GENERAL

EDUCATION 3
WEEK 15: CRAFTING A PERSUASIVE PITCH
RECAP…
A good recommendation is one
that is…
1. Practicable
2. Specific
RECAP…
Application to CA2:
• Ensure that your final recommendations are things that your fellow classmates
can carry out
• Recommendations should include changes one can make to his/her habits,
behaviours, way of thinking etc. Click here for some examples.
• Recommendations made should therefore be a combination of various
suggestions that include advocacy/activism AND changes to one’s behaviour
• Ensure that your suggestions on advocacy and activism are legal in Singapore
RECAP: 2 WAYS TO EFFECT CHANGE…

“Public support for or “The policy or action of using

recommendation of a
particular cause or policy”
(Oxford Living Dictionaries,
2017)
Advocates speak on behalf of
individuals or groups
vigorous campaigning to bring about
political or social change.” (Oxford
Living Dictionaries, 2017)
Activists take direct action to bring
about change
OVERVIEW
1. Pitch Pairings
2. What is a pitch?
3. Characteristics of good
pitches
4. How to pitch
5. Pitch Fight!
6. Handling the Q+A
1. PITCH PAIRINGS
• Everyone in class is to have prepared the first 1 to 3 minutes of their CA2
pitch. In the 1 to 3 minutes, you are to:
1. Introduce the issue/problem in their Research Question and explain what
the controversy is
2. Describe some of the arguments made FOR and AGAINST the issue
3. State your personal conclusion on the issue and explain briefly how you
have arrived at that conclusion

*The last 2 minutes of your pitch should be reserved for evidences to support
your conclusion, as well as for you to make recommendation(s) to resolve the
issue.
 1. PITCH PAIRINGS
• Find a friend and form a pair or
group of 3 if there is an odd number
of people in class
• Using the next 10 minutes or so,
share your prepared 1 to 3 minutes
pitch with your friend(s)
• The people listening are to provide
some feedback on how to improve
after the person pitching is done
2. WHAT IS A PITCH?
• A form of words used
when trying
to persuade someone to
buy or accept something
--
Oxforddicionaries.com
2. WHAT IS A PITCH?
WHAT WAS GOOD ABOUT
THE PITCH?
3. CHARACTERISTICS OF GOOD PITCHES
• Clear introduction, body and conclusion
• They tell a story (Sell more than just a product/service)
• Catch people’s attention
• It is well researched
• Clear and confident delivery
4. HOW TO PITCH:
Pitch Overview:
A. Exposition
B. Rising Action
C. Climax
D. Resolution
A. THE EXPOSITION
• Set the context of your pitch by providing background information on the
issue/problem, why you researched it etc.
• This is also the time to capture the attention of your audience through some of
these ways:
1. Famous Quotations
How would you like
2. Declarative Statements to wake up one
3. Rhetorical Questions
4. Real-world Situations
morning
5. Anecdotes and Personal Stories underwater?
6. Scenarios or Illustrations
7. Shocking Statistics
B. RISING ACTION
• The body of the pitch is the part where the main information on
what you are trying to sell or persuade others to buy or accept is
communicated
• In relation to your CA2, this is where you share on what the existing
body of research says about the issue, including the various
arguments FOR and AGAINST the issue
• As you will not have time to share every single viewpoint you have
researched, you have to decide which points are the most significant
• This is also the part where you share the various evidences you have
come across in your research
B. RISING ACTION
• Evidence can come in the form of:
 Statistics, figures (from government data
etc.) and findings (from research)
 Case studies and examples
 Expert opinions

• Signposting is also important to help your

audience follow your pitch
C. THE CLIMAX
• In narrative writing, this is usually THE TURNING POINT of the
story where the fate of the hero or villain begins to change
• In relation to your CA2, this is where you need to share your
evaluations on the information and evidence(s) gathered, as well as
your interpretations
• In other words, which side presented a stronger case – FOR or
AGAINST? What reasons and evidences were especially strong and
how were they stronger than the opposing side?
D. THE RESOLUTION
• As suggested by the word “Resolution”, this is where you come to
your conclusion and recommendation
• State your own personal POV on the issue based on your synthesis
and evaluation of the research information and evidence you have
gathered and analysed
• Present your call to action or recommendation for your audience
to consider; encourage advocacy or activism that is in line with your
research findings and conclusion
D. THE RESOLUTION
A call to action is often a statement designed to get an immediate
response from an audience; often, it tries to get an audience to take some
kind of immediate action on something
Alternatively, you may wish to conclude with:
– Round-up anecdote
– Startling statement
– Question-to-consider
– Famous Quotation
D. THE RESOLUTION
Here is how:
• Signpost your intention
• Catch your audience’s attention
• Describe the steps you want your audience to take
• Include specific details that are necessary:
– E.g. – if you picked “boycotts”
– Step 1 – “Here’s what you can do with us” (the Signpost)
– Step 2 - “We have to work together to put pressure on X corporation” (the Stand)
– Step 3 – “Our announcement is going out on Facebook today” (the Call to Action)
– Step 4 – “Join us in sharing and stating that you will not buy anything from X
Corporation until they stop doing Y” (the Action itself)
OTHER TIPS AND REMINDERS…
• Visuals
– Smile, unless it’s not appropriate!
– Appropriate emotions (it’s a pitch!)
– Eye-contact, sweep the room!
• Posture and movement
– Stand upright, but not like Ol’ Frank(enstien)
– Feel free to move if it helps your message (spacial emphasis)
• Hands: what to do with them
– Central resting position or at sides
– Use gestures effectively
• Speak smoothly and clearly
– Good pacing leads to good understanding
– Avoid “ahs”, “like”, and other empty words
5. PITCH FIGHT!
PITCH FIGHT!
• Now that you have learnt how to pitch, take the next 15 minutes to improve on your
current 1 to 3-minute long pitches
• Once the 15 minutes are up, you will be divided into 2 groups – Group A and Group B
based on the order of your CA2 pitching order and Week e.g. Week 16, number 1 speaker,
starts first
• Pass your cellphone to your friend; to help you record your performance. Your lecturer
will time your pitch based on the length of time you would like to keep your pitch to
• Your Lecturer will write your names on the board to keep order of the pitches
• Go to the Mentimeter room to vote for your favourite pitch in the Group based on the
following areas: Ability to engage audience, structure and flow of pitch, and fluency and
persuasiveness
• Highest number of votes, wins!
ARE YOU READY… FOR…

5. PITCH
FIGHT!
WHAT DID YOU THINK OF YOUR
FRIEND’S PITCHES
• What was effective?
• What was not very effective?
• Who won? Why did they win?

Turn to the person next to you and feedback on at least 1

strength & 1 area for improvement!
6. HANDLING THE Q&A
• Listen carefully
• Think before responding
• Rephrase/repeat question, if
necessary (to clarify)
• Same delivery style as your
pitch
• Elaborate on your answers
but be sure to answer
relevantly and coherently
GE3 CA2 PITCH SAMPLES…
" D O E S I M P L E M E N T I N G A H I R I N G Q U O TA
" S H O U L D W E AV O I D B U Y I N G L E AT H E R
B A S E D O N G E N D E R R E A L LY B R I N G A B O U T
PRODUCTS TO PROTECT ANIMALS FROM
G R E AT E R G E N D E R E Q U A L I T Y I N T H E
C R U E LT Y ? "
WORKPLACE?"
 REMINDERS:
• ALL presenters (Week 16 AND 17) are to submit their CA2 outlines by the Week
16 lesson either via softcopy or hardcopy as determined by your GE3 lecturer
• Week 16 presenters are to be in class by the start of class time (NO 15 minute grace
period) or be deemed late and incur a -10m penalty
• Week 17 people do not need to attend class in Week 16 but are welcome to watch if
they wish to
• Please ensure that you come prepared with the correct cables to connect your laptop
to the class projector if you are using .pptx slides
• If you are taken ill, please inform your lecturer, apply for LOA and submit your
school-approved LOA to your lecturer so a make-up CA2 can be arranged for you;
no school-approved LOA = No make-up CA2
• Last chance to do a make-up CA2 is the end of Week 18