Regardless of what industry you’re in, there has likely been a time when you’ve needed to make a pitch. It could be with the goal of making a sale, attracting an investor, or just trying to get someone to embrace your idea. In most cases you get one chance and not much time. So to help your success rate, apply these five tips the next time you need to make the perfect pitch.

1. Know yourself. Have an in depth knowledge of your company, your products, your market and your competition. Also know exactly what it is you’re asking for. You need to have the answers to questions they won’t even know to ask.
2. Know your audience. Every group will have different expectations. This can impact everything from the clothes you wear, your style of speaking, and of course the key points you’ll want to cover in your presentation.
3. Talk about the benefits instead of the features. People don’t want to know about what the product can do. They want to know what the product can do for them. Put yourself in their shoes and ask yourself the question “what’s in it for me?”
4. Tell a story. Everyone loves a good story. Make sure it’s relevant, interesting and has a point. For best results, practice telling it to others beforehand and get as much feedback as you can.
5. Keep it short and simple. Depending on the environment, an effective pitch should be under two minutes. So make sure you cover the key points without getting weighed down with financials or technical specs. That’s what question and answer time is for.

Marc Gordon is a recognized marketing expert, speaker and strategist. His articles appear in over 200 publications worldwide. Visit marcgordon.ca or his online show at marctv.net for more business tips.