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Lesson 2 of 5Pitching and Business Communications
Unit 3 · Lesson 2 of 5

Building and Delivering a Pitch

A strong short pitch runs hook, problem, solution, target customer, what makes it different, simple numbers, the ask and a close; you write it, time it, practise it, and use audience feedback to choose next steps.

5 min read9 practice questionsAsk AI about this →

Key things to remember

  1. 1Eight elements in order: hook, problem, solution, target customer, what makes it different, simple numbers, the ask, close.
  2. 2The ask names an exact amount or kind of help and what it will be used for.
  3. 3Speaking pace is about 2 to 2.5 words per second, so a 90-second pitch is about 180 to 225 words.
  4. 4The part timings in a script must add up to the time limit.
  5. 5Percent who found a part clear
  6. 6Next steps come from feedback: fix the weakest part first, then practise again.

Imagine you get 90 seconds in front of a panel of judges who could give you $250. That is about as long as a song's first verse and chorus. If you spend 40 seconds saying hello and explaining how you got the idea, you run out of time before you ask for anything. A pitch works because it has a structure: a set order of parts that each do one job. Learn the parts, and you can pitch any idea in a minute and a half.

The eight elements of a short pitch

ElementIts jobAsk yourself
1. HookGrab attention in the first few secondsWhat surprising fact, question or story will make them look up?
2. ProblemShow a real pain pointWhat problem do my customers have, and why does it matter?
3. SolutionExplain what you offerHow does my product or service fix the problem? Can I show it?
4. Target customerName who will buyWho exactly has this problem? Where can I reach them?
5. What makes it differentShow why yours is betterWhat do other options lack that mine has?
6. Simple numbersProve it can workWhat is my price, my cost, and my profit per sale? Any early results?
7. The askSay exactly what you needHow much money, or what help, and what will I use it for?
8. CloseEnd with something memorableWhat one line should they remember? Did I say thank you?
Each element answers one question a listener has in their head.
A 3:00 pitch (180 seconds), in order1234567890:001:002:003:00#ElementWhat to coverTime1HookA surprising fact, question or short story thatgrabs attention.0:00–0:15 (15 s)2ProblemThe customer’s pain point and who has it.0:15–0:35 (20 s)3Solution / productWhat you offer and how it solves the problem; showthe prototype.0:35–1:05 (30 s)4Target marketWho will buy it and roughly how many of them thereare.1:05–1:25 (20 s)5Competition andadvantageWho else solves the problem and why yours isbetter.1:25–1:45 (20 s)6Business model /budgetHow you make money: price, costs, profit per item.1:45–2:10 (25 s)7TeamWho you are and why you can pull it off.2:10–2:25 (15 s)8The askExactly what you need (money, mentoring, space)and what it is for.2:25–2:45 (20 s)9CloseA memorable last line and a thank-you.2:45–3:00 (15 s)
Fig 1A longer three-minute pitch adds a team section and more detail. A 60 to 90 second pitch keeps the same order but gives each part only 5 to 15 seconds.
The ask is not optional
The ask is the reason you are pitching. Make it specific: an amount and a purpose. "We are asking for $200 to buy a cleaning kit and a drying rack" is a strong ask. "Any help would be great" is not, because the listener does not know what saying yes means.
VideoWatch how a strong pitch tells a story about a problem, a solution and why it matters, then match those parts to the eight elements in this lesson.Watch on YouTube

Writing a 90-second pitch script

A pitch script is the written version of your pitch, word for word, with a time for each part. Most people speak at about 2 to 2.5 words per second when presenting calmly (roughly 120 to 150 words a minute). So a 90-second pitch is about 180 to 225 words. Write the script, read it aloud with a timer, and cut words until it fits. Here is Amara's script for Sole Revival.

TimeElementScript
0:00–0:10Hook"Put up your hand if your favourite sneakers are dirtier than you want to admit. Yeah. Mine were too."
0:10–0:20Problem"Good sneakers can cost over $100. But most of us clean them with a wet paper towel, or not at all, so they look old in a few months."
0:20–0:35Solution"Sole Revival is a sneaker-cleaning service run by students. Drop off your shoes at lunch on Monday. Pick them up clean on Wednesday. Here is a pair we cleaned: left shoe before, right shoe after."
0:35–0:45Target customer"Our customers are students at our school who care how their shoes look, but don't have the time or the right supplies."
0:45–0:55What makes it different"Shoe-care shops are a bus ride away and take longer. We are right here, we take two days, and we use gentle cleaners that are safe for fabric."
0:55–1:10Simple numbers"A clean costs $15. Supplies cost us $3 a pair, so we keep $12. In our test run we cleaned 20 pairs, and 18 of those customers said they would come back."
1:10–1:20The ask"We are asking for $200 to buy a proper cleaning kit and drying rack, plus one hour a month with a mentor."
1:20–1:30Close"Help us bring tired sneakers back to life. Thank you!"
Sole Revival pitch script. Parts take 10, 10, 15, 10, 10, 15, 10 and 10 seconds, which adds up to 90 seconds.
Always check that the part timings add up to your time limit.

Practising and presenting

  • Practise out loud, not in your head. Reading silently is much faster than speaking, so silent practice hides timing problems.
  • Time every run. If you go over, cut words. Do not just talk faster.
  • Use cue cards with key words, not the full script, so you look at your audience instead of reading.
  • Show, don't just tell. Hold up a prototype, a sample or one simple picture.
  • Rehearse in front of real people: family, friends or a club. Then ask them for feedback.

Gathering feedback and choosing next steps

Feedback is information from your audience about what worked and what did not. A feedback form makes it fair and quick: everyone answers the same questions, so you can compare answers. Ratings from 1 (not clear) to 5 (very clear) let you count how many people found each part clear. Add one or two open questions so people can explain.

Question12345
The hook made me want to listen.
I understood the problem.
I understood what Sole Revival does.
The numbers were clear.
I knew exactly what was being asked for.
The speaker was easy to hear and follow.
One thing that worked well:
One thing to change:
A simple pitch feedback form. Listeners circle 1 (not clear) to 5 (very clear), then write two short comments.
Turn feedback into percentages
Count the listeners who gave a 4 or 5, then divide by the total number of listeners and multiply by 100. The part with the lowest percentage is usually the best place to start revising.

Worked examples

Reveal one step at a time and try to beat it to the next line.

Example 1
Check that Amara's script fits 90 seconds, and estimate how many words it should have at 2.5 words per second.
Example 2
Twenty classmates filled in Amara's feedback form. Sixteen gave the ask a 4 or 5. Only nine gave the numbers a 4 or 5. Find each percentage and choose a next step.
Example 3
After revising, 15 of 20 new listeners rated the numbers 4 or 5. By how many percentage points did the result improve from 45%?
Example 4
Fix this weak ask: "So yeah, if anyone wants to help us out, that would be cool."

Where marks get lost

  • Spending too long on the hook or a personal story, then rushing or skipping the ask.
  • Making a vague ask like "any help is great" instead of an exact amount and purpose.
  • Packing in too many numbers. In a short pitch, keep to price, cost, profit per sale and one early result.
  • Practising silently. Silent reading is faster than speaking, so the real pitch runs over time.
  • Collecting feedback but not changing anything. Find the weakest part, fix it, and test again.

Flashcards 7

Hook
The ask
Pitch script
Eight elements of a short pitch, in order
+ 3 more

Practice

1
Put the eight elements of a short pitch in order.
  1. 1Close
  2. 2The ask
  3. 3Simple numbers
  4. 4Hook
  5. 5Problem
  6. 6Solution
  7. 7Target customer
  8. 8What makes it different
2
Which is the strongest ask?
3
A pitch has parts of 10, 15, 15, 10, 10 and 15 seconds, plus a close. The limit is 90 seconds. How many seconds are left for the close?
s
4
At 2.5 words per second, about how many words fit in a 60-second pitch? Give a whole number.
words
5
Out of 25 listeners, 18 rated the hook a 4 or 5. What percent found the hook strong? Give a whole number.
%
6
Feedback shows: hook 85% clear, problem 80%, numbers 40%, ask 90%. What should the next step be?
7
Match each line from a pitch to its element.
"Did you know most of us throw away phone cases that still work?"
"Each case costs us $4 to make and sells for $12."
"Unlike store cases, ours are made from recycled plastic in our town."
"We are asking for $300 for a small heat press."
8
Why is practising a pitch out loud better than reading it silently?
9
What one word names the part of a pitch where you say exactly what money or help you need?

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