How To Write a Pitch in 5 Steps (With Example and Tips)

Image description

Two men are talking in an elevator. To one side there's a list of the key parts of an elevator pitch. The headline says, "Elevator Pitch"
The list is:
1. Introduce yourself
2. Explain what you do
3. Identify who you serve
4. State what makes you different
5. Include an exciting hook
6. Create a cohesive pitch

In the business world, one of the best ways to share your ideas is by writing a successful pitch. With an informative pitch, you can provide potential partners with all the information they need to decide whether your idea is worth investing time and money in pursuing. Understanding the typical standards and procedures involved in writing a pitch can help you write pitches effectively.

In this article, we define what a pitch is, list a step-by-step guide explaining how to write a pitch, offer pitch-writing tips and provide a template and example you can reference when writing a pitch on your own. 

What is a pitch?

A pitch is a presentation of a specific idea for film, television, print media or another product. The purpose of pitching an idea is to raise funds to develop the idea, making it a viable and profitable investment.

In business, a person or group of people present a pitch to investors to motivate them to fund the proposition or idea. Entrepreneurs present pitches via written correspondence, such as email or a letter, or through a face-to-face conversation. Normally, the person, people or company hearing the pitch possesses the resources to fund a business plan or venture.

Related: How To Give an Elevator Pitch (With Examples)

How to write a pitch

Writing a pitch is an important element for all kinds of business ideas across various industries. However, you can implement a version of the following steps to fit the style, scope and industry of your next pitch:

1. Read the submission guidelines

The first step when writing a pitch is to ensure you're abiding by the guidelines for submitting the pitch. If the business you want to pitch to has a set of submission guidelines, start by reading through them to make sure that you're following them precisely. Once you're familiar with the guidelines, you can start the actual writing process. 

Related: How To Pitch an Article (With Tips and Example)

2. Introduce your idea and establish your angle

Tell your prospective investors in clear terms what your idea is, how it can become a reality and the outcome you're hoping to achieve. Use this time to explain your points and dispel any counterpoints that could arise.

Try to concisely and clearly explain your idea's uniqueness and importance and why it should interest potential customers and investors. The idea is to highlight the benefits rather than recite the features.

Related: Complete Guide for Word-of-Mouth Marketing

3. Explain your methodology

It's important to support your pitch by providing a solid methodology and a clear process for development should you receive the funding you need to complete this project. After explaining your plan of action, you can include a rough budget so that investors can see where their money may go and how it can contribute throughout each step of the process. It's important to have solid data to back up your claims.

Related: How To Write a Methodology (With Tips and FAQs)

4. Estimate a deadline for a preliminary final version

The next step when writing a pitch is to estimate a deadline for a preliminary final version of your idea. This can be a draft of a written work, a prototype of a product or final lab test results relating to the safety of your product. Make sure that you offer your resources to prove any claims you're making.

5. Be prepared to take questions

Anticipate what questions you may encounter and have answers prepared. Ideally, you may have anticipated these questions and worked the answers into your presentation. Try to know your projected product well so you can confidently provide concise answers to your investors' inquiries.

Related: 10 Tips To Help You Network Like a Pro

Tips for writing a pitch

Here are some tips to ensure that your pitch is flawless and faultless.

Remain focused

People are busy, and it's important to consider the time they've dedicated to hearing your pitch. If investors can't remain interested or don't understand your idea quickly, they may conclude that their customers won't understand or care for it either. Keep your pitch focused on the core idea of your proposition.

Related: 12 Strategies for Staying Focused on Your Goal (Plus Tips)

Be prepared to present details

When you're preparing your presentation, ask yourself how investors can benefit by providing the resources for this project. It's a good idea to understand your customers' needs, know the return on investment (ROI) your investors can expect, how you can market your product and how it can outperform the competition. Showcasing your knowledge and interest in developing a business model, a budget and schedule and knowing the risks and reward potential may help you excel as someone who's experienced, savvy and dedicated.

Perfect your elevator pitch

See if you can fit a shortened introduction of your pitch into a 30- to 60-second time frame. Having this ready for any brief chance can increase the likelihood of securing an appointment to make your main pitch. It can also give potential investors an idea of what to expect when they meet with you.

Related: How To Create the Perfect Elevator Pitch in 6 Steps

Research the industry

Make sure you know your product's audience and competitors and be sure you're pitching to the right investors. The right investors are those whose interests align with those of you and your ideas. Double-check your numbers, make sure you have evidence to back your claims and keep your pitch concise and understandable.

Read your contracts

Before your pitch, be sure to know what kinds of investments this investor has made in the past and be sure you read all the fine print on your contracts before signing. You must know exactly what you're receiving, in terms of funds and the timeline and any other resources, and try making your intellectual property rights clear in your contract.

Related: How To Create and Pitch a New Position: Tips and Example

Example of a successful pitch

Here's an example of an effective pitch you can reference:

Good morning, Mr. Walters!

I wanted to contact you and tell you I'm a fan of your brand and have been loving what you're doing lately. I've purchased and shared your latest product online and people really seem to love it as well.

The other reason I'm contacting you is that the main part of my business involves working with brands like yours to help create content that is scalable and nets high returns in terms of engagement and conversions.

I'd love to sit down and chat with you or someone on your team about your content marketing strategy and see if we can work together to bring you even more traffic. My business has helped several big brands increase their traffic by an average of 47% this year and would love to share my methods with you. Would you be interested in sitting down for a phone call or a quick coffee to chat?

Thanks so much. I look forward to talking with you.

Robin Gold
(105) 555-4494
ContentGold.com

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