Story 01
The Marker Pens
Told I probably wouldn't get the job, and with no computer at home, I redesigned their newsletter by hand at the kitchen table. Everyone in the flat ate off their laps for a week.
Kieron Goldsborough
A pitching framework in ten steps
Once Upon a Pitch
A framework for winning when you've been told you won't
A short book about pitching, for people who aren't natural performers. Ten steps, the true stories behind them, and a toolkit to use on your next one.
Introduction
I'm not a natural
I'm not loud. I'm not bombastic. I'm not the person who walks onto a stage and instantly has the room in the palm of their hand. I've watched people who can do that, and I've been envious of them, and I've never been one of them.
So I had to find another way. Over more than twenty-five years I've built up a set of tools and steps that I go through, and that framework is what gives me the confidence to pitch.
I still get nervous before every pitch. The way I see it, the fact I still get nervous means I still care, and that's a good thing.
It's for
01
Marketing managers who have to sell an idea to a board
02
Graduates about to give their first pitch
03
Anyone who's been told they're not going to get this one
The framework
Nine steps, and then the one that happens afterwards
LEARN
The science
01
Fill your head
Learn everything about them, their problem, their sector, who has to approve this and what it costs them to say yes.
02
Find the one thing
The thing you know that nobody else pitching knows. And while you're at it, the reason they might not choose you.
03
Think apart, then together
Walk away and let it sit. Then get the team round a whiteboard and make the idea together.
CRAFT
The art
04
Write the line
One sentence. If it takes a paragraph, it isn't finished.
05
Build the story
Beginning, middle, end. Groundwork first, reveal last.
06
Name the reason not to choose you
Call it out, show it, answer it, before somebody asks.
PERFORM
The show
07
Learn your lines
Know it well enough to tell it without the deck.
08
Arrive early and hand out jobs
Everybody who comes has something to do, in their own words.
09
Tell it slowly, then stop talking
Use the pauses. Let the reveal land. Watch their faces.
AND THEN
Afterwards
10
Follow up on something human
Not a thank you email. Something you noticed.
Seven of those steps happen before anybody sees you and only two are in the room.
The part you're frightened of is the smallest part of it, and most of what makes it work is stuff you can do on your own, at a desk, with nobody watching.
The stories
All the stories are true
Every step comes with the pitch that taught it to me. I've changed or left out some of the details to protect the people in them, but the bits that matter happened exactly as I've told them.
Story 12
The Webshite
A chief executive I was slightly terrified of asked me what I thought of his website. It was terrible, and my mouth got ahead of my brain.
Story 15
The Scarf
A pin badge spotted in a meeting, a scarf in the post and a short handwritten note. She never did tell me where it ended up.
And thirteen more, including the one that still stings.
“A really good read, even got me understanding the pitch process.”
The short version
Three questions for a Tuesday morning
Nine steps is too much for a Tuesday morning catch-up where you need to sell something small. So here's the same thing, compressed.
If you only ever use those three, you'll still be ahead of most people in most rooms.
A printable version comes with the PDF edition, along with the checklist and the pitch planner.
1
What's their problem, in their words?
2
What's my answer, in one sentence?
3
What do I want them to say yes to?
Get the book
Three ways to read it
Includes the toolkit
PDF and toolkit
£9
The designed A4 edition, plus the ten step checklist, the one page pitch planner and the three questions sheet, all fillable on screen.
Buy on PayhipOn Amazon
Kindle
£4.99
The whole book, reflowed to read on your phone, tablet or Kindle.
Buy on AmazonAbout
Hello, I'm Kieron
I'm managing director of Different Narrative, a creative agency in Newcastle. I've been pitching for more than twenty-five years, and I still get nervous every time.
Most of this book was dictated into my phone while I was out walking (the mean streets of Darlington, mostly).
For teams
I'm putting together a version of the framework for teams, taught in a room. If you'd like to hear when it's ready, drop me a line.