Pitching is like dating … and why this changes everything!
Apply the mindest of dating to pitching and you will nail your next pitch!
Pitching is like dating — this is a line I have been saying in trainings over and over again and it is the one line that has certainly always created impact.
The concept is rather simple but the implications are huge!
99% of all people I encounter try and put way too much information into a pitch and this is possibly the worst thing you can do. Read more on this here.
I always ask my clients what the target of their pitch is and in most cases it is rather blurry, however even if it is clear, most targets set are medium to long term. This is in itself not a bad thing, however the first pitch given should have a different mindset applied to it: dating.
Specifically, the first date!
Of course to get the right framing I am talking about dating with the target of finding your perfect partner and having a dog, a bunch of children and spending your life together — not getting hammered and having a one night stand. This is perfectly fine but for our example it doesnt work. However, you should know what you are looking for before you build a pitch (more here)Or before you go on a date.
And this is where the logic of dating kicks in…
…think about it — what is the idea of the first date? Is it getting married and starting to make babies on the first date? No, of course not I hear you say!
The first pitch is just about earning a second date or depending the way want to look at it the first date is just about trying to figure out if you want to go on a second date at all. *Boom — its that simple.*
Now if you think of your dating experience you will be able to recall that in most cases it is pretty much about the first impression and probably within 30 seconds you will have come up with a very clear picture about the chances of a second date. In essence both dating and pitching are about earning time and building trust. Read more on this here.
And then it is about expectation management and potential red flags — what are things you absolutely need and things you absolutely can't stand? Are you a dog person or rather a cat person and are you looking to create a long term sustainable business or rather trying to create the perfect VC case? You get the idea…
But don’t forget: the first pitch you make is about the first few seconds and should be tailored to earning a second conversation, maybe even as little as a good question during Q&A. If you apply this you will suddendly be able to add great focus to your pitch … now of course the long term target of the pitch should be about gaining an incredible customer, raising a substantial amount of money and world domination — but you will never get that far when you try and marry and make babies on the first date. Simple.
Happy pitching and happy dating.
Thank you very much for reading this…in fact, if you found this helpful and want me to create more content around pitching, please take a second and follow me here on medium or clap on this article. Or both … this really helps me a lot!
And if you want to know more about me: www.daniel-cronin.com
