Usually the event organizers make sure to put the chairs in the room. However, it could be that you’re pitching at an event you organized yourself. If that’s the case, you have to think about the organization of the room and its chairs.

There are a few things which are important when you put the chairs for a pitch:

1. Make sure everybody has enough space for his or her legs
2. Make sure everybody can see who is on stage. Even the people in the back of the room.
3. Make sure everybody is able to see the screen. Project some example slides and see if there is enough light in the room.

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

At the day of your pitch, be sure to clear the rest of your schedule. Every form of distraction has a negative impact on your pitch.

When you go to the location of your pitch, be sure to arrive in time. I always advise the entrepreneurs I coach to arrive one hour early. This way you have time to get used to the environment and to mentally rehearse your pitch a few more times.

Whenever you arrive at the location of your pitch, try to enter the room where you will be pitching early. By getting used to the environment you will feel more calm during your pitch. Spend at least 30 minutes in this room and make this room yours.

Try to walk up on stage and position yourself in the middle of it. Ask a friend (or a stranger) if he can see you from the back of the room. If that’s the case, you’re good to go.

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

The Q&A is an important aspect of your pitch, as this generally lasts longer than the actual pitch. The Q&A gives you more time to elaborate on aspects you want to talk about.

This is how to prepare for the Q&A in a pitch:

1. Take a new text document and write down all possible questions you can think of
2. Demonstrate your pitch to a few friends or colleagues and have them write down some questions as well.
3. Take a new text document and write down a few topics which are really positive about your idea of company. Things you want to talk about. Your unique selling points.
4. Write down why your unique selling points are great and how they will benefit the audience
5. Go back to the list of possible questions and prepare an answer for each one of them.
6. For every question, use one or more focus points and blend them in.
7. Study your Q&A and make sure you have a positive answer for everything

Practice the questions and answers with a friend or colleague and leverage the time you get to convince your audience even more.

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

The question: ‘what should I wear with a pitch?’ is a common asked question. At the same time, if your pitch is great, your outfit becomes less relevant.

However, there are some rules when it comes to what you should wear with a pitch. The best advice I can give you, is to wear something business casual. For men this means a shirt with a blazer, for women this could be nice dress.

I always advise the entrepreneurs I coach to research their audience. Are there lots of business men? Then it’s a good idea to dress more formal and go for the suit. If your pitching to high school students, it’s enough to just wear a nice shirt.

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

Some pitchers give their audience a handout of their pitch before they enter the stage. This handout is a summary of everything they discuss in their pitch.

This is the worst idea ever.

If you give a handout to your audience, they will study the handout while they listen to your pitch. Alongside, they will be looking at your pitch slides at the same time.

Studying a handout + looking at pitch slides + listening to a pitch = confusion

There are too many distractions for your audience. I will guarantee you, most of the people will forget 90% of what you just pitched.

Instead of wasting time on a handout, put your time in practicing your pitch. This will yield way better results.

Want to learn more about executing the perfect pitch? Check out the Ultimate Pitch Guide.

There is a big misconception, when it comes to practicing a pitch. Many people say: ‘you shouldn’t practice your pitch too often, this makes your pitch sound unnatural’.

Why practicing doesn’t make your pitch sound unnatural

If you practice your pitch a lot, you will have no trouble recalling the text of your pitch. In fact, you should have studied it so thorough, that if someone wakes you up in the middle of the night, you wouldn’t have trouble doing your pitch.

The reason why you should study your pitch text so thoroughly has to do with your focus.

If you studied your text thoroughly, your brain doesn’t need to focus on that part during the pitch. Since you don’t need to worry about that, you can focus on your presenting skills.

So how to practice a pitch effectively?

1. Read your text
2. Cover your text and replicate it in your head
3. Practice your text out loud. Use a voice recorder to see how you’re doing
4. Practice your pitch with the right intonation, volume and silences
5. Practice in front of a mirror
6. Practice in front of the camera of your phone
7. Watch the video to see where you can improve
8. Watch the video without sound on to see where you can improve
9. Show the video to a friend or colleague

Want to get an elaborate explanation on practicing your pitch? Check out the Ultimate Pitch Guide.