Imagine you’re being profiled by a magazine, and the interviewer asks, “Who are you?” If you interpret the question narrowly, you might just say your name – a pretty boring response. But if you interpret it broadly, you might describe your personality, talk about your values or offer a concise version of your life story – potentially a lot more interesting.
The same lesson applies to the questions you’re answering in your pitch. To get the most bang for your buck with them, you need to be creative with the way you interpret them. And that means reinterpreting them into other, closely related questions that fit the thing you’re pitching and the audience you’re addressing.
For example, consider the first question: What is it? You should now consider related questions your audience might have about the nature of what you’re pitching. If it’s a service, they might want you to explain what problems it solves, who it can help or what makes it unique. If it’s a business venture, they might ask about the potential payoff, or why this is a good time to pursue it.
In the same vein, the question “How does it work?” should lead you to anticipate other questions about how you’ll deliver on what you’re promising. For example, if you’re pitching a project, how long will it take? How will you accomplish it? What resources do you have at your disposal?
Likewise, the question “Are you sure?” encompasses any concerns your audience might have about whether you can back up your claims. For example, if you said your service was the best in the industry, what do your reviews say about it? What kind of stats do you have?
Finally, the question “Can you do it?” relates more broadly to your ability to deliver on your promises. For instance, if you claim you’re the right person to lead a project, your audience might want to know about your training and background. They may also ask how you’ve dealt with similar challenges in the past.
So that’s how to think outside the box when you’re interpreting the four main questions you’re answering in your pitch. In the next blink, we’ll look at how to be creative with your answers.
Final summary