HOW TO MASTER THE PERFECT PITCH

In a recent Your Property Podcast episode, Michelle chatted to Topher Morrison to find out how you, as an investor, can create the perfect pitch for your property business.

Topher is the ideal person to advise on this subject. Founder of Personifi, a training and development firm that specialises in creating award-winning pitches for business leaders, he has over 35 years of experience as a professional speaker and has authored several books on the topic. He is passionate about helping entrepreneurs communicate with clarity and credibility in their markets.

He is currently developing a new venture called the Business Book Review, which will match entrepreneurs with the ideal books for their current stage of business through a custom scoring system.

Michelle: Why is having a perfected, memorised pitch so important for business owners and professionals?

Topher: Most business owners rarely take the time to script and practice a perfectly repeatable pitch. Instead, they end up “winging it” when speaking to potential clients or partners. The result is inconsistent messaging and performance. Even if they occasionally hit a home run with their pitch, they don’t know exactly what they said to achieve that great result, so they can’t reliably duplicate it.

This inconsistency only gets worse as a business grows and brings on team members. If the business owner has never perfected their own pitch, they can’t teach others to deliver an effective pitch either. Soon, everyone is communicating something different about what the business does.

By contrast, having a memorised, well-rehearsed pitch allows you to deliver it naturally and consistently every time. With enough practice, you can deliver it in your sleep and improvise while still following the core structure. A perfected pitch provides clarity and credibility when communicating what you do. It ensures you and your whole team are always on the same page.

Michelle: What are the core principles for an effective pitch?

Topher: One of our foundational principles is to eliminate jargon, acronyms and overly complex language from your pitch. Even if you think you’re speaking to people in your industry who understand the terminology, that’s a big assumption. There are many people in business who will just smile and nod if they don’t understand something, rather than admit it.

Simple language ensures your pitch will be understood even by those outside your industry – you never know when you might be speaking to someone at a social event or family gathering who could refer your ideal client. If they don’t understand your jargon-filled pitch, you’ll miss that opportunity.

I once encountered a “cranial prosthetic engineer” – who turned out to be a wigmaker working with chemotherapy patients. As this is an incredibly important and noble cause in its own right, I think the use of simple, direct language would have allowed the individual’s integrity and passion to shine through; in this case, the ‘engineer’ moniker potentially devalued his pitch.

Another important principle is to make sure each element of your pitch could stand alone as an independent thought. This allows you to rearrange the components as needed or to jump straight to one part in response to a question. If someone asks you about your credentials, you can go right into your credibility piece without needing to start from the beginning. Modular pitch components give you flexibility.

Make it memorable

Michelle: How can you make your pitch memorable when you have limited time, like at a networking event?

Topher: When you only have 30 seconds or so to introduce yourself, here are a few key tips to help you stand out and be heard:

1 Position yourself strategically in the room. The people who have already introduced themselves will be more open to listening, while those next in line will be too focused on their own upcoming introduction to pay much attention.

2 Make eye contact with those more likely to listen. Focus on those who have already spoken as well as people who have yet to speak farther down the line. Avoid focusing on the people close to you – if they’re due to speak shortly, they will be distracted.

3 Use simple language and short sentences. When nervous, you don’t want to struggle with complex words or long sentences. Look for the shortest, clearest way to get your point across.

4 Focus externally, not internally. If you have to concentrate on remembering what to say next, you’ll appear less confident and genuine. Practice frees you up to pick up on audience cues and improvise as needed to keep their attention.

The most important thing is to practice, practice and then practice some more. So much so that you could do your pitch in your sleep. All great performers, from musicians to speakers, make their craft look effortless on stage only because they’ve rehearsed relentlessly. Repetition breeds relaxation and confidence.

Michelle: What advice do you have for tailoring your pitch to different audiences?

Topher: If you frequently pitch to different types of audiences, have variations of your pitch framed around how you can help solve specific problems. While following the same general structure, you can swap in different elements based on the listener.

For example, I have four different credibility pieces I can use in my pitch. Using all four might come off as arrogant, so I select the most relevant one based on the situation. When speaking to an academic audience, I might refer to my Oxford MBA. For a business audience, 35+ years of professional speaking experience carries more weight.

The key is to have different versions you can draw upon while still sounding natural. You never want to pretend to be something you’re not. Authenticity is essential. You can subtly match the formality of your language to your audience, but the pitch structure must remain consistent.

Building confidence

Michelle: How can people overcome fear and build confidence when pitching?

Topher: There are a few ideas for those who struggle with confidence:

1 Toastmasters or similar public speaking groups Provide a safe space to practice and get constructive feedback. They help you identify nervous tics and build confidence through repetition.

2 Focus on your audience, not yourself. Make it about their needs and how you can help them. This takes the pressure off you. Think of it as a one-to-one conversation, even with a huge crowd.

3 Practice relentlessly. The more thoroughly you know your pitch, the more relaxed you’ll be. Being slightly relaxed aids memory, while stress and anxiety make us forget.

4 Use memory devices. Our brains latch onto bizarre, surprising, emotional elements. So turn key parts of your pitch into crazy visual images. Picture them in different physical locations in the room as memory anchors. This frees you from mentally grasping for what’s next.

5 Record yourself. It can be painfully revealing to watch yourself on video. But it’s the fastest way to eliminate distracting mannerisms and verbal fillers that undermine your message.

Most importantly, have empathy for your audience. Respect their time by crafting a concise, accessible pitch that explains exactly how you can improve their lives or businesses. Root it in your authentic desire to deliver value.

Pitching isn’t about you proving your worth. It’s an opportunity to serve. Approach it from that mindset and you’ll emanate the kind of genuine confidence that attracts ideal partners and clients.

Michelle: Any other tips for making a pitch compelling and memorable?

Topher:

1 Trim it to the essentials. Ask yourself, “Why say in seven words what you can say in three?” Fewer words have more impact. Once you’ve simplified the sentences, see if you can replace any remaining words with shorter synonyms.

2 Make it about the audience, not you. Focus the pitch on the problems you solve and the results you create for clients. Limit talking about yourself only to establishing credibility and rapport. Quickly shift to how your experience translates into value for them.

3 Demonstrate your conviction. Conviction is more important than confidence. You can still be nervous, but if you have unshakeable faith in the value you provide, that conviction carries you through. Freely admit what you’re not the best at. Then emphasise why you’re the perfect choice for your ideal client.

4 Use vivid language. Paint a picture of what life or business looks like before and after working with you. Transport them into that end result. Using phrases like, “Imagine what it would feel like to…” or “You know how frustrating it is when…” helps them visualise the promised transformation.

5 Invite the next step. Never leave them wondering how to engage your services. Have a specific, simple next step that makes it easy to get started. It could be scheduling a free consultation, signing up for your email list, or registering for an event. Lower the barrier to entry.

You can craft a pitch that cuts through the noise and positions you as the obvious choice for your ideal clients. But it takes work. Set aside time each day to practice, even if it’s just delivering your pitch in the mirror or recording yourself for review. The more you put in the reps, the more effortless and natural it becomes.

A great pitch is about connection, not perfection – authenticity and heart matter more than a flawless delivery. Seek to inspire your audience with the transformation you provide. With enough practice and conviction, you’ll captivate any room and magnetically attract your ideal clients and partners.

That’s the true power of a purposeful pitch.

CLICK HERE to listen to the episode