[AI-assisted as I had a few groups asking for this ASAP.]
Most people show up to your pitch meeting without having given it much thought. No prep. No pre-work. When they looked at their calendar that morning, this meeting registered as a break—an hour to receive, not engage. A chance to sit back and let you perform.
They expect the standard script:
- Light small talk.
- “So, what’s up?”
- You present.
- They ask a few questions.
- Everyone thanks each other and moves on.
This only works if you’re already in alignment—if they’ve done the thinking, share your analysis, and know that your offer fits their strategy. But that’s rare.
Most of the time, they believe they’re evaluating you. That they hold the decision-making power. That you’re there to win them over.
That’s not how strong partnerships form. Not how movement gets built. Your job is to shift the dynamic—subtly, but intentionally. From judgment to collaboration. From audience to co-conspirator.
This isn’t about delivering content. It’s about shaping energy and pacing an arc of engagement.
Beat 1: Get Them Talking—Immediately
The meeting starts the moment you’re with them: walking down the hall, ordering coffee, logging into Zoom. Don’t wait for “So, what are we here to talk about?” That puts you into performance mode—defensive, linear, reactive.
Instead, initiate conversation that invites the person—not just the professional—to show up.
Try:
- “Do you come here often?”
- “Is this close to your office?”
- “Where were you before that?”
- “Was that a similar kind of role?”
- “What got you into this field to begin with?”
These aren’t small talk. They’re intentional entry points. You’re prompting them to narrate their own origin story—to tell you what matters, where they come from, and how they think.
You’re not looking for facts. You’re trying to unlock presence:
- Emotional: Are they excited, frustrated, lit up by something?
- Intellectual: Are they analyzing, making connections, drawing conclusions?
- Creative: Are they testing ideas, offering new language, asking unexpected questions?
You stay in this beat until they’re fully there. Not just as a title. As a person.
Beat 2: Let Them Name the Stakes
Once they’re engaged, go deeper.
You’re not there to explain why the work matters. You’re there to create the conditions for them to articulate it.
Begin with something timely:
- “Did you see the announcement about X?”
- “That story yesterday—what do you think it means?”
Then broaden:
- “What’s giving you hope right now?”
- “What do you think people are missing?”
- “What’s one thing you wish more people understood about this?”
- “If we pulled this off, what would actually change?”
You’re listening closely. Not just for insight—but for how they frame meaning. What values surface. What words they choose. What they prioritize or dismiss.
If they say “lavender” and you’ve been saying “violet,” switch to lavender. Mirror their language. Internalize their metaphors. Let their frame shape your delivery.
At the same time, watch for clues about who they are:
- Earnest or skeptical?
- Fast or deliberate?
- Oriented around rigor, identity, justice, optimism?
They’re telling you how they see the world. They’re also handing you the architecture for the pitch they’ll later be able to say yes to.
Beat 3: Combine Your Worlds
At some point, they’ll offer a framework—a way of interpreting the challenge that reflects something they care about: politics, legacy, identity, systems, faith.
You don’t pivot to your presentation. You use their frame as your entry point.
Try:
- “That’s a really compelling way of looking at it. We’ve been thinking about that, too. Can I share what we’ve been hearing?”
This isn’t a pitch. It’s a working session.
Sketch. Suggest. Invite them in.
- “We’re exploring a version that might look like this—though I’m not sure it goes far enough…”
- “If X leads to Y, and that gets blocked, we’re considering shifting Z—would that track with what you’ve seen?”
- “We think this is the moment to push—what would you do in our place?”
This changes the posture. The pitch isn’t a product. It’s a prototype. They’ll start finishing your sentences, pointing to parts of the sketch, shaping the idea in real time.
It no longer feels hypothetical. It feels like it’s already underway.
A fixed proposal invites critique. A live idea invites collaboration.
Beat 4: Press Play
This part matters more than most people realize.
The mood is good. Energy’s high. And then comes the classic closer:
“So exciting—can’t wait to read your proposal when it’s ready!”
That’s the end of things, not the start. The energy dissolves and you’re on your heels.
You need to introduce a vector—something that begins now. It doesn’t have to be big. But it has to be real.
- “Let’s compare notes after the conference.”
- “I’ll send a sketch—poke holes?”
- “Should we run this by Susan?”
- “Once the piece drops, let’s regroup—timing could be perfect.”
Even a critique helps:
- “Step one makes sense, but I’m not sure about step three…”
That’s not rejection. That’s investment. That’s someone who’s still in the room.
Momentum doesn’t just happen. You have to protect it. Establish a next step. Anchor the work in time.
Great meetings don’t end with appreciation. They end with action.
Beat 5: Unlock the Network
Now the closing question:
“Who else should we be talking to?”
They’ll likely hesitate. Not out of selfishness—but because they’re scanning for risk. No one wants to hand you their contact list without confidence in what you’ll do with it.
So you create a gentler on-ramp. Open the aperture.
Try:
- “Anyone who’d love to argue about this over wine?”
- “Any journalists you think might care?”
- “Any builders or designers who’d be fun to bring in?”
- “Anyone you’ve been thinking about pulling into this conversation?”
You’re not just after introductions. You’re helping them imagine the coalition. And sometimes they’ll surprise you—with a name, a connection, a door you didn’t know existed.
Don’t let this part drift. Protect ten minutes for it. Stay curious. Keep it light, but intentional.
Most of the best funders aren’t searchable. They’re referred. They’re revealed. You find them through trust.
Geoffrey MacDougall 
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