Youth Involvement in an Innovative Coconut Value Chain by Mwalimu Menza
Making Rain: Prep, Pitch and Close
1.
2. BlackBerry attended the Professional Women in Advocacy
Conference in Washington, DC from December 8 to 10, 2013.
Here's a quick summary of the presentation delivered by Ann
Sullivan, President of Madison Services Group.
3. RULES OF ENGAGEMENT
The world is your oyster
Think like an entrepreneur
Set realistic goals
Know your revenue targets
Build on relationships – yours and everyone else’s
4. PREP
Who do I know?
What do I know?
What should I know?
Can I fill a need?
5. PITCH
Open friendly – Don’t be in a hurry
It’s ok to give free information
Appearance matters
Lead with an idea, not a company
Be quick on your feet
Even when you aren’t pitching, you’re pitching
6. CLOSE
Know when to hold, know when to fold
Get to the point
Do the paperwork
It’s business, not personal
7. COMMON MISTAKES
You don’t do everything well
Lack of follow up
Too much follow up
Overpromising/underperforming
Hesitancy to talk about money
Seeing obstacles instead of solving problems
