a winning pitch

Businessweek:

Here is an example of a winning pitch from this year’s competition. Note that the product is not a “hot” technology, but plain old cat food with a new twist. My comments on why the pitch works so well appear in brackets.

PetPlay is introducing a line of gourmet canned cat foods with the brand name Petite Cuisine. These products look good, smell great, and taste great because they are people food for cats! [This is a catchy and memorable tagline. The opening also reflects the entrepreneur's passion for his product.] You may not want to, but you could eat it!

Research shows consumers love the products for their refreshing look and pleasant smell—and cats devour them. Petite Cuisine is 100% nutritionally complete for cats and is made from products you would buy at the meat and fish counter. The line currently has eight items including whole tuna, red snapper filets, baby shrimp, and rock crab. [The pitch demonstrates an understanding of the industry and consumers, and differentiates the product from its counterparts.]

I launched and ran Fancy Feast, the largest competitor in this space nationally and ran one of Nestle’s international pet food divisions. I know this market well. [Here's the "magic dust." In this case, the entrepreneur's experience is enough for investors to want to learn more. If he failed to highlight this part of his background, he would have missed the magic moment.]

Orders are in from Ralph’s grocery chain with additional distribution commitments totaling 500 stores. [Demonstrates some traction and demand in the marketplace.]

Capital is being raised in two stages—$500,000 in initial launch capital for 500 stores and then a round of expansion capital of $3 to $5 million for 3,000+ stores. [The entrepreneur is very specific about how he will use the funds.] Check out the samples in the back and see if you agree, too. [A little humor doesn't hurt.]

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