Pitching and Presenting are not the same thing.

There is a difference between a good presentation and a good pitch. In some ways, a good presentation is harder than winning a pitch.

A presentation is usually a story about you, your company, your idea, your research, the status of your project, etc. to inform your audience.

A pitch is, directly or indirectly, about your audience; to persuade them to make a decision about you, about your value to them.

A presentation is roomy – maybe you narrate over a single image or chart for 10 minutes. A presentation culminates in information delivered as a story. And you have done all the talking.

A pitch on the other hand, is tight, spare, choreographed. You are listening as much as talking, your audience may challenge you, engage you throughout (hopefully).

Think about presenting to clients and colleagues like you are pitching, not just informing them. It will get you in the habit of understanding your ideas from their perspective; that quality of engagement you get will help you be stronger when it really counts.

Please leave your own experiences or questions below. Or get in touch for a workshop. Thank you.