Pitch training: win over investors and clients in just a few minutes
Pitch training with public speaking coach Michael Sinnhuber prepares you for the moment when a decision is made in just a few minutes: in front of investors, in a competitive client pitch, before a jury or in a 30-second elevator pitch. You work on your actual pitch: a sharp problem and solution, storytelling that sticks, slides that carry your message, and confident answers to tough questions. Online or in Mittersill (Austria), in English or German. From €250 net (€300 gross) per hour.
“If you don't solve problems, don't be surprised when nobody is interested in what you offer.”
Peter Sawtschenko (translated from German)
A pitch doesn't win because your product is good.
It wins because your audience sees its own problem solved.
What are you pitching for?
For any pitch that ends with a yes or a no.
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Investor pitch
You are raising capital for your startup or project. Within ten minutes, investors need to see why it is worth backing.
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Client pitch and tender
You are up against competitors. The winner is the one they remember, not the one who shows the most.
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Jury and funding pitch
You are presenting to a jury, an advisory board or a funding body. With strict time limits and tough questions.
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Elevator pitch
At a trade fair, a networking event or in the lift. 30 seconds that leave people wanting more.
Preparing a longer presentation for clients or the board? See presentation coaching.
What we work on
We follow the four phases of the House of Speaking method, from the foundation to the moment the decision is made.
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Foundation You believe in your idea, and everyone in the room can feel it. -
Planning & building Your audience's problem first, then your solution as a story. -
Design A few slides that people remember. -
Delivery To the point, on time and confident under questioning.
Last in line
One of my own pitches was for a new corporate design for an IT company in Vienna. Together with a graphic designer friend, I was up against three strong competitors, and I was the last to present. I was greeted with: “We’re very curious now. The bar is already set very high.”
We knew the others would simply show their designs. But we had spotted something that wasn’t in the brief: the existing logo was misleading and no longer fitted the company. So we started with a short story that brought exactly this problem to light. Only then did we present our proposal.
We won the contract. What made the difference was a convincing story with a real solution, to a problem the company didn’t even know it had. That is what storytelling in a pitch is about: not telling things more beautifully, but showing your audience something they haven’t seen yet.
What changes
Before
- You explain your product, but not why anyone needs it
- Too many slides for too little time
- Your numbers are right, but nobody remembers them
- Tough questions throw you off balance
After
- Your audience recognises its problem and your solution
- You stay on time and get to the point
- A story people retell after you've left
- You know the difficult questions before they come
How it works
- Intro call short · free Who decides, how much time you have and what is at stake.
- Analysis Your current pitch, ideally as a video and with your slides.
- Sharpening Message, storytelling, numbers and slides, until every minute counts.
- Practice pitch Against the clock, with the questions investors or clients really ask.
- Your pitch You walk in prepared for the moment the decision is made.
- Formats
- Talk sprint or single session
- Where
- online · Mittersill
- Languages
- English and German
Your coach
I'm Michael Sinnhuber, public speaking coach and author of “3, 2, 1… Reden ist jetzt Deins”. I have delivered and won pitches myself. With my agency MCPREZI I have developed pitch presentations that secured contracts and funding worth six, seven and eight figures, up to €95 million.
Frequently asked questions
How long should a pitch be?
As long as you are given, and not a second more. Investor pitches usually run from three to ten minutes, an elevator pitch around 30 seconds. We build your pitch around your exact time slot, so you never have to rush the ending.
How many slides does a pitch need?
Fewer than you think. Every slide needs a job. If you can say it, it doesn't need to be on the slide. Together we decide which slides carry you and which can go.
Can you design my pitch deck too?
In the training we work on the structure and impact of your slides. If you want the whole pitch deck professionally designed in PowerPoint or Prezi, our team at MCPREZI takes care of it. One example is the startup pitch deck for farmlifes.
Why does storytelling matter so much in a pitch?
Because people remember stories, not bullet points. A good story shows the problem so that your audience feels it, and makes your solution the obvious next step. Facts and figures still matter, but the story is what gives them meaning.
How do I prepare for tough questions?
By knowing them in advance. We collect the questions investors, clients and juries really ask, including the uncomfortable ones. In the practice pitch you rehearse your answers under realistic conditions.
How quickly can we start?
Ideally with the Talk sprint, two to four weeks before your pitch. If it is only days away, a single session can make a real difference. Depending on availability, that is often possible at short notice.
Is pitch training available in English?
Yes. Many investor pitches take place in English. The training is available in English and German, online or in Mittersill.
When is your next pitch?
Tell me about it in a short, free intro call. We'll work out what you need, which format will get you there and whether we're a good fit.