Guest Expert: Jo-Anne Vandermeulen
Short, sweet with an amazing hook…and I’m not talking about a curve-ball.
To create a platform that stands out from the rest and *conquer all obstacles* you must learn how to ‘pitch’.
At first, creating a pitch will be awkward. Writing a page, condensing it to a paragraph, then finally to a sentence all takes cognitive thinking. Yet, you can feed off this process and soon turn it into a cheering victory! Attitude is the answer. Creating a pitch is NOT drooling work, it is a challenge—a win with even more opportunities—your reward worth the effort!
As a writer, we’ve heard the term ‘elevator pitch’ as a short yet remarkable synopsis of our book in the time it would take to meet someone in an elevator on the main floor and manage to hook the audience before we reached the top.
As a marketer, we need to stand out from the rest and prove we are the best as the competition is fierce.
As a blogger, we need to create valuable content in a short article that will leave the reader in awe and have them coming back for more.
Creating a pitch is difficult. Perhaps even more work than writing the article or even an entire book. A lot is on the line. Your audience, followers, fans and even the door to open for your next opportunity may be at stake.
Developing or presenting a pitch may come as written content or in the form of verbal conversation. Some may be planned, but many will be unexpected ‘moments’ when chatting with a stranger, an acquaintance, or even a dear friend.
Prepare Your Pitch
Be Ready – Always be aware of these prime-time opportunities. Blend your pitch into conversation when the subject becomes available. As a teacher, we call these unexpected opportunities as ‘teachable moments’.
Have Your Pitch Polished and Rehearsed – Often your pitch will not be planned and yet has to be polished and rehearsed. Observe your viewer. How’s the eye contact? Are you keeping them interested?
Know When You’ve Said Enough – Again, through observation, you must read their body language. Usually, you’ll have less than a minute. Be ready to add your own ‘stories’ or examples to hold their interest.
But, fear no more…simply:
1.) Begin with Action – Leave the ‘fluff’ or back story out.
2.) Revise – Cut, cut, and cut some more. Take the time to rehearse verbally.
3.) Think – Astonishing words that attract, hook and even shock the reader.
Now here’s the good news…
Creating A Perfect Pitch Becomes Easier With Practice. Overtime and with more experience, your pitch will become automatic. No work at all! You’ll receive unbelievable rewards as the new opportunities begin to take over.
No matter if you’re an author, blogger, or marketer your record for strike-outs will remain intact. To throw a perfect game and *conquer all obstacles* is to perfect your pitch.
Author Jo-Anne Vandermeulen graduated from the University of Saskatchewan with a degree in Education and an English Literature major. She taught for the Moosomin School Division for twenty years before starting her full time writing career in 2006.
Jo-Anne produces and hosts a live weekly Blog Talk Radio (BTR) show, “Authors Articulating,” where she shares marketing and promotional tips with other writers and answers questions from her extensive and ever-growing list of followers. She is an owner of Premium Promotional Services, a company that supports and markets fellow writers.
Her first book, a women’s fiction (suspense/romance) called “Conquer All Obstacles” was released November, 2009. Her latest book, a non-fiction resource titled “Premium Promotional Tips for Writers”, was released in December, 2009.
Jo-Anne has two grown daughters and resides in Courtenay, British Columbia with her mini-dachshund, Oscar.
