I explore this question in my short, mostly visual emails, crafted through my lens as a B2B communication consultant. Join me for insights on effective communication, marketing, psychology, and the philosophy of value.
The one thing your pitch must do, no matter how deep-tech
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If you're in deep tech, you probably don't think of your presentations as "conveying emotions." That's something for actors or marketers, right? Wrong. Emotion isn't a side effect of your presentation—it's the goal. Every presentation aims to inspire action. Logic alone doesn’t move us—emotion does. (hence e-motion) Researchers found that people with damage to the emotional centers of their brain (specifically the ventromedial prefrontal cortex) couldn't make decisions—not even simple ones, like what to eat for lunch Without emotions, decision-making becomes paralyzed. This doesn't mean you need melodrama—like bursting into tears over a data point. But it does mean being intentional about the emotional subtext. What emotion are you aiming to convey—excitement, curiosity, or urgency? Without an emotional connection, your audience won't act, no matter how clever your technology is. |
What makes people value one thing over another?
I explore this question in my short, mostly visual emails, crafted through my lens as a B2B communication consultant. Join me for insights on effective communication, marketing, psychology, and the philosophy of value.
Whether it's an investor pitch or a software product, narrative transforms randomness into harmony. It’s the difference between random facts and a clear, engaging experience. So, how do you develop a sense of narrative? Start by understanding what happens when something grabs your attention: Multiple brain regions are activated, simulating actions and emotions. Dopamine is released, driving engagement and focus. Mirror neurons fire, making us "experience" the story. The amygdala and...
When pitching to investors, spend as little time as possible talking about your solution. Sounds counterintuitive? Imagine this: A mom from your daughter’s 7th-grade class mentions something she bought that drastically reduced her daughter’s social media usage — down to almost zero! Now, when her daughter comes home from school, she puts her phone aside, preferring to spend time interacting directly with friends and siblings. She's visibly happier, and her teacher even says she’s more engaged...
I'm allergic to any formulaic approaches to pitching, like the common 'problem-solution-traction-team' template. Not because it's uncreative, but because it's UNSCIENTIFIC. These top-down frameworks are too simplistic and lack the rigor tech professionals typically display in other parts of their work. What's top down vs bottom up thinking? Imagine you get up at night to get a sip of cold water. You have a sufficient mental map of your apartment so you don't even turn on the lights - that's...