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How To Pitch: 9 Tips From a Public Speaking Coach

ed darling public speaking coach

Ed Darling
9 min read

As a public speaking coach, I’ve helped many entrepreneurs turn shaky presentations into powerful pitches. From my front-row seat, I get to see up close the mistakes that trip people up — and the fixes that win investors over.
 
These 9 expert tips will teach you how to pitch with clarity, confidence, and impact.

What you’ll learn:

  • Key ingredients for a persuasive pitch.
  • How (and why) to weave in storytelling.
  • Why competence beats confidence.
Man practising how to pitch in a presentation

1. Simplify to Sound Credible

Mistake: Many of my clients fall into the “jargon trap,” thinking buzzwords like “AI-driven synergies” prove their expertise. In reality, it usually confuses people, and undermines credibility.
 
Solution: As a public speaking coach, I recommend simple, clear language. If you can explain a complex topic in a simple way, it shows me you really understand it. Start by explaining your idea like you’re talking to a friend over coffee, and as the old marketing phrase goes: Benefits over features.
 

For example…

Instead of: “Our platform optimizes scalable ecosystems.”

Try: “Our tool helps businesses grow faster with smart tech.”
 

Clarity builds trust, that’s exactly what you want. If in doubt, pitch to a non-expert friend and ask them to explain back to you what they understood. 

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2. Hook with a Story, Not Just Facts

Facts and data are important — but story is what elicits an emotional response, and people make decisions based on emotion!

Your pitch should include a well-crafted story that helps people understand you, your business, and the problem it’s solving.

It doesn’t have to be a Hollywood epic. It just needs to be honest and relatable.

For instance, I might say:

“Ten years ago, public speaking terrified me due to social anxiety. Conquering that fear inspired me to coach others on how to pitch with confidence.”

But notice:

  • It’s not my entire life story, just a short anecdote on what’s important.
  • It highlights the same pain points my target market are feeling.
  • It shows how I’m uniquely placed to deliver this service.

Your story should include the same key points: the problem you’re solving, and why you’re the person to solve it.

3. Highlight Your Unique Edge Clearly

Many entrepreneurs I coach ramble about their idea without pinpointing what makes it special. This leaves investors confused about why they should care.
 
Solution: When learning how to pitch, focus on your unique edge. Properly articulating your “differentiator” is what grabs attention.
 
This could be:
  • A novel process or feature.
  • Standout customer service.
  • Your personal expertise.

For example, Washed Up Cards stands out by making greeting cards from ocean plastic. Out of thousands of small businesses designing cards, no one was doing it this way.
 
Nail this in your pitch.
 
Pro Tip: Summarise your unique selling point in one clear sentence. If you can’t

4. The Strongest Pitches Bring Proof

A key characteristic of charismatic leaders is “setting high expectations”. We’re naturally drawn to people who confidently believe in their ideas.
 

But when pitching, your bold claims need to be backed up with evidence. You need to prove there’s demand through things like:

  • Customer testimonials or reviews.
  • Market research showing demand.

  • Sales data or pre-orders.

Pro Tip: If you’re pre-sales, start by gathering followers, an interested email list, or a waitlist of people who’ve signalled interest.

5. Showcase Your Team, Not Just the Idea

Investors often reject a good idea, because they doubt the people behind the plan.

A key part of how to pitch is proving you have the right team. As a speaking coach, I encourage my clients to highlight:

  • Relevant skills or experience.
  • Passion for the project.
  • Past successes.

It’s not about presenting a “perfect” image; that’ll immediately seem too good to be true. Better to be honest about your flaws, transparent with past mistakes, and show you can really be trusted as a potential partner.

Solo founder? That’s fine – share your journey, your expertise, and why you’re the right individual to launch this idea. 
 
Tip: For more on this, check out this post on building a solid introduction, and an engaging backstory.

6. Choose Competence Over Flashy Confidence

I often see clients overly worried about speaking with 100% confidence, thinking any sign of nerves will ruin their credibility. 
 
As a speaker myself, I know that “perfect” confidence often comes across as faked, or as arrogance.

Investors (like any audience) want confidence, but more so, they want to see competence: Less flash, more substance:

  • Calm body language: Standing tall, using pen gestures, sharing relaxed eye contact.

  • Clear voice: Varying your tone, pausing for effect, removing filler words.

  • Preparation: Knowing your numbers, and being intimately familiar with your content.

Overall, it’s about finding your authentic speaking style and being exactly that. If you’re outgoing and engaging? Brilliant. If you have more of a quiet confidence? That’s fine too.
 
Pro Tip: If you’re worried about “nervous tells”, record your pitch and review any bad communication habits. 

7. Anticipate Objections When Pitching

Clients I coach often freeze or ramble when faced with tough questions, which erodes trust, and knocks their confidence.
 
Dodging objections is a pitching killer, but that doesn’t mean you need an answer for everything.

Learning how to pitch means preparing for objections. As a speaker coach, I recommend anticipating questions like:

  • “What’s your revenue model?”
  • “Who are your competitors?”
  • “How will you scale?”
  • “What makes you different?”

If stumped, be honest:

“Great question! We’re exploring options and would value your input.”

People can tell when you’re fluffing an answer, so it’s always better to be confidently transparent.

8. Practice to Perfect Your Pitch

Some entrepreneurs wing their pitches, thinking charm & passion will carry them. Without practice, they stumble under pressure.
 
Solution: Learning how to pitch with charisma demands rehearsal. When I’m working with my public speaking clients on an important speech, pitch, or presentation, the mantra we follow is:
 
“An amateur practises until they can get it right, a professional practises until they can’t get it wrong.”

Practise is best with:

  • Peers for feedback.
  • An expert for coaching.
  • A camera to refine delivery.

Each run-through sharpens your pitching skills, and earns you more confidence, when you’re in the room. 

9. Let Your Personality Shine Through

I often work with people who come off as robotic or inauthentic when they start speaking – even if they’re not like that in “real life!”
 
Rather than putting on a persona, the real challenge is being yourself: but the most confident, credible, and prepared version of you.
 
Your personality is your pitch’s secret weapon, don’t lose it in pursuit of trying to be what you *think* people want. 
 
Competence is key to a winning pitch, but so is warmth, passion, enthusiasm, and coming across as a real human being who your audience can connect with.

How to Pitch: Work With A Coach

With these public speaking-inspired tips, you’ll avoid common pitching mistakes and present with clarity, and confidence.
 
Remember: dodge the jargon, weave in your story, prove demand, prepare for questions, and most importantly… be yourself (on a great day!)
 
Got a pitch coming up? Or feel that your public speaking skills are ready for a level-up? 
 
Feel free to book a 1-1 call with me, and we’ll schedule 30-minutes to talk through your goals, and some possible options.
 
If there’s a good fit, you’ll get to see my pitch! 😆
 
To your pitching success.
Ed

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