THIS WEEK: Why You'll Lose Your Next Pitch
You Can't Tell a Good Story
This is probably the part of our training that we enjoy the most.
Storytelling is one of the latest best practices in pitching... weaving a narrative that captivates the room, punctuated by moments of inspiration and moments of fear.
Great stories dominate our culture.
And they come in many forms. From religion, to music, to movies, to hypnotic campfire-induced tales, they capture our imagination and often our hearts. There's nothing like a good narrative to make even the most rational decision-maker more emotionally engaged.
One of the great epics currently dominating our consciousness is our pending economic apocalypse. Great periods of change inspire phenomenal storytelling. We've learned about families financially decimated as they get tossed to the curb from their foreclosed homes. We've watched as Ponzi schemes took people that seemed untouchable from riches to rags.
And we continue to watch the story of the Big Three play out... will they survive? What if they don't? Will our economy tank again? A damn good cliff hanger, to be continued next quarter.
Given such power to captivate, why is storytelling used so little in business? Why is it so rarely used in the art of persuasion, in the art of new business?
The best pitch presentations are fueled by dramatic arcs that send the client on a rollercoaster ride. One moment they're inspired. The next, they stand in fear about their future.
Engaging pitch presentations open with a bang.
What do you passionately believe is possible for this client, their business, their brand? Paint a picture of your vision, even larger than the one they hold for themselves. Be pragmatic, but deliver it in way that is rich with energy and color. Let them know that you are focused on this vision. And, through the assignment if front of you right now, you will begin the journey with them.
But, there's a problem. And it's a big one.
There are several key issues that stand in their way. It might be sophisticated, aggressive competition. It might be a shifting target audience. Fail to resolve these significant challenges - fast - and they'll never realize your vision for them. In storytelling, this is known as the "challenge plot" and it works like magic for converting prospects.
> You use PowerPoint for more than one third of your presentation.
> You write your PowerPoint slides like they're a presentation script, bulked down heavy in type.
> You present from one place in the room for more than one half of your presentation.
> You interrupt the flow of your story by having each speaker introduce the next.
> Your insights are predictable, void of any back story or unexpected learning.
> Less than half of your walls are covered with strategically significant boards, posters, and storytelling fuel.
> You never get the client inspired.
> You never challenge the client or make them nervous.
> Your prospects have few questions about your presentation.
> Your pitch presentations end flat (with no applause) and don't powerfully send the client off.
What steps can you take right now to improve the quality of your pitch stories?
