Many pitch competitions set strict time limits to the pitchers. This makes sense, as you don’t want to be there the entire night. But other than just practical reasons, your pitch should never be (too) long. A good pitch should be done in less than 3 minutes. This way you can tell enough about your company, but at the same time it’s not too much to bore your audience.

So how can you stick to the time limits in a pitch?

It’s actually pretty simple. You just got to practice a lot. When I say a lot, I mean a LOT.  I always force the entrepreneurs I coach to practice their pitch at least 50 times. However, practicing your pitch 200 times will definitely not hurt your pitch.

When you practice your pitch, you should time it with a stopwatch or your phone. Check if you’re able to keep it within the time limits (without rushing). If you feel your text is too long, skip a few sentences. It’s better to have your text a little bit too short, compared to a little bit too long.

Want to know more about the perfect pitch? Make sure to check out the Ultimate Pitch Guide.

When you’re at a pitch event, there are usually more pitchers than just you. A typical pitch event has dozens of pitchers who’re pitching their company, so you really need to stand out.

If you have the ability to pick whether you will be pitching early or late in the evening, I always recommend you to go late. Although it might be tempting to be the last one to pitch (to get it over with), it’s usually the last pitch which gets remembered best. If it’s not possible to be the last pitcher, then I advise you to be the first one.

If you’re not able to pick the first/last spot, don’t worry. Make sure you have a great pitch and you’ll be just fine! Check out the Ultimate Pitch Guide.

Many pitchers make the mistake of starting by introducing themselves in their pitch.

Earn the right to be remembered

It might feel natural to start of a pitch by telling who you are, but it’s actually not a smart strategy. If you want people to remember who you are, you first have to earn the right to be remembered.

If the first few sentences of your pitch really grab the attention of the audience, they will want to listen to you. They want to know what else you have got to say. Even better, they want to know who you are.

According to the perfect pitch structure:

1. The opening
2. The problem
3. The solution
4. The market
5. The team
6. Call to action

I usually introduce myself after I pitched the solution. Since you just presented a brilliant solution, you definitely earned the right to be remembered.

An example:

The opening: 99% of the entrepreneurs are terrible at pitching their company

The problem: Many entrepreneurs aren’t able to raise funding for their startup. Because of this, 90% of the startups don’t survive the first 5 years.

The solution: The Ultimate Pitch Guide helps entrepreneurs all over the world to design the perfect investor pitch.

Now it’s time to introduce myself: ‘My name is Ralph, I’m the founder of PitchSkills’.

Do you want to know more about the perfect pitch? Check out the Ultimate Pitch Guide.

Pitching with a microphone might sound weird the first few times. You think it changes your voice. That’s because you don’t hear your voice directly, but through a speaker. The same goes for when you listen to yourself on a video or soundbite.

So does a microphone change your voice in a pitch?

No.

However, because it does sound weird the first few times, I recommend you to practice with a microphone if possible.

Do you want to know more about the perfect pitch? Check out the Ultimate Pitch Guide.

Pitching with a microphone can be scary if you’re not used to it. It makes your voice a lot louder and creates the feeling it isn’t your voice.

If you’re not experienced with talking through a microphone, I advise you to practice with it if possible. Ask the organizers of the pitch event if it’s possible to come a bit earlier and practice with the microphone. Generally, they appreciate your eagerness!

There are a few things to keep in mind when you use a microphone in your pitch:

1. Don’t walk before the boxes

This could potentially create an annoying sound. Try to stay at least a few steps away of any sound installations.

2. Keep an arms-length distance from the microphone

This is the perfect distance, as it creates enough of a volume, but doesn’t pick up your breathing sounds.

3. Don’t cough into the microphone

Whenever you feel the urge to cough, try to move away from the microphone. It’s an annoying sound for your audience.

Do you want to know more about the perfect pitch? Check out the Ultimate Pitch Guide.