The decision, in one line
Readable by someone who will only read the subject line of the packet.
How to Pitch a Project
Pitch a project by naming the decision you need. A status update says how the work is going. A pitch asks someone to approve time, money, or their name.
A one-minute project film
Who is in the room
An internal sponsor, a leadership committee, a partner who must commit people, or a grant panel. They are busy, they did not ask for a narrative, and they can say no by doing nothing.
Four minutes live. One minute if it has to travel as a film or sit in a packet. The film is not a trailer for a longer mystery. It contains the decision.
Approve [the decision] by [date], so [who] can [the outcome]. If we wait, [the cost]. I own it.
What to say, in order
The decision
What you need them to approve, in the first two sentences. Do not arrive at the ask after the history of the project.
Who is affected
The people whose work changes, by name or by role. “The organisation” is not affected. A team is.
The cost of waiting
What gets worse, more expensive, or impossible if this slips a quarter. If nothing gets worse, you do not have a pitch. You have a preference.
Three steps
What happens, in order, and who does each step. A plan with no names is a wish.
Cost, risk, and the date
What it costs, the risk you are not hiding, and the date the decision expires. End on the owner: you.
Fill the brackets
If a bracket has a missing fact, cut the sentence. Do not invent a number to make the line sound finished.
- Decision
I need [the committee / sponsor / partner] to approve [the decision] by [date].
- Who
It changes the work of [the people].
- Waiting
If it slips, [the cost of waiting].
- Steps
We [step, and who], [step, and who], [step, and who].
- Close
It costs [the cost]. The risk I am not hiding is [the risk]. I own the outcome.
What to have ready
The people
Roles or names. If you cannot say whose week changes, the project is not scoped.
Cost and the risk
The number you are asking them to spend, and the way it can fail. Both, before they ask.
An owner and a date
You, unless you are explicitly handing it over. A date after which the ask is void.
A decision, a date, and an owner
Projects die in committees because the update was interesting and the ask was missing. The listener cannot approve a vibe. They can approve a named decision with a cost and a date.
The one-minute version is the whole pitch, not a teaser. Someone who never gets the meeting should still know what you need, from whom, by when, and what happens if they wait.
Where it goes wrong
A status update in pitch clothing
Progress is not a request. If you do not need a decision, send the update and do not call the meeting a pitch.
History before the ask
How the project started is context they can request. It is not the opening. They cannot approve the beginning.
No owner
“The team will drive it” means nobody will. Put your name on the outcome.
A risk sleeve
Listing no risks reads as inexperience. List the one that can actually sink it, and what you will do when it shows up.
Make it a film
Make the one-minute version — decision, who is affected, cost of waiting, and the next step — and put it in the packet.
A project video runs about a minute, in three chapters: the painful situation, the solution, and the advantages. You submit the name, the audience, the situation, the solution, how it works, the evidence and the next step, and you can upload a plan, a deck, a PDF or photos. You see the production plan before anything is made. Do not include a result you cannot source. A film is delivered only after it passes checks, and charged only once delivered.
During the beta, a new address needs an invite code. If you do not have one, write to sales and ask for access.
FAQ
How is a project pitch different from a status report?
A status report says what happened. A pitch asks for a decision: time, money, or a name. If nothing needs approving, do not pitch.
How do I pitch a project to leadership?
Decision first, then who is affected, then the cost of waiting, then three named steps, then cost, risk, and the date. Four minutes. Leave the appendix for the question you hope they ask.
What if the committee will not watch a film?
The film is the one-minute version of the same decision. The packet can be a page. They should match. Do not make the film a mood piece and hide the ask in a slide they may not open.
How long should the pitch be?
One minute when it has to travel. Four minutes when you are in the room. Both include the decision. The room version adds the risk and the questions.