One Perfect Pitch: How to Sell Your Idea, Your Product, Your Business -Or Yourself - Hardcover

by Marie Perruchet (Author)

What's YOUR story?

In the hypercompetitive world of Silicon Valley, this question has replaced "What's your pitch?" It's another way of asking, "Who are you?"

The art of the pitch is nothing short of a survival skill. If an entrepreneur can't convince an investor in 10 minutes that a business idea has potential, that is often the end of it. If a project manager in a large enterprise can't win support from other stakeholders, his or her project is at risk. You always need to be selling yourself, pitching your partners or your clients to work with you, or pitching what makes your new business an exciting and worthwhile investment.

You may not realize it right now, but you do have a one-of-a-kind story to tell, one that makes you stand out from everyone else--a unique tale that makes you, your product, or your business unforgettable. In One Perfect Pitch, Marie Perruchet will help you discover it, hone it, and present it, so that you get buy-in from colleagues and potential investors. Learn:

- How to mine the worst experiences of your life for your pitch
- How to tell me, show me, and sign me up in one minute
- How to make a good impression through any medium
- The dos and don'ts of pitching etiquette--and how to correct common mistakes
- The unspoken rules in Silicon Valley

A former mentor at 500 Startups, where she was a pitching coach to world-changing companies at one of the largest incubators in the U.S., Perruchet shares her proven methodology, insider advice, and hands-on exercises. She provides a step-by-step framework that ensures you are pitch perfect whenever you need to sell an idea, a product, a business--or yourself.

Marie Perruchet is the founder of One Perfect Pitch, a San Francisco-based consulting firm. Drawing on her experience as a BBC journalist and news correspondent, she works with business executives to shape their stories and deliver effective pitches. As a former mentor at 500 Startups, the largest accelerator program in the U.S., she helped prepare startup founders and entrepreneurs for Demo Day, when they pitch venture capital funds and angel investors. Her clients include multinationals, tech incubators and accelerators, startup founders and entrepreneurs, and portfolio companies. Perruchet also coaches C-level executives from around the world and has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Marie Claire, and Le Monde.

Back Jacket

"I've seen Marie Perruchet's method win funding for tech entrepreneurs she mentored at 500 Startups. She distills that proven method in this indispensable must-read. If you're preparing your pitch--and who isn't nowadays?--this book is for you."
--Adam Benayoun, Venture Partner, 500 Startups

"One Perfect Pitch not only lays out the right content strategy for a pitch, but focuses on how to deliver that pitch in the most compelling way. As an investor, I'm looking for visionary founders and leaders, not just great tech. One Perfect Pitch is a fantastic resource that will guide an entrepreneur in communicating that vision."
--Maha Ibrahim, General Partner, Canaan Partners

"Worth its weight in gold, One Perfect Pitch is a personal mentorship from a Silicon Valley insider in how to pitch investors successfully. Essential reading for every entrepreneur seeking funding."
--Warren "Bunny" Weiss, General Partner, Foundation Capital

"Brilliant! If only every startup founder who pitched me had read this book first, it would have paved the way to a promising partnership."
--Howard Hartenbaum, General Partner, August Capital

"An informed insider's insights into what it takes to succeed in Silicon Valley. Perruchet knows exactly what investors need to hear and shows you how to deliver."
--David C. Lee, Cofounder, XG Ventures and Venture Partner, SK Telecom Ventures

"One Perfect Pitch provides a wealth of knowledge on preparing and giving great presentations. Easy to read, well structured, with great insights and exercises for anyone wanting to develop or improve 'the perfect pitch, ' this book is highly recommended for anyone wanting to master their presentation skills."
--Alex Mendez, Founder and Director, Storm Ventures

"Entrepreneurs working in a language or a culture not their own need not fear. Perruchet's method is effective in all environments, so you can focus on telling your unique business story and stand out--for all the right reasons."
--Allen Miner, General Partner, SunBridge Global Ventures, and Cofounder, Salesforce Japan

"Perruchet's method is precise, effective, and easily replicable. Packed with useful examples and exercises, One Perfect Pitch is the most comprehensive guide to telling a captivating business story in Silicon Valley or elsewhere."
--Gina Bianchini, Founder and CEO, Mightybell

"This book goes straight to the fundamentals and gives you the shortcut to your perfect pitch. It clearly describes every aspect and medium of the pitching process, with helpful suggestions on what to do. The simplest and most effective book I have ever read on the subject."
--Paul Kim, CTO, Stanford Graduate School of Education

"One Perfect Pitch provides concrete examples of how to jump-start your new pitch or improve your existing one. Whether you're preparing for a presentation to investors or chatting with a friend about your latest project, knowing how to share your story is a creative skill that requires a balance of art and science."
--Annie Lee, Content Marketing Lead, Pinterest

"A very useful handbook for a successful pitch, starting with how to capture the attention of targeted companies and continuing to how to substantiate the contents of the pitch. Valuable anecdotes make for pleasant reading."
--JingZhou Tao, Managing Partner, Dechert LLP

"In a world increasingly fueled by the likes of Y Combinator, TechCrunch, and TED, the ability to communicate quickly and cleanly is a modern-day entrepreneurial necessity. One Perfect Pitch presents a unique and pragmatic perspective on how you can become successful in this important arena--so you can spend more time growing your business!"
--Tom Lee, Founder and CEO, One Medical Group

"The most compelling pitches are true to who you are. One Perfect Pitch will help you distill and share that truth for a successful business outcome."
--Stéphanie Hospital, Cofounder, One Ragtime

"This invaluable road map provides clear, practical step-by-step directions on how to craft and deliver the perfect pitch by tapping your most important resource--you."
--Jerome Ternyck, CEO, SmartRecruiters

"Life is a pitch. Your ability to persuade is your most powerful asset. Pitching skills can be honed. Marie's method and practical examples will show you how and draw out the best in you."
--Francois Mazoudier, CEO, Tech Leaders Capital

"Before we met Marie, we didn't know where to start our pitch. If you can't sell your idea, you can't survive in Silicon Valley. Marie gave us the confidence to pitch our startup effectively and secure a strategic alliance. Read One Perfect Pitch and see your pitch improve exponentially."
--Sushel Bijganath, CEO, Learnship

"At the heart of a great pitch is an unforgettable story. Marie's expert guidance helped us tell ours. She was our competitive advantage. One Perfect Pitch could be yours."
--Suveen Sahib, Cofounder, Teleport HQ, and COO, AQUIS

"A straight-to-the-point and fresh view on how ideas and stories are shared. This book will help you stand out."
--Jose Ignacio Fernandez, CTO, Traity

"Whether you are starting a business, trying to pitch a new idea within your organization, or trying to ace an upcoming job interview, if you can't craft a compelling story and make an emotional connection with your audience, your product, idea, or candidacy will likely be DOA. One Perfect Pitch equips you with the proper tools and shows you how to use them successfully. Read it and reread it, so that your pitch grabs and keeps your audience's attention."
--John Dais, former Head of Finance, Zenefits

Author Biography

Marie Perruchet is the founder of One Perfect Pitch, a former journalist and news correspondent for the BBC and other international media outlets, and a communications and media expert with extensive experience in storytelling, public speaking, and presenting on stage and in front of the camera.