Part 3: K.I.S.S. – Keep it short and simple (Your pitch that is)

Watch Jonathan Kochis give his 60-second pitch

Last month, sixteen representatives from London, Ontario-based companies signed up for TechAlliance’s annual pitch-off, a trio of events that included a workshop, the actual competition and a celebration where the winners were announced. In this three-part blog series, meet the top finalists of the 60-Second Pitch Contest and get their tips and suggestions for crafting a perfect pitch (see their pitches here).

Wrapping up the K.I.S.S. 60-Second Pitch series, I sat down with Jonathan Kochis of Resolution Interactive Media, the third finalist in the 2009 TechAlliance 60-Second Pitch Contest.

Q: Why did you choose to enter the competition?

A: I wanted to challenge myself. It’s so important to have a clear, concise and compelling way of describing the benefit of what you do – you never know when you might run into a new team member or potential client.

Q: Was there anything that you did to psych yourself up when preparing for the competition?

A: I continually tried to picture myself not stumbling on certain words during my pitch. I anticipated the time would fly by but not quite as quickly as it did. There’s definitely something to be said for the ability to be brief!

Q: What’s one nugget of wisdom you walked away from the competition with?

A: I’d say the importance of brevity and understanding the need to get to the point without a lot of preamble – essentially getting to the meat without the fluff. I also think it’s crucial to remember to target your message to the audience. That’s what will set your company apart from others and differentiate you from potential business competitors.

* * *
Having had the chance to interview each of the finalists from our 60-Second Pitch Contest, I’ve walked away with two key points to remember when developing a pitch:

1. Remember to K.I.S.S. – keep it short and simple. The more concise and succinct your message is, the easier it is to relay (and sell) to your audience.
2. Have a clear focus for your pitch, and make sure it’s targeted to the appropriate audience. You don’t want to waste the audience’s time (and yours) by pitching a business product or service that doesn’t apply to them.

Get more tips on how to craft an effective 60-second pitch here.

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