Download - Perfecting Your Personal Pitch
PERFECTING YOUR PERSONAL PITCH
HOSTED BY WVDO
OCTOBER 24, 2012
Why are you here today?
What is your personal pitch?
Top 3 Reasons Bad Pitches Happen to Good People
1. You’re boring2. You say too much3. You think people care about you
Effective messaging is concise, compelling and repeatable.
”Perfection is reached not when there is nothing left to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.”
Antoine de Saint-Exupery
SUCCESS = A QUESTION
Supporter questions
Do you believe what I believe?
What do you do?
Why you?
Org answers
We believe that...
We are known for...
What makes us compelling is...
BRAND: yours, theirs, ours
Brand Gears
BREATHE
YOUR BRAND PERSONALITY
…
3 ADJECTIVES
PERSONALITY
What 3 adjectives would you use to describe her?
What 3 adjectives would you use to describe him?
Which words say “friendly, informed, responsive?”
Org A
EnvisionSeekingChildrenUnsanitaryPupilEnsureSincerelyHello
SeeLooking forKidsDirtyStudentMake sureCheersHi
Org B
What 3 adjectives would you use to describe the personality of your organization?
Of yourself?
MESSAGING
Effective messaging is concise, compelling and repeatable.
What yoursupporterscare about
What yourcompetitionwants to beknown for
What youwant to beknown for
MessagingSweet Spot
READ vs. SAID
SAID
3 Step Messaging 1
Meta message
2
Supporting message(s)
3
Personal message
Example: Splash1
Meta message
We clean water for kids around the world.
2
Supporting message(s)
We do this in places where you’d expect the water to be clean—schools, orphanages and hospitals.
3
Personal message
What I personally do is install the systems that clean the water. I was drawn to Splash because…
Example: Splash (program)1
Org message personalized
I install purification systems that clean water for kids around the world.
2
Supporting message(s)
I do this in places where you’d expect the water to be clean—schools, orphanages and hospitals.
3
Personal message
I was drawn to this work because…
Example: Splash (fundraiser)1
Org message personalized
I raise money to clean water for kids around the world.
2
Supporting message(s)
These kids are getting dirty water in places where you’d expect it to be clean—schools, orphanages and hospitals.
3
Personal message
I was drawn to this work because…
Example: Splash (exec dir)1
Org message personalized
I head up an organization that cleans water for kids around the world.
2
Supporting message(s)
We do this in places where you’d expect it to be clean—schools, orphanages and hospitals.
3
Personal message
I was drawn to this work because…
Personal Pitch: by role
Role PitchProgram staff I install water purification
systems that clean water for kids around the world
Fundraising staff I raise money to clean water for kids around the world.
Executive Director I head up an organization that cleans water for kids around the world.
Board member I serve on the board of an organization that cleans water for kids around the world.
What is your personal pitch?
WE BELIEVE THAT...
We believe hunger is unacceptable.
We believe technology can play a pivotal role in creating the greater good.
We believe every child deserves to be agreat reader.
What do you believe?
WE ARE KNOWN FOR...
We develop water filtration processes to improve water quality.
We clean water for kids.
We train staff to maintain filtration systems.
We advocate for better water quality standards.
We teach safe hygiene methods.
We develop water filtration processes to improve water quality.
We clean water for kids.
We train staff to maintain filtration systems.
We advocate for better water quality standards.
We teach safe hygiene methods.
Everything = Nothing
What do you want to be known for?
BREATHE
WHAT MAKES US COMPELLING IS...
BenefitsBenefitsBenefitsBenefitsBenefitsBenefitsBenefitsBenefitsBenefits
Feature
Museum exhibit
Education
Environment
Housing
Benefit
Passport to the world
A brighter future
Wide, open spaces for future generations
Dignity
What makes you compelling?
Supporter asks
Do you believe what I believe?
What do you do?
Why you?
Org answers
We believe that...
We are known for...
What makes us compelling is...
Effective messaging is concise, compelling and repeatable.
Technology—Nonprofits—Savvy
NPower NW is where savvy nonprofits turn for technology.
Children—Reading—Kid-to-Kid
Team Read trains teens to take grade school readers from struggling to successful.
Kids—Water—Transparency
Splash cleans water for kids around the world.
3 Step Messaging 1
Meta message
2
Supporting message(s)
3
Personal message
What is your personal pitch?
THANK YOU!
Erica Mills | [email protected]: @ericamills206.351.8504