The Pitch Workshop handout (not presentation slides) from Penny Jackson and David Terrar's Saturday morning workshop session at this year's Over The Air conference at Imperial College, London, September 10 + 11, 2010. This workshop was designed to help you improve your presentation skills and learn the art of "the Pitch". Penny and David got the audience on their feet, thinking about how to get in to the mind of their audience, whether they are prospects, customers, friends, potential investors or partners. It covers how to craft and refine your message, and explains the 9 C's of a good elevator pitch.

1. Over The Air
Pitch Workshop
11 September 2010
Penny Jackson & David Terrar
David Terrar Penny Jackson

2. Workshop Handout
• This handout covers the key points and
ideas of the workshop, combined with
notes from the discussions we had on the
day
• Although we’ve created this using
PowerPoint, these slides aren’t intended to
be used as a presentation
David Terrar Penny Jackson

3. Agenda
Time Activity Materials/
who delivers
1030-1040 Introduction, Penny and David intro themselves set objectives and get group to Flip chart,
introduce themselves. Projector,
PJ,DT
1040-1050 The Cook, The Wife and The King, Exercise One, an ice breaker and review PJ
exercise that places the delegate into another’s role and perspective.
1050-1130 The art of the Elevator Pitch, why, what, how and the 9C’s of a great pitch DT
1130-1135 Quick break All
1135-1220 Pitch on Pitch (The real experience) A practical session where delegates PJ
practice pitch skills with presentations to plenary.
1220-1230 Summary and Close PJ,DT
David Terrar Penny Jackson

4. Pitch Workshop Objectives
• This workshop will help you improve your
presentation skills and learn the art of "the
Pitch".
• Penny and David will get you on your feet,
thinking about how to get in to the mind of your
audience, whether they are prospects,
customers, friends, potential investors or
partners.
• We'll show you how to craft and refine your
message, and explain the 9 C's of a good
elevator pitch.
David Terrar Penny Jackson

5. The Cook, The Wife and The King,
Exercise One, learning Points
The purpose of this exercise is to take a quick light hearted view of
considering another’s point of view. Taking on a persona and then being
asked to make observation as that persona is to help you focus on what you
need to consider as you make your pitch. The most important view in the
room is the client and therefore place your pitch with their needs as your
focus.
Equally the power of language is such that simple easy accessible language
will clarify your product from the outset. Over complex language will detract
from the pitch, even if you feel the product is complex by its very nature. Your
pitch is looking at why do these people want/need this product, not how
complicated it was to create it.
Simple statements are preferred. Once hooked clients can always augment
their interest with deeper questioning. Be prepared to supply those answers,
but always be clear and concise.
David Terrar Penny Jackson

6. What is an elevator pitch?
Wikipedia definition:
• An elevator pitch or elevator speech is an overview of a product, service, person,
group or organization, or project and is often a part of a fundraising, marketing
communications, brand, or public relations program.
• The name "elevator pitch" reflects the idea that it should be possible to deliver an
elevator pitch in the time span of an elevator ride, or approximately thirty seconds to
two minutes.
• An elevator pitch is often used by an entrepreneur pitching an idea to a venture
capitalist or angel investor to receive funding. Venture capitalists often judge the
quality of an idea by the quality of its elevator pitch and will ask entrepreneurs for
their elevator pitches in order to quickly weed out bad ideas and weak teams.
The start of all of your messaging:
• Different versions for different audiences in context:
– A phrase
– 2 Lines
– 1 minute
– 2-3 minutes
– 20 minutes (for VCs & investors)
David Terrar Penny Jackson

7. Why do it?
• Get people interested, grab their attention Sell the product, win
business
• Establish communication
• Clarify what you are all about (people have a short attention span,
“don’t make me think”)
• Sell to potential investors, raise money
• Help get to as many people as possible
• Sense test what you are doing
• Focus on what is important
• Identify weaknesses
• Rehearse and rehearse so that you craft your message - continuous
improvement
• If you can't fully explain your product in 2 minutes, maybe it needs
more work
• This is the starting point for all of your messaging
• Transfer to everyone in your organization so they can pass it on
David Terrar Penny Jackson

8. Who is your audience?
• Potential clients
• Users (who may or may not be clients)
• Existing clients
• Investors
• Press
• The Boss
• Employees
• Friends and family (friends down the pub)
• Everyone
• Partners
• The bank manager
• People who aren’t interested
David Terrar Penny Jackson

9. What makes a bad pitch?
• Not knowing the subject
• A confusing message
• Too technical
• Can't see the wood for the trees
• Too long
• Too quiet
• Irrelevant
• Don’t understand the market
• Don’t understand the numbers, financials
• Wrong economics, unworkable business model
• Unrealistic superlatives
(if yours is the best, explain why with evidence)
• Unexciting, underwhelming
• Not reviewing the material by prioritising the needs of the client
David Terrar Penny Jackson

10. What makes a good pitch?
• Focus the pitch on the benefits of the product/app/project first, last, always
• Achieves the objective (nothing else matters!)
• Good preparation - ask questions before and tailor your pitch to the audience
• Has a story, a journey
• Simple
• Credible
• Compelling, grabs the interest
• Clear
• Concise
• Avoids the technical detail
• Captures what is unique (differentiate or die)
• Communicates your passion
• Builds confidence
• Has a hook - excites them so they want to hear more
• Has a goal - next step, call to action
• Deals with questions
• Is a dialogue (listen!)
• Remember people buy:
– People
– On emotion not logic
• Don't be afraid to think different
• Don't be afraid to be controversial
• See it their way - put yourself in the shoes of your audience
David Terrar Penny Jackson

11. Why does everybody start with PowerPoint?
(or, what visual aids are you going to use?)
• Too many people start with PowerPoint to give them structure
(as some sort of crutch)
• Too many slides are a prompt for the presenter rather than a visual
message for the audience
• Use PowerPoint/Keynote/Slides where appropriate, in context, not
always
• If you do use PowerPoint:
– keep slides to a minimum
– make them with uncluttered content
– use more pictures than text
– don’t have too many bullet points per slide or unreadable text
• Just you and your passion (voice only) can often work well
• Flipchart stand/white board
• Video
• Props
David Terrar Penny Jackson

12. How should your pitch start?
• Highlight how the product/app/project benefits the client
• With a simple, compelling proposition
• With a story
• Use a character
• Present a theme
• With a question
• An attention grabbing fact
• With a hook
• Using some research
• Comparisons relating to a product they know
• Explain what the user does now, before your solution
• Define the problem you are solving?
David Terrar Penny Jackson

13. Do you have a tag line?
• Encapsulate the project/app/product in single
phrase/sentence
• If you can distil the idea down to it's essence, it always
helps
• This can be difficult to do, but the effort is worth it
• A mantra is better than a mission statement
• Make sure you test it with people, the target audience
David Terrar Penny Jackson

14. How do you tell the story?
• Like any story - beginning, middle, end
• Get them interested, explain the core message, have a call to action
• Characters
• Passion
• Engaging
• Need presence, charisma, good social skills
(but these are all skills you can learn to do better)
• Use quotations
• Avoid jargon and technical detail
• Use attention grabbing facts
• Make the story an evolution
• Put yourself in their shoes
• Assemble the right team, have the answers prepared
• Listen and respond, make it a dialogue
• Leave them wanting more
David Terrar Penny Jackson

15. What about delivery?
• Passion and enthusiasm
(they'll be more impressed with the height of your enthusiasm than the
depth of your knowledge)
• Clarity
• Tailor to the audience
• Get the visual aids right
• Make eye contact with everybody you’re pitching to
• Entertaining
• Confident
• If you are enjoying it, they'll enjoy it
• Dialogue, not debate
• When something goes wrong, don't apologize, just recover and carry on
• Dry mouth, stage fright, getting lost? - see next bullet point
• Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse (down the pub, with friends & family)
• Test it properly
• Get someone to video you and then watch all the bad habits you've got and
the mistakes you make – then improve
• Try and keep it spontaneous
David Terrar Penny Jackson

16. What do you need to cover?
• Depends on the context and the audience
• The core message:
– The problem/needs
– Your solution/benefits
– Why you are unique
• The opportunity
• The return
• More on the quality of the team - investors back people more than products
• Less on the budget, forecast, numbers, business plan
(but you will have to cover those at some point)
• Market, business model, competition
• Weave a MAT (says Guy Kawasaki in The Art of the Start):
– Milestones
– Assumptions
– Tasks
• Spell out what you need
• Be honest, don't try and hide anything
• Cover the risks and the issues
• Explain next steps
• Prepare what to do/say next if they say yes
David Terrar Penny Jackson

17. Pitch on Pitch
(The real experience) Exercise Two
We are splitting you in to groups of 2.
With your partner take it in turn to pitch your product emphasising
3 benefits of your product. You each will take a turn to listen
actively and carefully to the other’s pitch. As a listener you must
only listen but not take notes.
After 5 minutes swap over and let your partner take their turn to
Pitch.
Return to plenary and each take turns to pitch your partner’s
product.
David Terrar Penny Jackson

18. Pitch on Pitch
Exercise Two, learning points
Listening to your advocate pitch your brief helps illustrate the strengths of your
own pitch. It reveals the other’s comprehension of the product from your
original pitch to them.
Observe the language your advocate uses. Is the order of the pitch or the
language more effective? If so why ?
How does the experience of listening actively to another’s pitch help you
consider how your pitch comes across to another person?
Simple explanations are always a good starting point for a pitch. Just because
the product is complex don’t over complicate the message from the outset. If
you find your self doing this go back to thinking in terms of needs and benefits;
i.e. why did I make this product? what was the perceived need and how does
the product address these in simple benefit related statements?
Ultimately, put yourself in the listener’s shoes.
David Terrar Penny Jackson

19. Summary
• Tell a story
• Start from the audience’s point of view
• Think benefits and needs
• Test your message thoroughly
• Use energy and enthusiasm
• Be clear and concise
• Avoid too much detail
• Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse
• Follow the 9 C’s of a great pitch
David Terrar Penny Jackson

20. The 9 C's of a great Pitch
• Clear
• Concise
• Compelling
• Credible
• Conceptual
• Concrete
• Consistent
• Customized
• Conversational
Chris O'Leary - Elevator Pitch Essentials
http://www.elevatorpitchessentials.com/essays/ElevatorPitch.html
David Terrar Penny Jackson

21. Recommended Books
Jack Trout – http://www.amazon.co.uk/Search‐Obvious‐Antidote‐Todays‐
In Search of the Obvious: The Antidote for Today's Marketing/dp/0470288590/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=12843
Marketing Mess 69128&sr=8‐1
Al Ries & Jack Trout ‐ http://www.amazon.co.uk/22‐Immutable‐Laws‐
The 22 Immutable Laws Of Marketing Marketing/dp/1861976100/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=12843
69394&sr=1‐1
Seth Godin – http://www.amazon.co.uk/Meatball‐Sundae‐Marketing‐Transforming‐
Meatball Sundae Business/dp/0749929480/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1284369
488&sr=1‐1
Jack Trout with Steve Rivkin – Differentiate or Die http://www.amazon.co.uk/Differentiate‐Die‐Survival‐Killer‐
Competition/dp/0470223391/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1284
369561&sr=1‐1
Youngme Moon – http://www.amazon.co.uk/Different‐Escaping‐Competitive‐Youngme‐
Different: Escaping the Competitive Herd Moon/dp/0307460851/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=128436964
2&sr=1‐1
Nicholas B. Oulton ‐ http://www.amazon.co.uk/KILLER‐PRESENTATIONS‐Imagination‐
Killer Presentations Visualise‐
PowerPoint/dp/1845281845/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1284
369812&sr=1‐1
Garr Reynolds – http://www.amazon.co.uk/Presentation‐Zen‐Simple‐Design‐
Presentation Zen Delivery/dp/0321525655/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1284369
873&sr=1‐1
David A. Peoples – Presentations Plus http://www.amazon.co.uk/Presentations‐Plus‐Peoples‐Proven‐
Techniques/dp/047117730X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1284
369699&sr=1‐1
David Terrar Penny Jackson
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22. References
Guy Kawasaki ‐ http://blog.guykawasaki.com/2006/06/the_art_of_the_.html#axzz0zOj4
The Art of the Start nYGJ
Chris O’Leary – http://www.elevatorpitchessentials.com/
Elevator Pitch Essentials
David Terrar Penny Jackson

23. Contact details
Penny Jackson
Presenter, Film Maker and Facilitator
m: +44 (0)7973 342065
e: pennykjackson@gmail.com
w: http://pennyjackson.co.uk/
twitter: pennyjackson
linkedin: http://uk.linkedin.com/pub/penny-jackson/b/7ba/209
David Terrar Penny Jackson

24. Contact details
David Terrar
CEO – D2C
and
Executive Director - ITBrix / WordFrame
p: +44 (0)1727 866309 (direct)
m: +44 (0)7715 159423
e: dt@d2c.org.uk and david@wordframe.com
w: www.d2c.org.uk and www.wordframe.com
skype: david_terrar
twitter: DT
linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/davidterrar
blog: http://biztwozero.com
David Terrar Penny Jackson