I have received thousands of pitches over the years, whether it’s to be in a show I’m producing, on my podcast, TEDx event or now Speakers Who Dare. You have one opportunity to stand out from the crowd from one piece of paper, or in one email. This is your chance to get on the radar of the event organizer so that you can get onto their stage and have the impact you want to have.
Here are the top three mistakes people make when pitching:
- Save the best for last.
You may think saving the best for last is a good move, however, not when it comes to getting and keeping the attention of organizers. Lead with your important thought. I see this over and over, it’s as if people are working it out and then they figure out what they actually want to say and it goes at the very end. We may not make it to the end of the pitch and therefore, miss your important thoughts, because they are not up front. Do not save the best for last, when pitching.
- Puff yourself up with books you’ve written and your credentials.
Most organizers want to know the message or idea that you are sharing can serve their audience. We don’t rely on your resume for that. Instead of leading with, I’m a PHD and have written three books on behavior, lead with My patients are dying and I believe this is something we can prevent by creating a behavior pharmacy. This tells me you are a doctor, that you care about what you do, and it peaks my interest to keep reading.
- Leading with the want.
When you are pitching, it should never be about you. It should always be about the idea and the important message. Instead of leading with I want to help people see fear is a gift, which is about you, lead with the idea. Fear is a gift that will serve the population and ultimate the world. When you highlight the idea, you become the person we choose.
By avoiding these three simple mistakes, you are giving yourself an opportunity to connect and stand out with event organizers. For more support on pitching, download my free Sample Pitch Letter.
