Effective Pitching

MIT Enterprise Forum DFW Chapter started 2010 with the January event: Effective Pitching.  We wanted to provide entrepreneurs a well-rounded view of how to pitch to investors and how to handle sales in a Sales 2.0 age.  Jeff Crilley shared great tips about how to pitch to journalists and get free publicity. With real life examples drawn from his career, Jeff  offered valuable and practical information for entrepreneurs.

We plan to post video clips from the event soon. Here are some resources that entrepreneurs can benefit from.

• Pitching Hacks  - Venture Hacks (PDF)
• Book: Free Publicity – Jeff Crilley – Link
• Art of the Start (Presentation) – Guy Kawasaki – PDF
• Outline of the talk from JR Atkins on Selling for Non-Sellers

1. Sales 1.0 vs. Sales 2.0
2. Who are you selling too?
3. What are the needs of your prospect?
4. Pull vs. Push
5. The power of questions.
6. What is your value proposition?
7. Write and speak in the word of your prospect.
8. How do you like to buy?
9. KISS with details available
10. Use visual images
11. Use a simple leave behind.
12. How do you define selling?
13. What are the feelings associated with your product or service?
14. Be aware of feelings vs. figures
15. Be aware of Communication styles

Here’s the program summary.

As an entrepreneur you have often heard about the elevator pitch. There is more to pitching than 30 second pitches. It is critical for entrepreneurs to sell their ideas and products to customers and investors. Can you effectively communicate the value of your products and ideas? Do you know what does it take to sell to a CEO? What are the things that investors want to hear? Our panel of experts will share what works and what does not work.

Learn the rules for Effective Pitching with:
* Jeff Crilley, an Emmy award winning communication expert
* Laurence Briggs, President of InvestIn Forum, Private Investor Network
* JR Atkins, Sales specialist and social media speaker

Date: Jan 28, 5.30pm.
Location: Company|Dallas, Floor 2, 1701 N Collins Blvd, Richardson TX 75080.

About Jeff Crilley:
Jeff Crilley retired from TV news after 25 years in the business to start the country’s first “all journalist” PR firm. During his career he made hundreds of national news appearances including CNN, CNN Headline News, FOX News, The Discovery Channel, Good Morning America and The CBS Early Show.

He has been recognized by his peers with dozens of national and regional awards including the Emmy, the National Headliners Award,the Edward R. Murrow Award, the Thurgood Marshall Award and in 2004 was named by the Texas Associated Press, “The Best TV Reporter in the state.”

About Laurence Briggs:
Laurence is President of The InvestIN Private Investor Network. The InvestIN Private Investor Network is a company that:
a. brings the best deals to the investor network members ( smart money) around the world, and to its syndicate partners
b. advises early stage growth companies.

About JR Atkins
J.R. Atkins is a Social Media Speaker, Strategist and Sales 2.0 Consultant. As a speaker, J.R. is noted for “taking the mystery out of Social Media” and speaking in terms that “even a CEO can understand.” As a Sales 2.0 consultant, J.R. works with business leaders to understand the shift in selling that is occurring as more consumers and business turn to the internet for information before engaging in the sales process. How has selling changed?

J.R. began speaking publicly in 1994 and on social media in March of 2009. He holds an MBA from The University of Phoenix, Dallas Campus and a BBA from Texas A&M University. J.R. is an ASA certified sailing instructor and avid reader, as well as a musician.