How to win a pitch competition

Hey folks! It’s been a while now since I posted, but I have some interesting news!

I recently participated and won the Bosch Global Home Appliances Pitch Competition 2022, and I wanted to share my experience and lessons learnt through the journey.

Most of the pitch competitions have a preliminary round to filter out participants for the main pitch grounds. Usually, the preliminary round tests your basic branding skills like designing/visualizing, marketing and advertising your product on paper/digital platforms. BGHAP 2022 had 20+ teams of 4–5 members each, competing to market the Bosch Refrigerator series, on a 24" 18" sheet, in the preliminary round.

My design for round 1- Global Home Appliances Pitch Competition

Here’s how you can crack the 1st round:

1. Be precise on what your product/service does.
2. What’s the unique selling point of the product/service?
3. Use the canvas to tell your story/narrative about the product/service
4. Add a quirky element in your design that catches audience’s attention.
5. Use the coolers right. It’s better to risk a mellow colored poster than an over-colored, gaudy one.

The Final Showdown

The final/main stage of the pitch competition surfaces one’s pitching, negotiating and persuasive skills. BGHAP 2022 had 8 teams of 4–5 members each, competing in the 2nd, final round. This time, each team was allotted a unique, challenging Bosch product, that was marked the lowest in sales the previous year.

My product was Advanced Aquatak 160 — High Pressure washer.

Initially, I experienced the competition’s heat, since I couldn’t relate to the product and haven’t used one before. After a brief research of the product’s description and utility area, I got the hold of it. I thought to myself “Since, you haven’t used this product, how would you persuade yourself to buy one?” and aha! I found it’s selling point!

An instance of my pitch for Advanced AQUATAK 160

Now, Let’s look at some interesting approaches to the pitch ground:

1. Know the technical specs of your productt.
2. Why does the jury/audience NEED this product? (Not want, but NEED)
3. Perform a brief field research on where the product is used the most. (e.g. home(kitchen, garden, garage, etc.), industry floor, on pets?, etc.)
4. Get the nerves out — practice before you get on the stage.
5. Break the ice — interact with your audience with questions and your gestures.
6. Pitch it as a multipurpose product, if possible. (refer pt.3)
7. Keep it simple, to-the-point and watch your time.
8. Make your pitch a creative, free-flowing motion rather than a stiff, 1-to-all narration.
9. Read the room — Adapt as you go than sticking to a script.
10. Coordinate with your team members — build a subconscious sync amongst yourselves.
11. Most importantly, have fun. Look beyond winning the competition and the associated rewards.
12. Be ready to patiently answer the audience’s/jury’s questions about your product.

Jury question round

Lessons learnt:

1. Don’t be afraid to apply. — JFYI, the competition was my unprecedented experience at product pitch. Don’t sell yourself short. Chances are success is right around the corner, so just apply; you maybe in for a fun ride.
2. You can sell a product that you know very little of. Imagine what’s achievable with much more?! Have you been subjected to such tempting pitches/advertisements? If yes, what persuaded you to make the buy? — You can learn a lot about consumer-persuasive buying patterns via this simple introspection.

Hopefully, this article provides some guidance when you are looking into ‘How to win a pitch competition’.

Until next time.