Anatomy of an Epic Pitch

You’re busy. Let’s skip the literary pleasantries and jump right in… Epic pitches share a common anatomy. Here are the major body parts you need to include in your next pitch.

HEAD

Hit your potential supporters with the answer right out of the gate, with a great HEADline. Your pitch needs an “Instant Clarity Headline. One that is dead simple and easy to understand. Don’t make your audience think too hard about what you are saying. If they have to process and try to figure out what you’re trying to tell them then you aren’t done yet. This is harder than it seems. Clear and concise is much more difficult than complicated and verbose.

“If I had more time, 
I would have written a shorter letter.”

Your headline should follow a simple formula:

• [end result the audience wants]
• [specific amount of time]
• [address their objections]

Here’s a classic example from Domino’s Pizza:

• [Hot fresh pizza delivered to your door]
• [in 30 minutes]
• [or it’s free!]

HEART

Two words that cannot be underestimated when developing an epic pitch…emotional response. You need to invoke an emotional response from your audience. At the end of the pitch, they need to feel like the world is incomplete without your project. How does one create such a strong response? Through the use of empathy and clearly defining the problem in your audience’s language.

Want to take your pitch to the next level? Become passionate about understanding and communicating the problem. If you can articulate the problem better than your target audience, they will subconsciously assume you have the solution. Think about it… this is how political elections are won.

HANDS

Your future supporters need to know you’re ready to get to work! This is where you show off your prototypes, explain the thought process behind the design, and establish some confidence in your ability to #getrdone. Visuals of busy work spaces, people using computers, and close ups of heavy machinery are typical. Hand drawn sketches and coffee stained notebooks add a nice touch that will appeal to the hipster crowd. #yoloswag #iluvcoffee

SUIT

On a scale of beach bum to black-tie you want to aim for business casual. Your pitch should have enough polish to let your viewers know that you care enough to make a quality pitch. But it shouldn’t be over the top like the latest Michael Bay movie. Too little polish, and your potential backers think you don’t care. Too much polish, and they don’t understand why you need their help since you obviously got your stuff together. Aim for a humble sincerity.

FEET

Finally, your pitch needs to inspire your audience to take action. Ideally, it inspires them to open their checkbook support your project. Use a clear call to action and explain why you need their help. Specificity is your best friend here. You want the person listening to the pitch to feel like you are talking directly to them. And you want to tell them EXACTLY why you need their money help.

Let’s face it, people and their money don’t part easily. I can’t speak for everyone, but sending my money into a blackhole without understanding of how it will be used makes me nervous. There’s a reason you get an itemized receipt when you check out at the grocery store. Let your supporters know exactly where their generous support is going to go.

And while you’re at it, get a haircut… Seriously, how long has it been?