BUS 121W - Week 06
Class 11 - Feb. 10, 2026
What is a pitch?
- Short, persuasive presentation intended to gain commitment from your audience
- In other words, a verbal argument that includes a claim and evidence
- Examples:
- Investment pitch
- Dragon's Den, Shark Tank
- Movie pitch
- Like if somebody wants to pitch their new movie idea
- Sales pitch
- Career/job pitch <- this is what we're doing
- We're selling ourselves
- Investment pitch
Using critical thinking arguments in real life
- Arguments aren't just written essays, they're everywhere! Even informal conversations
- Critical thinking and construction of arguments cannot be confined to academic papers; arguments are 'everywhere'
- Students are often unprepared for the "why hire me" question, often making things up or not knowing what to say
- Answer is often fabricated or not well organized
- BU121 is designed to provide opportunities for students to really develop key competencies
- Helps to improve confidence
- Think of it as practice for a future communication experience (whether that be an interview or another pitch/presentation)
How to organize a pitch?
Pitch Structure (briefly, look at next lecture for more information)
- Opening - what the challenge is and why it's important
- Instead of coming into career planning with a specific job title in mind, you want to think about bigger issues that the world wants to solve, and then work your way through it
- Set context and urgency around the chosen challenge
- Claim - I am the best candidate (USE THIS CLAIM!)
- Premise 1 - competency a with evidence*
- Premise 2 - competency b with evidence*
- Premise 3 - competency c OR value with evidence*
- Value can be an interest or passion area
- Close - connect back to opening, highlighting how this organization impacts the challenge and therefore needs you
- * What kind of evidence to use?
- Evidence backing up why you are the best candidate will be specific examples
- Accuracy:
- Draw on your real, lived experience (don't make them up!)
- They're not gonna check, but don't be silly
- Precision:
- Describe specific activities and accomplishments that demonstrate your reasons, quantify if applicable
- School fundraisers, captain on a team? How many players on the team
- Sufficiency:
- Includes 3 premises with evidence to back them up (suitable for a short argument)
- Representativeness
- Use a variety of examples to back up reasons (academic, extra-curricular, work, family, etc.)
- Authority/Credibility applies to sources you might use in map and/or to describe challenge
- Scholarly articles are not required but credible/legitimate sources are
- Don't really apply to the experiences
- Accuracy:
- Evidence backing up why you are the best candidate will be specific examples
Effective opening techniques
- Make a bold claim/present a striking fact
- "In 2020, nearly 700 million people lived on less than $2 a day"
- Invite them to "Image" a future state
- "Imagine a world where no one experiences food insecurity..."
- Ask a Question
- "How many of you have used a social media site today?"
- Could also add "By a show of hands"
- Use a Proverb, Analogy or Metaphor
- "Someone's sitting in the shade today because someone else planted a tree a long time ago" - Warren Buffett
- Storytelling principles:
- Start with tension: the brain instantly engages when it senses a gap between what is and what should be
- DO NOT INTRODUCE YOURSELF
Effective closing techniques
- Close the loop & leave a decision
- Return to the issue/gap you revealed about your challenge in your opening
- End with a choice and invite action
- "If we want more people sitting in the shade of financial security, we have to plant the right trees today. Hire me and I'll help grow value that lasts."
- DON'T BE AWKWARD!
Rhetorical Techniques
- Logos - use logical reasoning to back up your claim
- Ethos - use reognizable evidence from real examples of your competencies
- Incorporate 'authority/credibility' in your description of challenge's importance
- Pathos -0 use emotion appropriately to engage your audience and invite them to care
Why is delivery important?
- It differentiates you from person to person
- Gains interest, trust, and action
- If you want people to trust you, they have to be interested in what you say
- Shows your belief and commitment
- If you don't seem confident, they're not going to think you believe in what you're saying
What makes an effective delivery?
- Authenticity
- Confidence
- Natural, conversational tone
- Evidence of practice and preparation
- But you don't want it to sound robotically replayed