Keep It Simple: Achieve Success with a Simple Pitch

Who is the most important part of your pitch? Well, here’s a hint – it’s not you…

When pitching, your audience is key. Whether you’re talking to one person or pitching in front of a panel of judges, remember it’s not always about you. You already know and understand your product, so it’s important to not just get your point across, but to have it come across in a way that other people understand.

Understanding comes from simplicity.

Simplicity comes from explaining something in a clear, concise, and as brief a manner as possible.

The Time to KISS

Going back to the idea that you are the expert on whatever it is that you are pitching, you need to simplify your idea. To do this, think of KISS. No, not the face-painted rock band, but the principle that stands for “keep it simple, stupid.” Designed by the U.S. Navy in the 1960s, it states that most systems work best if they are kept simple. The same can be applied to your elevator pitch.

What is the most simple way that you can define what it is that you, your company, or your product or service do? Can you break it down it even more? At the most basic level, how can you explain it? The key to simplifying your pitch is to imagine giving it to someone who has no idea what you do – would they be able to understand it? Don’t ever assume that someone knows what you know.

For example, if you are developing a new social app to help all of your friends connect with local events that their friends are attending, how can you simplify it so your grandparents would understand? It is safe to assume the average grandmother does not know what an app is, let alone what it means. Therefore, how could you explain it to someone with no technological know-how? Your concept can be simplified to an “online tool that enables people to find events on the go based on their interests and friends.” This simplified pitch makes it easy for anyone to understand and allows you to gain their interest for a further detailed explanation. It also presents a simple concept that is easy for your audience to remember and re-tell to someone else.

Summary

Remember that a simple pitch can be the most effective pitch. Since the goal of a pitch is to gain interest and spark future conversation, a confusing or complex statement will turn someone off. Be mindful that the person on the receiving end of your pitch will not necessarily know what you know, so keep your pitch simple to make sure your audience can understand. Who knew that KISSing could be the key to perfecting your pitch?

 

 

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