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How Understanding the Need Can Make or Break Your Pitch

Author

Ashish Kumar
January 12, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 4 minutes

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How Understanding the Need Can Make or Break Your Pitch

Picture this: You're about to pitch your startup to an investor, and you're so excited about your solution that you jump right in, ignoring what really matters: the pain your product or service solves.

The foundation of a great pitch lies in understanding the audience's needs. Think of pitching like a doctor diagnosing a patient — without identifying the real problem, you’re just guessing.

When you fail to identify and emphasize the needs of your potential investors or customers, you risk losing their interest and trust.

For example, imagine you're a founder pitching a health-tech app that helps people manage chronic conditions, but you skip over how prevalent those conditions are and how many people suffer from them. If you don’t establish the size of the problem, your solution can seem like a nice-to-have, not a must-have.

In any pitch, whether to investors, customers, or partners, understanding their pain points is crucial to crafting a message that resonates.

It’s not just about having a great product; it’s about showing how your solution solves a real-world problem for them.

Here’s how to approach it:

  • Research your audience: Start by learning as much as you can about who you’re pitching to. For investors, know their portfolio, industry preferences, and past investments. For customers, gather insights about their pain points, challenges, and aspirations.

  • Frame your solution: Once you know their pain points, you can frame your solution in a way that directly addresses these challenges. This helps in building a connection, as your audience can immediately see how your product fits into their needs.

Action Points:

  1. Conduct deep audience research: Always start by learning what keeps your target audience up at night. What are their key challenges? Use surveys, interviews, or data analysis to gather this information.

  2. Craft your pitch around pain points: Highlight how your solution addresses these specific problems. Make it about their needs, not just your product.

  3. Practice empathy: Build a story around the pain and your solution, showing that you truly understand their struggles and how your offering is the key to overcoming them.

WHAT I AM READING

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👉Today’s Takeaway:

Great businesses aren't built on just big ideas—they’re built on the little, consistent actions that happen day in and day out. It's all about creating routines that push you toward your goals. For instance, setting aside time each morning to plan your day or having a weekly strategy review can make a huge difference. These small habits stack up and create momentum. When you’re consistent, you’re not just working hard, you’re working smart, moving closer to success every day.

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