How to Pitch? P.U.N.
So how do we pitch ourselves?
Let’s start with thinking about a pitch as if it was a headline in an article, the trailer for a film or the subject line of an email. What is it that pulls you in, makes you want to read more, or in the case of the movie buy a ticket and see it? It’s three things – PUN – no pun intended.
P – personal connection. Your pitch needs to connect with the person you are talking to. It has to have some relevance to resonant with your target, the more relevance, on more levels, the more impact it carries. As an outsider you need to either find other outsiders or insiders who value outsiders and can see the power and impact of your outsider qualities.
U – useful information. Your pitch must include something that the target wants or needs. The target should be thinking, “Wow, that’s going to solve a problem we’ve been facing” or “Of course, that’s exactly what I need.” As an outsider you need to know enough of the insider world to be able to determine what will work and what won’t work. Something, which is too expensive, take too long, or is too challenging for the culture will be seen as not useful and will be rejected.
N – and ideally it includes something new. If it is something that the targets have direct interest in and finds useful then they may take action but you need to have that extra to make them buy. The information has to be useful and new. It has to be different from what they have heard. If it’s new – either brand-new or a new spin on something old, they are more likely to focus and follow through.
If recruiters have heard the same pitch from the last ten job hunters they will be happy to hear something useful and new. Clients will feel the same if they hear the same old tired solutions to their problems and suddenly an outsider comes in with something new.
