Here are the five steps for a 30 second pitch:

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Since being in the startup world, I’ve heard hundreds of pitches. I’m sure most of you have too. Some short, some long, some clear and some a little rusty. Since taking over Pitch Practice last year, I’ve had the honor of helping many founders and entrepreneurs hone in on their 30 second pitch.  As we dive into a new year, I thought it’d be a great time to share some of the basics for a killer 30 second pitch. 

This is a guide of things to remember that have worked for many founders. It’s not the only way to pitch but it’s a great starting place. 

Follow these five steps to make the most out of every pitch.

The Intro (Name and Organization) 

• Let the audience know who you are and what the company/organization is that you represent or are building. Is your name hard to say or spell? Try leading with just your first name, or slowing down. Is the company name spelled in an interesting way? Wear a shirt with your logo or come up with a memorable way to work that into your pitch so your listeners remember you. 

The Problem

• Always start with WHY. This is not what you do, but why you do. The “why” of any startup is the problem you are trying to solve. See if you can boil the problem down to one sentence. It can be done, it may just take a few practice rounds to get it there. 

The Solution

• This is what you’ve built to solve the problem you just shared. Don’t get caught in the weeds. Get to the point. “We built an app that solves XYZ in these three ways.” From the perspective of the actual product, hopefully you’ve already gone through the customer discovery process and are working on or have found product/market fit.  

The Customer

• This is who pays you the money. You may have users and multiple ones at that, but sharing who pays the money can help you recruit and let your listeners know you have a plan for revenue and growth. You can also bring in a few key metrics if there’s time, “We currently have 20 users on our beta model.”

The Ask (and Connection)

• This is the most important part. Ask for something, you have a captive audience. Let people know how they can help you and be direct. Don’t forget to let them know how they can get connected or stay in touch. They can’t help if they don’t know how to best reach you!

Make it quick, make it concise, and make it memorable. You might pitch hundreds of times, but make sure to refine and improve after each go round. Sometimes all you need is one yes, or one perfect pitch to carry you to the next step, so don’t give up! Pitch on my friends.