When you talk about your company, you want to be clear and brief. This helps people quickly understand your business and ask more questions if they are interested.
Here is a template for how you can explain your company very clearly in about 30 seconds. There are 3 to 5 main points to cover depending on how much you want to share:
1) I am (planning / started / growing) a company named _________.
2) Which is a (website / physical store / mobile app / restaurant?)
3) For (add your target audience here).
4) The company aims to (explain the purpose or what it does for the target audience).
5) By (explain your company's unique approach).
Sections Of This Page
Business Pitch Examples
- Restaurant I am considering opening a high-end Italian restaurant in downtown London because there are currently no such restaurants in that area.
- Website I recently launched a website for people who like to work on classic cars. The website has articles and videos with tutorials on how to work on cars.
- Gardening I am in the planning stages of opening a residential lawn care and gardening company in San Francisco which will focus on providing the best customer experience at the lowest prices.
- Tech I am in the planning stages of a mobile app company in New York. The company will create mobile apps which help people write business plans on their mobile devices.
For a much more detailed walkthrough on how to pitch your business to investors, here is a full Udemy course on creating a business pitch, investor presentation, and slide deck.
Video Business Pitch Tutorial
What The Business Pitch Needs To Accomplish
The most important thing about a pitch is clarity. If the person listening does not understand it, the whole point of pitching is lost. Making clarity the number one priority is why the pitch examples above are so short and succinct. Once you can explain your business clearly, you can add components like how you will make money, who the competition is, and what makes your company different.
As you add components to your pitch, the level of clarity must remain high. Once you become more comfortable pitching, you can try adding humor, personalizing the pitch to the listener, or making it inspirational.
Do not forget to pause at various points to see whether your listener has questions. They may want to take the conversation in a different direction if something in your pitch sparks their interest.
Longer Business Pitches
If your initial pitch goes well, you may engage in further conversation with whoever you are pitching. If they are an investor, they may invite you to give a longer pitch of about 5 to 10 minutes and ask for a business plan or a slide deck presentation - typically a 10-slide PowerPoint outlining your business.
Pitching At Events
As your business grows, you may need to present at events. The typical time allotted is about 3 to 5 minutes. In that window, cover the basics as you would in your 1-minute pitch, then add more depth about the product, your differentiation, and what makes your business stand out.
After Your Pitch
After you pitch your business, you may offer a business card, direct people to your website, or suggest a meeting. Your listener may want to learn more if they are interested, so make sure you have somewhere for them to go - even a basic blog or website. If you currently do not have a website, check out our tutorial on how to set up your site quickly and professionally.
Always have the next steps in mind for that relationship. And to make your pitch more effective, ask the other person about what they do - it will help you adjust your pitch to match their background and interests.
Why You Need A Business Pitch
Most entrepreneurs do not focus much on their business pitch - understandably, because starting a business is overwhelming and a polished pitch may not seem like a high priority. The reality is that if you are talking about your startup with potential co-founders, clients, or investors, you are pitching your business idea many times every day. A strong, clear pitch will get you better results from every one of those conversations.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a business pitch?
A business pitch is a short, clear explanation of what your company does, who it serves, and why it exists. The goal is to help someone quickly understand your business so they can decide whether they want to learn more, invest, partner, or become a customer.
How long should a business pitch be?
A standard elevator pitch is 30 to 60 seconds. For networking events and casual conversations, 30 seconds is ideal. For investor meetings, you may have 5 to 10 minutes for an expanded pitch. For startup competitions and demo days, typically 3 to 5 minutes.
What should a business pitch include?
At minimum: your company name, what type of business it is, who your target audience is, what problem it solves or value it provides, and what makes your approach unique. You can add your business model, traction, and team for longer pitches.
What is the difference between a business pitch and an elevator pitch?
They are essentially the same thing. An elevator pitch is named after the idea that you should be able to deliver it in the time it takes to ride an elevator - about 30 to 60 seconds. A business pitch is the broader term that can refer to any length of presentation about your business.
How do I pitch a business idea to an investor?
Start with a clear one-minute pitch covering the problem, your solution, the market size, and your unique advantage. If the investor is interested, follow up with a slide deck presentation - typically 10 slides covering the problem, solution, market, business model, traction, team, and ask. You can also take my Udemy course on investor pitch decks for a full walkthrough.
Can you help me create my business pitch?
Yes - I offer business coaching where we work together to craft and refine your pitch. We can meet on Zoom or in person if you are in the New York area.
Tutorials For Starting Different Types Of Businesses
I am working on an extensive list of businesses you can start: restaurant or diner, coffee shop, barbershop, nightclub, local event, most kinds of stores such as boutiques to grocery stores to jewelry shops, animal care or grooming, lawn care or landscaping, moving businesses, gym, a t-shirt business, gelato, frozen yogurt or ice cream shop, a deli, liquor store or sandwich shop, a beauty salon, hair salon, or spa, a daycare business, hardware store, cleaning business, car wash, general contractor, dog walking or pet sitting, martial arts studio, or dance studio.
I am also working on tutorials for promoting specific types of companies. The first one is law firm marketing.
Online businesses and technology startups: blogging, affiliate marketing, marketing agency, eLearning, YouTube channel, Amazon Kindle author, freelancing, mobile app, or a content website.
There are also businesses you can start this week by licensing content and reselling it. See tutorials on how to license ebooks or online courses and begin reselling them. There is also an opportunity to buy into an online business franchise.
Here is also an article on how to start a record label.
Further Resources and Coaching
I offer coaching where we get on Zoom, discuss your business, and create your pitch together. You participate in the strategy discussions while I guide you through every nuance of crafting a professional pitch. Here is how my business coaching works.
You might also find it helpful to get my business plan book to help you create a solid strategy for your company. For additional resources, Entrepreneur magazine and SBA.gov are both credible references.
Before you learn to pitch your business, you should have a solid plan. Consider which niche to get into - here is a tutorial on how to choose your business niche.
Business Coaching
One-on-one coaching to help you refine your pitch, strategy, and growth plan.
Business Planning
A solid business plan is the foundation of a compelling pitch.
Marketing Strategy
After your pitch lands, you need a marketing strategy to grow.
Corporate Speaking
Keynotes and workshops on communication, pitching, and presentation skills.
Credit: The pitch template was borrowed from Adeo Ressi of the Founders Institute.
Article by Alex Genadinik
Email alex.genadinik@gmail.com to work on it together.