“You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.” — Mae West
In a short video, Steve Dalton, the Program Director of Daytime Career Services at Duke’s Fuqua School of Business and author of The 2-Hour Job Search, tells you everything you need to know about creating an effective ‘pitch’. While the video is aimed at students seeking career prospects, Steve’s “formula” is a natural cross-over for business networking.
When it comes to pitching we specifically need to answer three main questions; First, what is pitching and when do you use it? Second, what differentiates a good pitch from a bad pitch? And third, which pitch and when do you use it?
A pitch, according to Steve, is basically an introduction which varies in length depending on the circumstance. It’s used constantly. You’ll be using it when you meet professionals both inside and outside of your particular industry. The common pitch is about 15 to 30 seconds long. The shorter version is used with larger groups and the longer version is used when you’re in smaller groups.
So what makes a good business networking pitch? Steve says good pitches are open. They invite conversation and deliver multiple connection points which allow the listener multiple ways to connect with you in order to form a relationship.
Bad pitches are closed. They offer facts and details which are very hard for an outsider to connect with. Always focus on crafting open pitches which invite the listener in. You do this by answering three questions; What are you doing right now? What are you passionate about? and What are you interested in learning next?
For example, Steve was a strategy consultant before he joined the business school. His pitch might have looked like this:
As a strategy consultant, I tackled difficult projects for large corporations. I really enjoyed bringing structure to ambiguous problems, but I look forward to taking that skill set to a home team and getting closer to my consumer. So, that’s why I’m here to learn about consumer packaged goods marketing.
If you’re in a group of five or more people, Steve’s example 15 second pitch would be appropriate. However, if you’re in a small group, a 30 second pitch may be more appropriate. For a 30 second pitch, stitch together two 15 second pitches. One about your previous life and one about your current life.
There are three big takeaways according to Steve. First, pitch constantly and treat every pitch as a chance to practice. Second, make sure your pitches are open rather than closed. Open pitches invite conversation, which is what you want in order to make the connection. Third, if you’re not sure where to start, just follow Steve’s simple formula. It will reduce anxiety and make your pitches more effective as you develop proficiency. You can view his full comments here