Has a passionate person with a clipboard ever stepped in your path outside the grocery store, trying to spread awareness and get you to endorse a cause? Or maybe you’ve encountered a Girl Scout at a folding table, doing her best to get your attention — and sell you some cookies?
Both of those? Pitches.
No slides. No meeting. No setup. Just someone trying to explain something they care about and get you to take the next step. That’s pitching in its purest form — and it’s something every business owner has to do, whether you’re talking to customers, investors, potential partners, loan officers or future employees deciding whether to bet on you.
Every one of them needs to quickly understand what you do and why it matters. Your ability to explain it clearly is one of the most important skills you can build — and one of the hardest to get right.
So, what separates a pitch that lands from one that doesn’t?
A pitch is not your full story, not every service you offer, and definitely not five minutes of you talking. A good pitch should be simple, relatable and engaging — and it should build toward a series of small “yes” moments:
- “Yes, I understand what you do.”
- “Yes, this is relevant to me.”
- “Yes, I’d be open to the next step.”
- “Yes, I want to learn more.”
If your pitch can’t get someone to one of those, it’s not working.
How to Build a Pitch That Works
In real life, you don’t walk around with a pitch deck and a projector. You have to take advantage of opportunities as they come — often in quick conversations where you have minutes to explain what you do and guide someone to the next step. That’s why in programs like JumpStart’s Sales Strategy and Marketing Deep Dive, we work with founders to build the kind of clarity that makes those moments count.
So how do you build a pitch that gets there? Here are four things that make a difference.
Be clear about what you do.
No one knows your business like you — and that’s both your advantage and your challenge. Industry jargon, internal terms and process-speak can cloud what you’re actually offering. Skip the insider language and focus on what you do and why it matters to them.
Make it about them.
Your pitch is not about listing what you offer. It’s about connecting to what the other person is dealing with. Tailor it to their situation, their frustration or their need — and then position what you do as the solution.
Lead somewhere.
After you explain what you do, there should be a clear next step. A good pitch creates curiosity — and that’s your moment to move them toward action, whether it’s setting up a call, visiting your site or continuing the conversation.
Be confident.
You don’t need to sound perfect, but you do need to sound sure. Confidence builds trust. If you’re hesitant or second-guessing yourself, it creates doubt. Say what you do clearly and own it.
Putting It into Practice
The best way to develop your pitch is to start simply. Try filling this out:
- Who are you: ________________________
- What do you do: ______________________
- Who do you do it for: ___________________
- Why does it matter: ____________________
- What should happen next: ________________
Here’s what that might look like:
“I’m Luna and I throw parties for kids.”
It’s a start — but it doesn’t tell us much. A parent can throw their own child a party. What makes this service worth exploring? With a little refinement, that pitch could work much harder:
“My name is Luna, and I plan and run kids’ parties for busy parents. I handle everything from setup to activities so you can be present for your child and truly enjoy the celebration. If you have something coming up, I’d love to help.”
Remember, a pitch isn’t something you write once and stick with forever. It should shift depending on your audience. The more you practice, the more easily you can adapt your messaging in the moment — finding what feels natural and genuinely connects. Keep it simple, make it matter to them and give the conversation somewhere to go.
You believe in what you do. A good pitch just helps make sure the room does too.
