next up is how they can take advantage of your product or service. Do they need to click a link to your website? Or pick up the phone and call you directly?

Don't be shy to ask for the sale. You've come this far, so why stop now?

Whatever action is required; make it clear with a well-written call to action

5. Short and sweet does the trick

The length of your pitch is important. If it's too long, there's a good chance your buyer will lose interest and fail to read on. But getting your written pitch to the perfect length is likely to result in your buyer maintaining an interest right through to the end.

The number of words you use differs depending on the recipient. Try to be strict with your word count to avoid information overload, which will result in your buyers ditching your pitch.

What could be worse than your pitch being ignored because it's simply too long?

6. Grammar and spell check

Finally, once you've written your sales pitch, don't forget to check your spelling and grammar. There's nothing worse than being let down by a few mistakes that could be corrected before clicking send.

Once you've checked through your written pitch, it's time to send it out to your buyer. Remember to tailor your pitch to each individual and make it as personal to him or her as possible.

7. Don't forget to follow-up

A recent study found that 70% of unanswered sales email chains stop after the first email attempt.

However, there is a 21% chance you will get a response to your second email if the first goes unanswered. These statistics further prove the importance of a follow up email after the initial sales pitch.

The conversation doesn't stop at the first attempt of your sales pitch. Don't be shy to try and try again. After all, there is a 30% chance of you hearing back from your prospect after several follow-up attempts (Tip: use these sales email templates to create follow up emails).

Conclusion

That's it! And it's all manageable within 10 minutes!

The next time you are about to contact a prospective customer, you use the tips outlines above, and then judge the results for yourself.

Remember; ditch the traditional idea of a pitch and keep your individual buyer's needs at the forefront of your mind. Tell the story of your brand and the success of your products and services and back up with facts and statistics. Work hard to engage your audience and you're sure to find a winning formula to close all future sales pitches

What do you think? Will you try to write an effective sales pitch in 10 minutes?

Let us know your thoughts.

P.S. Now you know how to create a sales pitch, remember to share these tips with your network here!

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Sales Pitch: How to Write a Winning Pitch Right Now (in 10 Minutes)

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Post summary: Why do the top sales reps use sales pitches? How can you appeal to prospects and get them to buy? 7 step formula to writing a sales pitch in 10 minutes (!) Generating new sales is hard work.

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How do you craft an effective sales pitch? First, ditch the "pitch"-or at least neglect the traditional meaning of the word. It basically describes what salespeople used to do: throw information at prospects hoping to sell a product or service before the buyer could hang up the phone or slam the door. But according to sales experts, today good salespeople treat the "pitch" process as a collaborative conversation.

"A 'pitch' typically conjures up images of a one-way presentation, with the salesperson talking at a prospect, which is not the effective way to sell," says Art Sobczak, President of BusinessByPhone.com. "The word is outdated, and is typically used in a derogatory way when talking about sales and salespeople," he adds.

If you choose to employ the dated term to describe that part of the sales process, make sure you don't take it so literally.

"If someone is pitching to you, what are your options?" says Nancy Bleeke, president of Sales Pro Insider and author of Conversations That Sell. "If you are pitched at, you either swing to bat it away or duck to avoid it. Neither of these works well in sales."

Sobczak says people often assume that where there's a pitch, there's a catch. "If you say, 'Here is my pitch,' people will look for something to object to," he says. "You really shouldn't use the word 'pitch' outside of baseball. Instead, call it a recommendation. That lets prospects know you want to engage in a conversation and help them."

Wendy Weiss, an author and sales coach, also known as The Queen of Cold Calling, agrees with Sobczak and Bleeke. "Because of the definition of the word, salespeople sometimes think it means they should talk at someone, but that's really not an effective way to communicate," she says. "A good pitch is one where you ask questions, listen to the prospect, and offer them a solution to a problem."

Lesson learned: An effective sales pitch isn't a monologue. It's a dialogue.

Before you develop your sales plan, you need to do your homework.

As a salesperson, you need to know a lot about your buyer, so you can address how valuable your product or service might be to that specific client, Bleeke says. "Buyers are busy and inundated with information. You need to be able to connect the value of your solution to that specific buyer, or the buyer is not going to give you any time or attention," she adds.

Next, identify your objectives. Bleeke says doing this will determine the information you will need to "advance the probability of time with the person, which will lead to a sale." Your goal is to get the prospect's attention and agreement to have an engaged conversation about how you can help them with something specific, she says.

Sobczak suggests that you set action-oriented goals before you ever pick up the phone to call the prospective client. "Say, 'At the end of the this call I want them to agree to meet with me,' or 'At the end of this call they will buy from me,'" he says. "I always suggest that salespeople think big and optimistically."

With sufficient preparation and specific goals in mind, you'll be more effective in the sales process.

How do you begin the pitch? Start by asking questions, Weiss says. Even if you think you've turned over every stone-there is always more to learn.

Weiss says that as a salesperson you should talk 20% of the time and listen the other 80%.

"Ideally what you want to do in this phase of the sales process is to be able to uncover the prospect's needs, understand their needs, and show them how whatever you're selling can help them accomplish whatever they're trying to accomplish, or fix a problem they have," Weiss says.

"You should let them talk most of the time-but when you talk, you need to tell the prospect how you can help. Don't talk about the functions of your product and try to sell them on the features or characteristics." Instead, sell the benefits or the value of the product, she adds.

Tell about how your products can cut costs, reduce time, increase profits-and then quantify it, Sobczak says. "Talking about how you've helped someone else might pique their interest, too.

But you can only do this if you've done your research and you know it's relevant to them."

Bleeke says she tries to "pown," an acronym: "Salespeople need to identify the problems they solve, the opportunities they capture, and the wants or needs that are addressed by the solution. Once they know this they need to put together metrics and proof of what they can do or have done," she says.

How do you communicate this to your prospect? Formulate a recommendation (Sobczak's preferred substitute word for "pitch") using their language, he says. "If you ask about a difficulty or challenge they have, and then address that in your recommendation using their exact language, they won't object to their own words."

Sobczak says to ask for a commitment at the end the conversation. "Have them promise to consider your recommendation, or ask for an opportunity to meet or talk again." If they agree to that, you were probably effective in your recommendation.

"Just remember one thing," Weiss says. "If you go in with the idea that you are just going to talk, talk, talk, and make the sale, it's going to be a struggle. But if you go in with the idea that you are going to have a conversation and build a relationship with the prospect, you'll have a much better success rate."

-
Follow me on Twitter, Forbes, and Google+.
This is an update of an article that ran previously.

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7 Tips For Crafting An Effective Sales Pitch

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How do you craft an effective sales pitch? First, ditch the "pitch"-or at least neglect the traditional meaning of the word. It basically describes what salespeople used to do: throw information at prospects hoping to sell a product or service before the buyer could hang up the phone or slam the door.

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Want to write for Generation Progress? All it takes is an idea and a pitch.

Generation Progress publishes articles by, about, and for young people; it's our job to print the work of young writers like you. If you have an idea for a story, please send a 200-word pitch to Hannah Finnie at hlfinnie@americanprogress.org. Your pitch should:

Introduce your story idea and define your angle. In other words, tell us what you want to write about and explain your point of view and argument.

Explain why your idea is timely, unique, important, and/or of interest to Generation Progress readers. The most important thing when developing your idea is to figure out why people reading the article should care about what you're writing about. Take a step back and ask: "What's interesting about this? What am I adding to the conversation that's not already out there?"

Estimate a deadline for your piece.

Include your phone number and email address.

You can also attach clips and/or writing samples to demonstrate your experience.

Because Generation Progress is a non-partisan non-profit, articles or other content should not to advance the interests of any particular political party or candidate for office.

Pitch Examples

Here are three examples of possible pitches-one that's not so good and two we'd be more likely to accept.

Example of a bad pitch:

Dear Generation Progress,

I am a political science major and a writer for my campus newspaper. I'm interested in writing a story for Generation Progress with an alternative view of the Patriot Act, because I think it's really important for students to know about and understand. Would you be interested in a piece like this?

Thanks,
Jack P. Student

Example of a good pitch for a reported feature:

Dear Generation Progress,

I would like to write a story for Generation Progress that attempts to explain why there hasn't been a powerful on-campus student movement against the Iraq war. Although most students seem to agree that it was a mistake for the United States to invade Iraq, a strong, unified student voice calling for the president to bring our troops home hasn't yet emerged. As a part of my analysis, I would like to compare the student activism of the 1960s to that of today, and argue that although there doesn't seem to be a unified student voice against the war, students today are expressing their opinions and making a difference on the national scene.

I will talk to 10 college activists from campuses across the country and attend a rally that is scheduled to take place next week at my college. To compare and contrast today's activism to that of the Vietnam era, I will also interview administrators and anti-war student activists from the 1960s.

It is important for someone from our generation to write this piece. Various political writers, like Thomas Friedman of the New York Times and Courtney Martin of the American Prospect, have recently argued that college activists are ineffective. Generation Progress's readership will enjoy reading an article written by a college student that counters these opinions.

If my pitch is accepted, I can turn in a draft of the piece by the end of this month.

Thank you,
Joyce Q. Student
jstudent@university.edu
(202) 555-1212

Example of a good pitch for an opinion column:

Dear Generation Progress,

I'm often disturbed by the lack of diversity in the contemporary environmental movement. I would like to write an opinion piece for Generation Progress arguing that the perceived whiteness of contemporary environmentalism keeps the movement from reaching the places that need it most: low-income communities, which have disproportionately high levels of minority residents. Because the movement currently places so much emphasis on individual choices made by consumers-like the decision to buy environmentally friendly light bulbs or hybrid cars-environmentalists have distanced themselves from those who can't afford to make those choices.

It's no surprise, then, that students of color and low-income students feel helpless and uninspired when it comes to climate change. There aren't enough high-visibility role models of color in the environmental movement, and campus activism is dominated by white activists. As a student of color who cares about climate change, I can offer personal experience and a unique perspective to the discussion.

If my pitch is accepted, I can submit a draft by the end of next week.

Thank you,
Thomas G. Student
tstudent@university.edu
(202) 555-1212

Have a story to tell but looking for someone else to write or pitch it? Share your unique experiences with us here.

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How to Write a Pitch - Generation Progress

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Want to write for Generation Progress? All it takes is an idea and a pitch. Generation Progress publishes articles by, about, and for young people; it's our job to print the work of young writers like you. If you have an idea for a story, please send a 200-word pitch to Hannah Finnie at ...

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Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Shortly after my college graduation, a few friends and I started a new media company. Within a few weeks we fleshed out the concept, wrote a business plan and set out to seek financing. With a little hustle, I managed to get us a meeting with a well-known investment firm to discuss the opportunity. Even though our business had yet to bring in a single dollar, and none of us had ever been the CEO of coffee shop let alone a multi-million dollar enterprise, we were all confident that we had a sure thing on our hands. After all, our financial projections forecasted gross revenues of $200 million. What investor could say no to that?

We'd be rich. All we needed to do was raise a small amount of capital--$15 million.

I remember thinking, "How hard could it be?" We were obviously, naïve, foolish and delusional.

There was one small problem with our plan. None of us had any idea how to pitch an investor. So I did what any clueless entrepreneurial upstart would do: Google searched "how to pitch an investor".

Nothing that I read online could have prepared me for what was to come. We would quickly find out that our presentation was doomed before we ever set foot into the meeting. In reality, it was doomed before we started writing the business plan.

At the beginning of the meeting one of the investors asked me to hand him a one-page executive summary review. I hadn't prepared a summary, so I handed him the first 11 pages out of the binder encasing my 95-page business plan. Strike one.

Less than four slides into my 32-slide presentation, the second investor interrupted me and said, "OK. Stop. I get it. You definitely don't need $15 million."

Defending our business plan, I overconfidently replied: "It can't be done for less."

"Really? It can't be done, huh?" he responded with a smirk masking a hint of laughter. Strike two.

Both of the investors then proceeded to hit us with a barrage of questions:

"How much money have you personally put into your business? Anywhere near $15 million?"

"Why should I pay a bunch of twenty-somethings with no track record $100,000 executive salaries?"

"How much revenue has the business produced to date?"

"Why should I give you $15 million when the company hasn't even made $15?"

"How can you possibly substantiate gross revenues of $200 million in year three?"

"Why are you trying to produce, market and distribute 10 products at the same time before you see if a single one sells at all?"

The questions went on and on. None of our answers were favorable. Strike three.

As you might have guessed, I didn't walk out of that meeting with a $15 million check. I later realized, however, that this was one of the greatest educational experiences of my young career. I learned more about real-world fundraising in 30 minutes than many entrepreneurs learn in a lifetime. To this day, whenever I pitch investors for capital, I always remember these six hard-learned lessons:

1. Less is always more.
An elevator pitch is vital. Verbose presentations and lengthy explanations will not impress investors, and most likely will turn them off. Present your business in a manner that's short, sweet and to the point. Investors need to be confident that your business will attract and retain customers. If they don't grasp your concept in a short time span, they may presume that customers won't understand it either.

2. Never hypothesize. Execute, execute, execute.
Inspire confidence with facts, not fiction. Most investors seek out low-risk businesses with proven managers that are as close to guarantees as possible. A company with cash flow, a track record and real-world experience has a better chance of getting investors than a business plan forecasting large returns. Find ways to test your business's viability on a shoestring budget, and turn your idea into a functional business before you seek investment.

3. Leave the hockey sticks on the ice.
Excite investors about your big picture, but be reasonable and responsible. Avoid hockey stick projections. Respectable investors will not take you seriously if you present them with nonsensical financial graphs that claim your company's revenues will grow from $100,000 to $50 million in three years. Show investors that you have a grasp on reality with three versions of financial projections: best case, moderate case and worst case. Base each of these models on facts, past and present performance data, industry and competitor analyses and a series of well-thought-out, defendable assumptions.

4. Learn to love discount stores.
Being cheap is chic. In an age where spending is out of control, you'll need to prove that you are a fiscally responsible manager who knows how to get the most out of a buck. Give yourself wiggle room in your operations and marketing budgets, but avoid being excessive. Never ask for a large salary or big-budget perks. Investors want you to be in a position where everything is on the line.

5. Rome wasn't built in a day. Your business won't be either.
Investors are wary of funding over-eager businesses that seem destined to bite off more than they can chew. Before asking for millions of dollars to fund 50 divisions and hundreds of product lines, prove how well you can create, manage and fulfill demand for a single product. Demonstrate that your business can crawl before you say it can walk. Perfect your marketing tactics, sales strategies and operational procedures. Investors appreciate companies with sustainable step-and-repeat business models that are poised for exponential growth. Remember, even Google's success is based on a single product.

6. Choose not to be the smartest person in the room.
Know what you know, know what you don't know and find the people who know what you don't know. Build a team of credible experts. The smartest leaders in the world are those who surround themselves with smarter people. Investors are funding a management team as much as they are investing in a great business concept.

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pitching your business;pitching to an investor

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Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. Shortly after my college graduation, a few friends and I started a new media company. Within a few weeks we fleshed out the concept, wrote a business plan and set out to seek financing.

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Forbes Welcome page -- Forbes is a global media company, focusing on business, investing, technology, entrepreneurship, leadership, and lifestyle.

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Get your FREE ScriptMag Screenwriting Conference Essentials Webinar to help improve your odds of success at a screenwriting pitchfest!

The Pitch Slam that is part of the Screenwriter's World Conference is a golden opportunity to sit face-to-face with potential agents, producers and executives who are looking for good writers, stories and screenplays. To take full advantage of this situation, you must pitch your project in a way that succinctly, emotionally and powerfully conveys both its artistic and commercial potential. And because there will be lots of other writers and filmmakers hoping to do the same thing, you want both your pitch and your story to stand out among the hundreds of others these potential buyers will hear.

My book Selling Your Story in 60 Seconds: The Guaranteed Way to Get Your Screenplay or Novel Read goes into a lot of detail about how to prepare and present a powerful pitch. But if I were to boil down all of the principles, examples and pitching templates the book provides for creating, rehearsing and delivering an outstanding pitch, it would result in these seven steps:

Never try to tell your whole story. This is by far the biggest mistake any writer or filmmaker can make. You've got 60-90 seconds to pitch your story (you want the rest of your time slot to discuss the story with the buyer, or to pitch a second idea if they pass on the first one). If you try to include every important detail of your screenplay, or if you get mired in vivid descriptions of the opening, the characters or the set pieces, you'll run out of time before your prospective buyer has a clear picture of the potential of your project. So instead of trying to weave a tale in two minutes, you want to....

2. Focus on revealing the essential elements of your story. These are the key questions buyers want you to answer for them:

Who is your HERO or protagonist?

What is that character's EVERYDAY LIFE at the beginning of the film?

Why will we feel EMPATHY towards your hero?

What OPPORTUNITY is presented to that hero at the 10% point that will get the story going?

Into what NEW SITUATION does that opportunity take your hero?

What specific visible goal or OUTER MOTIVATION are we rooting for your hero to accomplish by the end of the movie?

What CONFLICT will the hero face that makes achieving that goal seem impossible?

What are two ANTECEDENTS to your screenplay - recent, successful films with the same genre, tone, and potential market as yours?

3. Begin by revealing how you came up with the idea. Don't lead with your title or log line. Titles are close to meaningless, and usually confusing, when a buyer knows nothing about the story at all. And log lines might convey a little bit, but they will have much greater impact later in the pitch (see below). Instead, open your pitch by saying where you first got the idea for your story. It might grow out of a personal experience, or it might be based on a true story, or a novel for which you have the rights, or some article you read that stimulated your creativity. It might even come from other movies - taken a favorite genre and then coming up with a unique twist or element that we haven't seen before.

So you might begin by saying something like, "I have always been a huge fan of romantic thrillers, and I started wondering, ' What if...?' " Or, "I was recently able to acquire the rights to a novel that scared the crap out of me." Or, "You may not be aware of this, but I recently read that...." And then you segue from that initial idea to the key elements of your story listed above. Opening in this way draws the buyer into your story with the same element that got you excited about it.

4. Leave the buyer in suspense. Don't reveal the outcome of your screenplay in the pitch. Complete your presentation by either summarizing the conflict, or by revealing whatever major setback occurs at the end of Act 2. This can often be done when you...

5. Finish your description with the title and the log line. Here is where these elements of your pitch can be most powerful - after your buyer knows the essence of your story. So when you complete the description that includes those key elements in item #2, follow with the title, and then a single sentence that summarizes it all: "So basically, my screenplay WHERE'S MY KID? is about a single parent who must rescue her daughter, not realizing that the kidnapper is actually the FBI agent who's leading the investigation."

Notice that we don't know from the log line whether she will succeed - the pitch leaves the buyer wanting more. But if the buyer then asks how the movie ends, don't be coy - tell her.

6. Follow the log line with a question. As any good salesperson will tell you, you have to ask for the sale to close the deal. After summarizing with your log line, say to your buyer, "So do you have any questions about my script, or would you like me to send you a copy?" This gives them two options, both good for you: either they request the script, or they are engaged enough with your story that they want to discuss it.

7. Answer the buyers' questions succinctly. For many writers this is the hardest part of the pitch. They have carefully prepared, well-rehearsed, 60-second presentations, and then they respond to simple questions with long, meandering responses - usually in an unconscious attempt to tell the entire story (see #1 above). So listen to exactly what your buyer wants to know about your script, and then answer just that question in no more than 10 seconds. If you haven't told the buyer everything she wants to know, she'll ask another question.

And if the buyer passes on your pitch, then use the remaining time you've paid for to either pitch a second project, or to ask for suggestions on how you might improve the pitch she just heard. Don't get discouraged. The main reason that some pitches don't result in requests is not because the pitch was no good; it's because the buyer just isn't looking for that type of movie project. The beauty of the Pitch Slam is that when that happens, you just move to the next table and present your pitch again.

The Pitch Slam - and the entire conference - should be a very special event, and a great opportunity. I look forward to seeing you there, and to the possibility of coaching you individually on your pitch.

*Enroll in Michael Hauge's one-on-one coaching at Screenwriters World Conference now to secure your spot!*
Michael Hauge has presented his seminars and lectures to more than 30,000 writers and filmmakers. He has coached hundreds of screenwriters and producers on their screenplays and pitches, and has consulted on projects for Warner Brothers, Disney, New Line, CBS, Lifetime, Julia Roberts, Jennifer Lopez, Kirsten Dunst, and Morgan Freeman.

Get your FREE ScriptMag Screenwriting Conference Essentials Webinar to help improve your odds of success at a screenwriting pitchfest!

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Get your FREE ScriptMag Screenwriting Conference Essentials Webinar to help improve your odds of success at a screenwriting pitchfest! The Pitch Slam that is part of the Screenwriter's World Conference is a golden opportunity to sit face-to-face with potential agents, producers and executives who are looking for good writers, stories and screenplays.

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Your product may be perfect but if you flub selling the vision to an investor, you're nowhere.

It takes a wide-ranging skill set to be a successful entrepreneur. Your product has to be good, has to fill a niche, address a problem.

Many entrepreneurs may have those boxes checked but fall short when it comes to selling the vision to an investor. It may be the greatest thing since sliced bread, but without backing it will remain an unfunded figment of a dreamer's imagination.

What can entrepreneurs do to successfully sell an idea? CNBC.com asked a number of investors and inventors to define the elements of a perfect pitch.

The responses, which went far beyond "convey perseverance" or "wear a tie," may seem counter-intuitive in some cases. But they all derive from lessons learned through experience, so anyone who's designed the perfect widget should read ahead to learn a thing or two.
1. Know your audience
"When a customer walks into a store to buy a drill, they don't want a drill, they want a hole," said Chris Murray, founder of Varda Kreuz Training. "Investors don't want to hear about what you've got so much as what it will do for them. Focus your pitch on interesting the investor."

Sharí Alexander, founder of the consulting firm Observe Connect Influence, agreed. Successful entrepreneurs research potential investors and tailor pitches to them, she said.

"Do as much research as possible on your potential investors," she said. "Learn their trigger points. What gets them excited? What do they do in their free time? Finding an alignment between your business and their positive triggers will perk up their ears and be more attentive to your pitch."
2. Do your homework
To utterly convince any potential investor that you know what you're doing, you have to know what you're going to say and how you're going to say it, according to former "Shark Tank" contestant and BareEASE inventor Edna Ma.

"Practice, practice, practice your pitch before making it to investors," she said. "Practice with yourself in your car or in front of a mirror. Practice in front of friends, family and people who will give you real feedback. Remember, you only get one chance to get it right. Don't squander this opportunity."
3. What problem are you trying to solve?
Jeanine Swatton is a tech entrepreneur from the San Francisco Bay Area whose most current project is an app called FrameMonkey. She has worked with her fair share of tech start-ups and venture capitalists, and her advice for entrepreneurs is summed up in a single question.

"Answer the question during the pitch, 'What problem are you trying to solve?' " she said. "It is amazing how entrepreneurs come up with a 'cool idea,' but they do not tell us what the pain point is -other than the fact that they think it's cool."
4. Tell a story
Every entrepreneur should know the numbers behind the product backward and forward. But when pitching it, that stream of data is more likely to alienate than inspire investors, said Eric Bergman, author of "Five Steps to Conquer 'Death by PowerPoint.' "

So put away the slides and tell a story.

"There is a reason PowerPoint isn't used on programs like 'Shark Tank'-nobody would watch," Bergman said. "An investor, a customer or an employee must be able to tell your story to others."
5. Demonstrate your passion
A 2003 study conducted by the department of neuroradiology at the University of Tübingen in Germany reinforced the idea that smiles are contagious. The same can be said for passion-an essential ingredient of any pitch.

"You must effectively communicate genuine passion and real expertise," said Bruce Bachenheimer, director of the Entrepreneurship Lab at Pace University. "Investors know that even truly great business ideas are incredibly hard to successfully execute, so you better convince them you are committed and know what you're doing if you want their money."
6. K.I.S.S.
KISS isn't just the 1970s shock rock band that made face paint, platform boots and two-chord party anthems popular. It's also an acronym for "keep it simple, stupid," a relevant bit of advice for those looking for money.

"Less is always more," said Jessica Zelfand Munroe, founder of Supplet.com, a gift resource for expectant mothers. "Verbose presentations will not impress investors and will most likely turn them off. Inspire confidence in your investors by being short and sweet."
7. Talk up the team
Gary Holdren, CEO of Garland Capital Group, said that emphasizing the great team that you have to deliver your great product can give investors the push they need to pull out a checkbook.

"As an investor, I look for entrepreneurs to emphasize their team as much as the idea itself," he said. "Business models and go-to-market strategies may change, but I want to know that the team has what it takes to deliver, and that should come across in a pitch meeting."
8. Act naturally
Jerry Jao, CEO of the marketing firm Retention Science, had some simple advice for entrepreneurs seeking funding from investors: Be yourself.

"You need to relax so you can demonstrate just how knowledgeable you are about the problem you are solving and how excited you are about your solutions," he said. "Investors are trained to see through an entrepreneur's 'smoke and mirrors,' and they are good judges of character.

"An advisor once recommended I pitch differently in an investor meeting because I 'look young' and 'my enthusiasm makes me seem desperate.' I tried to switch it up a bit, and it just did not feel right. I realized that I only want to partner with an investor who appreciates me the way I am."
9. Have a backup
As former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld saidin 2003, "stuff happens." Even the best-executed effort can be derailed by unforeseen factors.

Nat Wasserstein is chief restructuring officer at the crisis management firm Lindenwood Associates. He's also an investor, and he wants to see that an entrepreneur has a strategy if things get ugly.

"An entrepreneur needs to understand and have an action plan for the downside case," Wasserstein said. "A downside case is not just a must-have scenario. It must translate into how the investment would likely be recovered if the venture failed at various stages of development."
10. Make it snappy
Investors want to hear you and get a 3-D view of your product. But not every story needs to be an epic trilogy full of light sabers or Hobbits. Ted Jenkin, founder of the Oxygen Financial, said that time is not on your side when you're pitching, so get to the point.

"I own three businesses and often advise others on how to get money for their new venture," he said. "You must realize that you have less than two minutes in general to be able to get the core message across to your future lenders. Make sure your pitch is succinct and thorough at the same time."
MORE: MORE: Secrets to pitching big investors An entrepreneur who lived in his car
CNBC.com is a USA TODAY content partner featuring financial news and commentary. It airs "Shark Tank", a business-theme reality series featuring self-made multimillionaire and billionaire tycoons giving budding entrepreneurs the chance to secure major deals. CNBC's content is produced independently of USA TODAY.

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Your product may be perfect but if you flub selling the vision to an investor, you're nowhere. It takes a wide-ranging skill set to be a successful entrepreneur. Your product has to be good, has to fill a niche, address a problem.

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share numbers of possible sales

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4 min read

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Many entrepreneurs are so passionate about their new startup idea that they can't believe any intelligent being, investor or customer wouldn't react just as excitedly after a quick introduction. They don't realize that they can often kill their credibility -- and future opportunities -- by communicating only with passion, responding with a cynical comment or giving up too soon.

The art of getting others to see things as you see them -- usually called persuasion -- is a key one for entrepreneurs, and it needs to be honed from the first day that you formulate your new idea. You have to persuade the right partners to join and build the solution, the right investors to fund it and the right customers to buy it. Good marketing is just a subset of these efforts and skills.
Related: 3 Ways to Use the Power of Persuasion in Your Marketing
The psychology involved in winning over others has been studied and preached for generations and continues to evolve as our culture changes, as documented on the website Psychology Today, and many others. Aspiring entrepreneurs need to study all of these but also need to learn from the pragmatic practices and tactics of successful peers and business advisors.

1. Repetition is the key to getting people's attention.

Many entrepreneurs mistakenly assume that their passion will cause their message to immediately stand out above the din of today's information overload. In fact, most people today have developed filters to ignore unsolicited inputs until they have heard it several times in both written and verbal form.

2. Postulate the message in a context important to the receiver.

Tune your message to each receiver's situation or context. Avoid abstract or technical declarations that may sound like an effort to impress or mislead your audience with your intelligence. Use specific value propositions rather than fuzzy terms like easier to use, better and faster.

3. Use contrasting story scenarios to illustrate the impact.

Stories are often more convincing than simple statements of fact. If you can integrate the receiver directly into the story, the potential impact is even greater. The power of contrast, or side-by-side comparison of outcomes, is an effective mover of people from old beliefs to new ones.
Related: 15 Secrets of Really Persuasive People
4. Personalize your message to match receiver background.

Whether approaching investors, partners or customers, you need to listen first to find a personal intersection of interest with your idea. If the person is creative and intuitive, don't hit them with a logical and analytical message. Establish a relationship or do some homework first if you can.

5. Use friends and advisors as sources of warm introductions.

Everyone is more prone to listen and believe new people brought to them by someone they know in common, especially if that connection has strong relevant experience or expertise. Even if it takes longer to arrange such a meeting, your credibility gain and impact may be well worth it.

6. Materialize your idea into a prototype or demo.

People always put more credibility into something they can touch and feel, versus mere words and arm waving. What you are visualizing in your mind's eye is not so obvious to others, especially investors who will likely not have your depth of expertise in the product domain you represent.

7. Present evidence of interest and excitement from others.

Social media is a powerful tool for testing your idea with minimal cost and risk with a huge potential for spreading and amplifying your message to the right people. The evidence of 1,000 people responding positively to your message is much more effective than you alone pitching.

In the end, the most convincing evidence of a great idea to investors and partners is business execution traction. They want to fund and work with people who are willing and able to move an idea into the execution phase. Ideally, that means a solution has been built, with a proven business model, and real customers who have paid full price with high customer satisfaction.

Indeed, all entrepreneurs have to start at the beginning with passion for an idea. Then comes the hard part of convincing others that the idea has the same merit you see, persuading others to join and support your effort and persuading customers to buy. According to some experts, persuasion is the most important skill you need to succeed in business.

Are you convinced?
Related: A Con Artist Taught Me Everything I Know About Persuasion

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4 min read Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. Many entrepreneurs are so passionate about their new startup idea that they can't believe any intelligent being, investor or customer wouldn't react just as excitedly after a quick introduction.

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In this episode of Telkom's Business Insights series, three of the 'Dragons' from Dragons' Den SA offer their top tips on what they look for in a business pitch. Gil Oved, Lebo Gunguluza and Vusi Thembekwayo highlight key areas that a business pitch must present to persuade investors that the business is both unique and scalable.

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talk about how you are better then the competition

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outline business model

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tell a real story