pitch
PITCH
/pɪtʃ/
A speech or presentation designed to persuade someone to buy or do something.
While a 'presentation' is formal and informative, a 'pitch' is inherently persuasive and often high-energy, aimed at a specific 'ask' or sale.
The story behind the word. Originally meaning to 'fix' or 'drive in' (like a stake in the ground), the word evolved to mean 'to set in order' and eventually 'to throw' (like a baseball). In sales, you are 'throwing' your idea at a target in hopes they catch it.
Word relationships
- presentation: A presentation is broader and can be purely educational, whereas a pitch is always persuasive.
- proposal: A proposal is often a written, formal document, while a pitch is typically an oral delivery.
- rebuttal: A rebuttal is an argument against a point, while a pitch is an argument for one.
Commonly confused with
- speech: A speech is a general term for public speaking; a pitch is a specific sales-oriented speech.
Word family
- pitcher (noun): The person delivering the persuasive presentation.
Collocations
- elevator pitch
- sales pitch
- perfect your pitch
- make a pitch
Idioms & expressions
- make a pitch for
- fever pitch
Example sentences
- "You should be able to deliver your elevator pitch in the time it takes to ride to the tenth floor." Describing the necessity of a concise sales argument.
- "The pitch was so good, I didn't even realize I was being sold to until I was signing the check." A classic observation on the nature of sales presentations.
Memory hook
Think of a baseball pitcher throwing a ball to a catcher; in sales, you 'pitch' your idea to a customer, hoping they 'catch' it and buy. Throw the idea, catch the sale.
When not to use
Avoid using 'pitch' for purely academic lectures or internal status updates where no persuasion is required.
Fun facts
- The term 'elevator pitch' became popular in the 1990s as a way to describe a summary short enough to be told during a brief elevator ride.
Explore more words
give a presentation, persuade, persuasion, persuasive, oratory, Fundraising
Also appears in
- Business → Entrepreneurship & Startups
- Media, Journalism & Publishing → Freelance Journalism & Blogging
- Sports, Athletics & Recreation → Athletic Venues & Facilities
- Physical Sciences & Cosmology → Acoustics & Sound Waves
- Music, Instruments & Performance → Singing & Vocals
- Aviation & Maritime Transport → Piloting & Flight Deck Operations
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