The document provides guidance on developing an effective personal pitch. It discusses defining your key messages, brand and personality. Effective messaging is concise, compelling and repeatable. It should include a meta message, supporting messages and personal message. Examples are provided for different roles within a water purification organization. The document emphasizes keeping your pitch simple and focused on benefits to the supporter.

1. PERFECTING YOUR
PERSONAL PITCH
HOSTED BY WVDO
OCTOBER 24, 2012

2. Why are you here
today?

3. What is your personal
pitch?

4. Top 3 Reasons Bad Pitches Happen
to Good People
1. You’re boring
2. You say too much
3. You think people care about you

5. Effective messaging is
concise, compelling and
repeatable.

8. ”Perfection is reached not when
there is nothing left to add, but when
there is nothing left to take away.”
Antoine de Saint-Exupery

9. SUCCESS =
A QUESTION

10. Supporter questions Org answers
Do you believe what I
We believe that...
believe?
What do you do? We are known for...
What makes us
Why you? compelling is...

12. BRAND: yours, theirs, ours

13. Brand Gears

16. BREATHE

17. YOUR BRAND
PERSONALITY
…
3 ADJECTIVES

18. PERSONALITY

19. What 3
adjectives
would you use
to describe her?

20. What 3 adjectives
would you use to
describe him?

21. Which words say “friendly, informed, responsive?”
Org A Org B
Envision See
Seeking Looking for
Children Kids
Unsanitary Dirty
Pupil Student
Ensure Make sure
Sincerely Cheers
Hello Hi

22. What 3 adjectives
would you use to
describe the
personality of your
organization?
Of yourself?

23. MESSAGING

26. Effective messaging is
concise, compelling and
repeatable.

27. What you
want to be
known for
What your
competition Messaging
wants to be Sweet Spot
known for
What your
supporters
care about

28. READ vs. SAID

33. SAID

35. 3 Step Messaging
1 2 3
Meta message Supporting message(s) Personal message

36. Example: Splash
1 2 3
Meta message Supporting message(s) Personal message
We clean We do this in
places where What I
water for you’d expect personally do is
install the
kids the water to
systems that
around be clean— clean the water.
schools, I was drawn to
the orphanages Splash
world. and because…
hospitals.

37. Example: Splash (program)
1 2 3
Org message Supporting message(s) Personal message
personalized
I install I do this in
purification places where I was drawn
you’d expect
systems that to this work
the water to
clean water be clean— because…
for kids schools,
around the orphanages
world. and
hospitals.

38. Example: Splash (fundraiser)
1 2 3
Org message Supporting message(s) Personal message
personalized
These kids
I raise are getting
money to dirty water I was drawn
clean water in places to this work
for kids where you’d because…
around the expect it to
world. be clean—
schools,
orphanages
and
hospitals.

39. Example: Splash (exec dir)
1 2 3
Org message Supporting message(s) Personal message
personalized
We do this in
I head up an places where
organization you’d expect I was drawn
that cleans it to be clean to this work
water for —schools, because…
kids around orphanages
the world. and
hospitals.

40. Personal Pitch: by role
Role Pitch
Program staff I install water purification
systems that clean water for kids
around the world
Fundraising staff I raise money to clean water for
kids around the world.
Executive Director I head up an organization that
cleans water for kids around the
world.
Board member I serve on the board of an
organization that cleans water for
kids around the world.

41. What is your personal
pitch?

42. WE BELIEVE THAT...

43. We believe hunger is unacceptable.
We believe technology can play a
pivotal role in creating the greater good.
We believe every child deserves to be a
great reader.

44. What do you
believe?

45. WE ARE KNOWN FOR...

48. We develop water filtration processes to
improve water quality.
We clean water for kids.
We train staff to maintain filtration systems.
We advocate for better water quality
standards.
We teach safe hygiene methods.

49. We develop water filtration processes to
improve water quality.
We clean water for kids.
We train staff to maintain filtration systems.
We advocate for better water quality
standards.
We teach safe hygiene methods.

50. Everything
=
Nothing

51. What do you want
to be known for?

52. BREATHE

53. WHAT MAKES US
COMPELLING IS...

55. Benefits
Benefits
Benefits
Benefits
Benefits
Benefits
Benefits
Benefits
Benefits

58. Feature Benefit
Museum exhibit Passport to the world
Education A brighter future
Environment Wide, open spaces for
future generations
Housing Dignity

59. What makes you
compelling?

60. Supporter asks Org answers
Do you believe what I
We believe that...
believe?
What do you do? We are known for...
What makes us
Why you? compelling is...

61. Effective messaging is concise,
compelling and repeatable.

62. Technology—Nonprofits—Savvy
NPower NW is where savvy
nonprofits turn for technology.

63. Children—Reading—Kid-to-Kid
Team Read trains teens to
take grade school readers
from struggling to successful.

64. Kids—Water—Transparency
Splash cleans water for kids around
the world.

65. 3 Step Messaging
1 2 3
Meta message Supporting message(s) Personal message

66. What is your personal
pitch?

68. Erica Mills | Claxon
www.claxonmarketing.com
erica@claxonmarketing.com
Twitter: @ericamills
206.351.8504
THANK YOU!