Key to pitching a business

Six different pitching types have been identified – which one are you?

Pitching your business is an essential skill to master in order to grow your business. And, if you want to grow your business, you must be able to pitch it successfully. The way you say things is as important as what you actually say – and could mean the difference between attaining the investment needed or being turned away. No matter the result, every opportunity to pitch is an opportunity to get better.

Now in their eighth year of listening to entrepreneurial pitches, ENGEN Pitch & Polish, in association with Engen Petroleum, Nedbank and Raizcorp, have identified six distinct pitching types. Which one are you?

The Investor-Ready Pitcher

You are the ideal pitcher! Your business case is clear with a defined product or service, which is ready to be taken to customers.

You have done your market research and can prove that people want what you are offering.

Your sums add up and you can demonstrate a clear Return on Investment (ROI).

The Salesman

Your pitch is purely sales-focused, with a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach.

Investors want to see the real you and understand your business – they are far more interested in you, than your product or service.

Be real and be honest.

The Technician

Technicians only want to speak about the finer details of their product or service. They use too much jargon and technical terminology.

Investors need the whole picture to make a decision.

Focus your pitch on how your business is going to make money.

The Floor-Gazing Dancer

These pitchers are so nervous they can’t look the investor in the eye. Instead, they stare at the floor and tend to move from side to side.

This pitch is hard work for an investor as the movement is dizzying and lack of eye-contact alienating.

Resolve to make a concerted effort to stand straight and look people in the eyes.

The Mumbler

The mumbler speaks incoherently and softly.

If investors cannot hear your pitch, they aren’t going to invest in your business.

Practice is key to gaining confidence in yourself and what you are saying. Record your pitch and listen to yourself.

The Racing Driver

You speak so fast that it is difficult to grasp your business offering and model.

This can intrigue an investor if spoken with confidence but it often leads to an ineffective pitch.

Refine your pitch. Shorten it and select places to breathe and connect with the investors. Plan your pauses. Enunciate clearly. – Citizen reporter