Lesson 5: Pitch Introductions

Pitch Introductions

Typical Intro Length: 20 seconds to 40 seconds 

Typical Intro Use Case: the opening of your pitches both short and long form

The intro sets the tone for your pitch, no matter if it’s a quick elevator pitch at a networking event or a full 30-minute meeting. The benefit of using an intro is that it makes the presentation feel more conversational and if done right it will grab the listeners attention and engage them at a deeper level than without having one.  It is one of the most underutilized tools in the presenter’s tool kit. 

Whichever format you use the goal is to make sure it ties into the rest of the presentation. Your intro should flow into your problem section seamlessly. Don’t use an intro that has nothing to do with the information that comes after it. 

Delivery is very important with intros. Practice your use of pauses which can be critical here, especially with the Question formats. Speed and tone are extremely important as well with the Story formats. 

Pitch Introduction Formats

Stories

1. Personal Story – using a personal story to open can be extremely effective. It lets the listener know a little bit about you and can create a sense of trust that is crucial in the pitching process. There are volumes of resource available around story telling such as the Hero’s Journey or 4 P’s, but the key here is to be quick, you cannot tell a run-on story about yourself it will do irreparable damage to the rest of the presentation. One example of a quick format is set the scene, introduce the characters, clarify the conflict, resolve the conflict.

Ex. When I was 10 years old me and my family were sitting at the dinner table on an average Tuesday night when the phone rang with the call from the doctor saying that my father has lung cancer. For the next 10 years he would battle cancer luckily beating it and surviving. Seeing first-hand how terrible this disease is why decided to become a doctor specializing in cancer treatment….

You can tell a complete story with a resolution, or you can tell it up to the point of the conflict if the conflict segways into your problem section. 

Ex. When I was 10 years old me and my family were sitting at the dinner table on an average Tuesday night when the phone rang with the call from the doctor saying that my father has lung cancer. For the next 10 years he would battle cancer. The problem with lung cancer is …. 

*Note* You can tell a non-personal (third party) story as well. It follows the same formats just make sure there is relevance.

2. Timeline Story – This format helps the audience feel like they’ve known you for a long time and gives them insight into your why and what motivates you. It works by sharing with them three points in time during your life leading up to what you discovered on this journey. The points in time should be similarly spaced. 

X years ago, I _________

X years ago, I _________

X years ago, I __________

During that time, I discovered __________

i.e., 15 years ago, I was extremely poor making minimum wage living in paycheck to paycheck and in debt. 10 years ago, I decided my situation had to change and I signed up to take a personal finance and investing course. 5 years ago, I had my first million dollars in the bank and owned my home outright. During that time, I discovered that nothing we learn in school helps us prepare for managing our money as an adult….

3. Recent Story – This is where you tell a story about something that just happened to you or someone you know that will reaffirm the problem/solution you are about to tell. 

i.e., I live about 20 minutes away, so I drove to this meeting. I debated though before I left, should I drive and must deal with finding parking or just take an uber. I chose wrong and had to look for parking for 15 minutes. The parking problem in cities ……

Questions

Questions can be very effective at engaging the listener from the earliest point. The questions asked can be rhetorical or answered depending on the situation.

1. Yes Set – this technique helps get the audience on the same page as you and in a positive mindset. It works by asking a series of questions that the answer is clearly going to be yes. You can have the audience verbally say yes or raise their hand in agreement. 

i.e., raise your hand if _________

would you agree _________

If you think ___________ raise your hand and say yes

i.e., raise your hand if you agree most people go to sleep at night and wake up in the morning.  

raise your hand if you think sleep is important.  

now raise your hand if think some people sleep better than others. 

2. Philosophical Questions – use this type of question to get the listeners thinking actively. It works by asking a question that is difficult to answer. 

i.e., When you crave a certain food, do you think it’s your brain that wants that food or your body that wants that food?

Have you ever wondered what your dog has named you?

3. Current News – This one works by taking a recent headline and sharing it with the audience. It works by showing relevance to your problem/solution in a real-world real-time way. 

i.e., Did you see the front page of the sports section in the New York Times today? I’ll read it to you, it says “NCAA Finally Allows Student Athletes to Make Money”. 

4. Did You Know – This structure is used to share an interesting fact or figure to open. When done properly it combines the Current News and Philosophical benefits. 

i.e., Did you know that it to produce just one kilogram of honey, bees fly the equivalent distance of 3 times around the earth?

Did you know that in 2020 we produced more than 380 million tons of plastic, which is more than the weight of all the people on earth?

These are just a few examples of structures you can use for openings. There are many others, and you can certainly come up with your own. Having a few openings at your disposal is always a good thing because it allows you to effectively have a few unique presentations without having to change the core content of the presentation. 

Common Mistakes to Avoid with Your Pitch Introduction

1. The most common mistake is not having any intro and just diving straight into pitching at the listener. 

2. The biggest mistake you can make with your intro is to make it too long. We want to know a little bit about you, not your whole life story. We want to answer a few fun and easy questions, not be grilled by you. 

3. Don’t forget to clearly say your name and the name of your company. You’d be surprised how often this happens.