Being in a business is a race. But if it was just about running, all the resources you allocate should always work out for the best. When they don’t, it simply means that you did something wrong, because even if was an external factor, you should try your best to avert it.
A business pitch is not something you can take chances with. Thus, whether it was internal, or whether it was for an all-new client, here are some of the major dos and don’ts in hosting a successful business pitch.
Do be punctual, but not too punctual
Showing up at the right time is important but walking into the room when the clock hits 8, is a bit mechanical. Instead, try to make your way there with 5-10 minutes to go. When you prepare, the time will be right on the dot.
Don’t be getting into small talk, at least until the pitch is over
There can be occasions when the people who show up are your friends and even the ones who you work with. But remember that you were here for a purpose. Unless the purpose is fully fulfilled, it’s much better to limit small talk. That way, you can show just how serious you are regarding the matter.
Do have a few copies of the proposal
It would be quite an inconvenience for some to focus hard on the presentation, and the presentation certainly doesn’t have as many details as a report could have. Thus, having enough copies to share with them is extremely important.
Do host the meeting at a professional space
Have you ever wondered how the efficiency of most employees has dropped ever since the WFH set started? After all, they’re at home, around the people they love, and the environment isn’t suitable to focus on business. The more you force it, the less effective it becomes. The same theory applies to business proposals as well. But there’s another side to it.
Even if you were inside the business, there can be occasions when you need to reach out to the top management, or you could be in the management already, and maybe you want to propose a new idea.
On all these occasions, it’s extremely better to have a calm and quiet environment that complements the needs of a meeting. But then again, not all of us happened to have large office buildings with specific spaces allocated for meetings.
Although you don’t, you can always go for a boardroom hire where you can pitch your proposals to investors and have important management in the way they should be. That way, you’re giving importance to what you do, and that encourages the participants to take you more seriously.
Since hiring these professional spaces by the hour or day is possible, you don’t have to worry about overlapping with other people at all.
Don’t pitch without practicing
Maybe you’re experienced enough to pitch without practicing. But it’s not the practice itself that’s expected out top racticing. Because when you go over it again and again, you can notice what to omit, what to improve, and what to add furthermore.