The Art of the Pitch

Ever pitched something that completely flopped? Maybe you rehearsed it a few times and you felt like the next contestant on shark tank, but then it totally fell on deaf ears. At our network of Iovine and Young Centers across the country, high school students are mastering the art of the pitch. The good news is that the key ingredients of a compelling pitch are actually pretty easy to master. 

You start with an attention grabbing hook– maybe a startling statistics, a relatable anecdote or a bold question. Let’s pretend like we’re pitching a cutting edge pet camera.  Ever wondered what your dog is up to while you’re out of the house? Our new pet camera with a 360 lens will finally give you the answers! Next, you explain the problem by clearly defining the pain point or need that exists in the market. Every day, people go to work leaving their pet at home. At the office, they’re left wondering, what’s my dog up to?  Are they barking at the mail carrier? Are they drinking their water?

Now for the fun part, we introduce the solution– the product, service or idea as the ideal solution to the problem. We developed a seamless solution for you to spy on your pet while you’re out, offering you key insights on their behavior and health. The camera can go anywhere (with a 30 day rechargeable battery life).  We then take time to acknowledge what sets us apart from our competitors – While other pet cameras exist, many users don’t realize that they are locked in to pay for an expensive subscription fee to have access to the footage from the camera. Our solution is unique because it integrates into existing home security apps, so you don’t need to pay for an additional subscription. 

Finally we end with a clear call to action, where we reiterate our core message and leave a lasting impression. Pet owners want a reliable and easy way to keep tabs on their pets when they’re out of the house, and we have the perfect solution. We are looking for early investors to turn our vision into reality.   

Do your students ever pitch? Embed a pitch into your next assignment! Remember to start with a hook, explain the problem, introduce the solution and end with a clear call to action.