This week in the world’s #1 newsletter on leadership communication:
- 4 Steps to Pitch Yourself Like a Pro
- Build Your Core Communication Skills Over the Next 3 Months
- Throw Out The Rulebook
-
From Story to AI: How Information Networks Shape Us
4 Steps to Pitch Yourself Like a Pro
Do you have your pitch down?
Are you ready to do it at this very moment?
If not, you are in good company.
90% of CEOs I coach struggle with their personal pitch.
They find it hard to explain who they are and what they do in a few short sentences.
That’s no surprise, because we all struggle to promote ourselves. It is a healthy gag reflex.
But it’s also a problem because we constantly pitch ourselves while selling, networking, fundraising, and interviewing.
(If you want to know how to use your pitch to get booked on top podcasts, here’s my cheat sheet.)
The thing is, once you know which formula to follow, it is actually really easy.
Let’s use your LinkedIn bio or the prose at the top of your resumé as an example. It is easier to do it in writing first.
Every single person who reads the text should walk away with the same clear idea. Your writing has to be clear, concise and interesting to enhance your personal brand.
There are a four key universal features of strong writing:
#1 The hook
The hook is your opening sentence, a single line that will encourage people to read further.
Hooks should be short, snappy, and thought-provoking in some way.
Perhaps it is a big question that you are going to answer in the next few lines or a statement that defines exactly who you are.
#2 The key message
The key message is an expansion of the hook. Your key message should be the single, defining thing that you want to share with the world.
This outlines what exactly you are known for and what you bring to the table.
#3 The proof
From there, you have to prove your message. Lay out the professional achievements and experience that you have that show your reader you can do what you are claiming.
#4 The call-to-action
Round it all off with a call-to-action (CTA). This is a closing statement that asks something of your reader like “get in touch”, “subscribe to my newsletter” or “visit my website”.
Psychologically, this encourages your reader to actively engage with what you have told them.
For a great example of this four-step approach, check out Simon Sinek’s LinkedIn bio.
Still struggling?
Try this mental shift: a strong pitch is not self-promotion.
Rather it helps the other person to understand who you are and what you have in common. And this allows you to build a human connection.
Next week, I will share how you can pitch your idea in a conversation.
OLIVER'S RECOMMENDATION CORNER
Build Your Core Communication Skills Over the Next 3 Months
Over the next three months, we are focusing on 3 core communication skills in the Speak Like a CEO Academy. Each month, we’ll cover a key area, combining self-study, interactive mastermind sessions, and Q&As to help you learn, practice, and refine your skills.
- December: Presentation
- January: Written Communication
- February: Body Language
Let’s make the next few months transformative for your career!
HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE PODCAST
Throw Out The Rulebook
I do a podcast to help you become a top 1% communicator. Please subscribe on Apple or Spotify.
What if we challenged traditional notions of success and leadership?
This week I sit down with Gigi Danzinger, a philanthropist and social entrepreneur who, at 60, changed her name to reflect a bold new chapter.
Gigi shares her unique approach to social impact, focusing on empowering communities through initiatives in Hudson, New York.
From a basic income pilot, her investments in under-appreciated founders and a "no strings attached" philanthropy, Gigi is redefining what it means to make a difference as a leader.
Listen on Spotify and Apple:
BOOK RECOMMENDATION
From Story to AI: How Information Networks Shape Us
In Nexus: A Brief History of Information Networks from the Stone Age to AI, Yuval Noah Harari explores the evolution of information networks that have shaped human civilization.
He starts with storytelling, the earliest form of shared knowledge, followed by increasingly sophisticated ways to organize, store, and transmit information.
He rejects the “naive” view of information – the belief that more information will inherently lead to more open and prosperous societies. He also rejects the populist view that holds that information simply leads to power.
Most importantly, Harari raises urgent questions about the role of AI in society, as it reshapes power dynamics and influences the future of human autonomy.
Nexus is a sweeping exploration of how each stage of information technology has impacted human progress. The final part, Computer Politics, is particularly timely.
His main argument: the future is unwritten, but if we don’t write it, AI will do it for us.
On that note...
Have an inspired weekend,
Oliver
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