Before you start writing a pitch, know as much about your audience as possible. You can use the examples in the previous topic to get started, but knowing is better than assuming! Review their social media feeds and website; if possible, ask mutual acquaintances for further insights. Fear and Greed also depend to a lesser …
The number one mistake that academic innovators make in answering this question is in trying to teach rather than engage. They often believe that, to appreciate how amazing their solution is, the audience must understand how it works. While this belief is certainly based in truth, it is a risky strategy to employ: You may …
Your answer to Question 1 sets the stage for your entire pitch. Take the time to be sure you have correctly and accurately captured the specific problem you are solving. For instance, I coached a cannabis company once where they framed the problem as brand identity and regulation, when in fact the problem was that …
Think of your path from great idea to product-for-sale as a continuum of risk and benefit. At the idea stage, the risk that your innovation never makes it to the marketplace is very high, for many reasons including some outside your control. If you are able to raise money at the high-risk end, it will …
Protecting your intellectual property is one important part of protecting your competitive advantage over time. But there are many other barriers to entry that can help you keep your competitors at bay, barriers that are more market-oriented than rights-focused. To integrate these various approaches, keep in mind this phrase: Tag & Trust, Together. Tag: Identify …
Build your matrix (even if you never show it) The table most commonly used to illustrate competitive position is so useful that it is something of a cliché. Regardless of how you show the data during a pitch, if you take a systematic approach to creating it, you will be able to articulate clearly and …
The number one mistake that academic innovators make in answering this question is in trying to teach rather than engage. They often believe that, to appreciate how amazing their solution is, the audience must understand how it works. While this belief is certainly based in truth, it is a risky strategy to employ: You may limit …
Your answer to Question 01 sets the stage for your entire pitch. Whenever I struggle with a pitch for a client, the problem almost invariably turns out to be that we did an inadequate job of answering Question 01. If you are having a hard time, return to Question 01 and take the time to …
Short discussion to identify the best way to proceed for your situation.
Experience my process and get practical advice for an upcoming presentation or pitch.