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pitch

PITCH /pɪtʃ/

nounverbB2TOEFLIELTSCAT

BusinessInformal

A presentation by an entrepreneur to potential investors, usually to secure funding.

A pitch is more than just a speech; it is a persuasive performance designed to sell an idea or a vision.

The story behind the word. The word originally meant to 'fix' or 'set up' something, like a tent. In the 19th century, it became associated with vendors 'pitching' their goods in a market by setting up a stall and shouting to attract customers.

Word relationships

presentation: A presentation is any formal talk; a pitch is specifically designed to persuade and win support or money.
proposal: A proposal is often a written document; a pitch is usually the spoken delivery of that idea.

Commonly confused with

speech: A speech can be for any purpose (information, entertainment); a pitch is always for persuasion.

Word family

pitcher (noun): In this context, the person making the pitch.

Collocations

elevator pitch
sales pitch
pitch deck
investment pitch

Idioms & expressions

make a pitch for

Example sentences

"The founder had only five minutes to deliver her pitch to the panel of venture capitalists." Describing a high-pressure meeting.
"A good elevator pitch should be clear enough to understand in the time it takes to ride a few floors." Discussing the quality of a presentation.

Memory hook

Think of a baseball pitcher throwing the ball exactly where it needs to go to win the game. Pitch = Throwing your idea to the investors.

When not to use

Don't use 'pitch' for a casual conversation where you aren't trying to persuade someone to do something or buy something.

Fun facts

The 'elevator pitch' concept assumes you have only 30 to 60 seconds—the duration of an elevator ride—to convince a busy executive.