What is the Takeaway Test and how do you use it to win more pitches?

How do people talk about you after your pitches? We call this The Takeaway Test.

If you give a succinct and memorable takeaway that sums up your value proposition, this will help clients  form a distinct image of you and your offer. The Takeaway Test makes it easy for your audience to understand your pitch and talk about you in the way you want to be talked about.

You may have just one takeaway. Or you may have a takeaway that is relevant to each particular pitch. What’s important is that you make it easy for people to talk about you.

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Examples of takeaways from the film industry

Some of the best examples of takeaways come from Hollywood. When directors and producers pitch new film ideas to studio executives, they often condense complex plots into a handful of words. Chosen well, these can be evocative enough to bring to mind a clear concept, which is easily shared and understood.

The Hollywood Takeaway Test: can you recognise which blockbuster films these takeaways refer to?

1. Dinosaurs in a safari park
2. Romeo and Juliet on a ship
3. Jaws, set in space

Answers are at the bottom of this blog post. While the takeaway you need is unlikely to be as dramatic as these, it should still be clear, effective and memorable. It should create a powerful, concrete and long-lasting impression.

We help you pass the Takeaway Test

If you’re struggling to write simple, clear and brief messages that make you memorable and distinctive then you are not yet passing The Takeaway Test.  In that case, speak to us. Perhaps you need one of our Messaging Cracker Sessions. Call on our knowledge of the financial, PR and private equity sectors, combined with our expertise in crafting narratives.  We’ll coach you  for persuasive and winning new business pitches and you’ll get fast and effective results.

To get the help you need to pass the Takeaway Test, call Louise Angus on 020 7018 0922 or email her at louise@benjaminball.com.

(Answers – which films did the takeaways above relate to?: 1. Jurassic Park, 2. Titanic, 3. Alien.)

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