Presenting a good pitch can be a little bit scary, a little exciting if it’s a project you’re passionate about, and a little bit of an art form when it comes to constructing a solid pitch. A lot goes into making a pitch work, from the conception stages all the way to the presentation. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to present a good pitch from start to finish.

Build a Good Foundation
Any good pitch starts with a solid foundation. In order to start building that foundation, you need a lot of preparation. Try to think of any questions you might be asked and try to prepare accordingly. What need does your product or service fill? What is your target audience? What kind of market research have you done? Are there already similar products? What makes yours stand out from the competition? What are the logistics for manufacturing or implementing your service? Once you have all of these questions answered, it’s time to summarize the key points and organize them in a streamlined format for your presentation. Then you’ll have that solid foundation to work off of.

The Elevator Pitch
The next step is to come up with a good elevator pitch. This is a simple statement that describes your product without revealing too much about what it is. It’s an attention grabber. You’re looking to describe your product down to a bare-bones description. It might take some thinking, but a good elevator pitch will immediately grab your audience’s attention for the rest of the presentation.

Keep it Simple
It might be tempting to use buzzwords or business jargon to get your point across, but unless you’re presenting to people who are in the same field as you are, you’re going to start losing people. Stick to plain and direct language. For example, if you’re pitching an idea for a new hot pack for helping with muscle strains, don’t get caught up with phrases like ‘increase tissue extensibility. Just say ‘relieve tightness’ and call it a day.

Don’t Read From Your Slides
This is a big one. Your audience has eyes, and they can read your slides just fine, so don’t double down and just read your slides to them. Generally speaking, 60% of the information you provide should be embellished and added to the 40% summarized on the slides. Have some notes prepared to help you get back on track if you lose your place or blank for a moment, but try to present as much from your notes and knowledge about your product rather than off of the slides. 

Use Your Enthusiasm
If you’re not excited about your product, why should your investors get excited either? Get them just as invested in your pitch as you are. Be engaging, and allow for questions and interactivity. Get them involved to make it a memorable and well-received pitch.