Science of a good pitch

If you are using the long-standing “always be closing” selling technique, you may just need to rethink your entire approach in order to achieve true success. That was a key message that Oren Klaff, founder of Intersection Capital, had for attendees Saturday morning.

“Put your pitch in a masterful presentation that wows people, that is short and compelling, and gets attention. And at no point can they guess what is going to happen in the rest of your presentation,” Klaff said during his presentation titled “Meet the Market — Strategies for Success: Pitch Anything.” “Test it with your peers and customers. If at some point people think they know the rest of what you are going to say it needs to be revised,” he said.

Challenging many long-standing beliefs and selling techniques, Klaff believes that presenting a great pitch isn’t an art — it essentially boils down to simple science. Applying some of the latest findings in the field of neuroeconomics, while sharing stories of his method in action, Klaff explained how the brain makes decisions and responds to pitches.

Klaff suggested that there are six common pitching flaws: too much detail and too soon, too fast; too vague/fuzzy; no frame to provide context; too similar to other pitches seen before; you seem too needy; and going too slow.

Klaff described his method as S.T.R.O.N.G., which stands for:

• Set the frame;


• Tell the story;


• Reveal the intrigue;


• Offer the prize;


• Nail the hookpoint; and


• Get the deal.

“Money flows to deals, it doesn’t flow to rapport,” Klaff said.