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Blink 3 of 8 - The 5 AM Club
by Robin Sharma
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Pitch Anything summary
An Innovative Method for Presenting, Persuading, and Winning the Deal
17 mins
Brief summary
Pitch Anything by Oren Klaff is a guide to mastering the art of sales pitches, focusing on grabbing the attention of investors and closing big deals. It offers a fresh perspective on traditional pitch tactics for a more effective approach.
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Pitch Anything
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Key idea 1 of 9
You must tailor your pitch to the audience’s croc brains.
Everyone should learn to pitch ideas well. In every profession, from dentistry to investment banking, there comes a time when you must convince someone of something. Unfortunately, there is a gap between what we are trying to tell our audience and how they perceive it. To understand this gap and overcome it, we must look at the evolution of the human brain.
Basically, the human brain has evolved in three separate stages, resulting in three distinct parts: the primitive reptilian part, the croc brain, developed first. It’s a simple device primarily focused on survival and it can generate strong emotions, like the desire to flee a predator. Next, the midbrain developed. It allows us to understand more complex situations, such as social interactions. Finally, the sophisticated neocortex evolved, facilitating reasoning and analysis to understand complex things.
When you pitch, you use your neocortex to put into words the ideas you are trying to convey. Unfortunately, your audience doesn’t at first process these ideas with their neocortices. Instead, it is the audience’s primitive croc brains that receive the ideas and they ignore everything that is not new and exciting. Worse still, if your message seems abstract and unfathomable to the croc brain, it might perceive the message as a threat. This will make your audience want to flee to escape the situation.
This is why you must tailor your pitch to the croc brain. Since croc brains are simple, your message should be clear, concrete and focused on the big picture. You also need to ensure the croc brain sees your message as something positive and novel, which deserves to be passed on to the higher brain structures.
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What is Pitch Anything about?
Pitch Anything (2011) introduces a unique, new method for pitching ideas. Through psychology, neuroscience and personal anecdotes, Klaff explains the tactics and techniques needed to successfully pitch anything to anyone.
Pitch Anything Review
Pitch Anything (2011) by Oren Klaff is a compelling book that reveals the key principles behind delivering powerful, persuasive pitches. Here's why this book is worth reading:
- It offers a fresh perspective on pitching, providing innovative strategies that challenge conventional thinking and help readers stand out.
- Through real-life examples and case studies, the book illustrates the practical application of these strategies, making it relatable and applicable.
- Packed with energy and enthusiasm, the author's storytelling style keeps the book engaging and ensures that it is definitely not boring.
Who should read Pitch Anything?
- Anyone whose job involves selling products or ideas
- Anyone trying to raise money from investors
- Anyone interested in a method of persuasion based on neuroscience and psychology
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Pitch Anything FAQs
What is the main message of Pitch Anything?
The main message of Pitch Anything is to captivate your audience and deliver a compelling pitch that wins deals.
How long does it take to read Pitch Anything?
The reading time for Pitch Anything varies, but it typically takes several hours. The Blinkist summary can be read in just 15 minutes.
Is Pitch Anything a good book? Is it worth reading?
Pitch Anything is worth reading for its practical strategies on pitching and influencing others. It offers valuable insights into capturing attention and closing deals.
Who is the author of Pitch Anything?
The author of Pitch Anything is Oren Klaff.
What to read after Pitch Anything?
If you're wondering what to read next after Pitch Anything, here are some recommendations we suggest:
- How to be Heard by Julian Treasure
- Fierce Conversations by Susan Scott
- Leadership by Henry Kissinger
- 5 Levels of Leadership by John C. Maxwell
- Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman
- Pitch Perfect by Bill McGowan and Alisa Bowman
- Pitch Like Hollywood by Peter Desberg and Jeffrey Davis
- The First Minute by Chris Fenning
- Weekend Language by Andy Craig
- Failing Forward by John C. Maxwell
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