The greatest joke ever told - lessons for pitching
thestartuptoolkit.com
thestartuptoolkit.com
As a business owner, the same process applies. I describe to them what I'm doing, and I can see the evaluation process at work in their face as to whether they get the value I'm trying to create or not. (Or put another way, if the value I'm explaining is actually valuable or not.)
In both cases, I may do nothing and let it fall the way the cards may and then hear their feedback, OR I may make adjustments in real-time as I read the listeners body language and use that as cues to feedback into my value proposition (visit my biz, read my story).
Comedians are masters at finding the heart of a dialog and adjusting (like jazz musicians) what they say to maximize the effect.
He's not.
The person representing the entrepreneur in this parable is the show host, or the audience. The comedian is playing the role of the potential customer.
The lesson is to listen to the customer, because sometimes there's a huge payoff that can't be obtained in any other way.
That's the lesson I took away from this - anything else doesn't seem to make sense, but if you have a different opinion, I'm listening.
Edit - so I took away a completely different lesson.
"Watching the joke, you can see Norm adjust based on what is resonating with the audience (you know, like moth names). You can't figure out what matters and course-correct if you rush through your pitch as a monologue"
There are several lessons to learn, and to my way of thinking, it's all completely screwed, and I've learned something else.
Above all - be clear.
Regarding my intent: that video is the example to zoom in on the uncomfortable feeling of allowing someone to misunderstand you while you get to where you're going (which in the comedian's case is the punchline, the entrepreneur's case is better customer understanding).
That being said, your interpretation of the video is an equally interesting look.
Shutup for a bit and listen. You might like what you hear, or at least learn something.
1. Demonstrate that tact is important with a seemingly elaborate joke.
2. Recommend that you use the same tact when talking with clients/investors.
implicitly:
3. Assume that your clients/investors are equally good listeners.
This is where it gets hard.
When you tell someone your idea the first time, chances are high that they will misunderstand you. When that happens, founders' first impulse is to correct them. But you can get a lot of value by allowing that uncomfortable misunderstanding to linger for a bit while you listen.
(edited to clarify some verb ownership and improve sentence pacing)
"In some situations, you won't have a chance to correct mis-understandings."
I think this is more important than to be in footnote. Its worth to listen patiently where you can expect to be listened to patiently. [1] Otherwise you should take initiative and perhaps politely interrupt and say something to distract from the misunderstanding. Arguing with customers is almost always a disaster.
[1]: Although you might want to know what the customer thinks even if you are sure you aren't making a sale. (edit: slight clarification note)
If someone misunderstands me -- be it in a pitch, a presentation, or a discussion -- then I assume the blame. Either my point is muddy, or my delivery of that point is unclear. That's on me.
While that isn't always true, it's a good rule of thumb by which to operate. Always assume you're being unclear, rather than that your audience just doesn't "get it." Be humble and be open to course correction. And pay very close attention if everyone misunderstands you in roughly the same way; that's usually a leading indicator of some fundamental flaw in your pitch.
Let me say it another way: if you have a great business idea, tell everyone you can find about it and learn from their reactions/questions what's working in your pitch and not working.