What I Learned from Elon Musk’s Pitching Ways

Hey everyone, this is Morgan, the founder of Gemoo.

I just watched Elon Musk’s interview with Fox News and can’t stop thinking that he’s really a marketing genius. His various successful achievements have been widely circulated and made him a model for startups. Then, I’m thinking why can’t we just learn from his experience and strategies to help us go further and smoother on the road of startups?

Also read: How to Build in Public Step by Step? >

So today, I am ready to share 8 of Musk’s storytelling tips, his framework can be applied to any pitch. Let us stand on the shoulders of giants and become masters of pitching.

Name the Enemy

During the interview, Musk criticized Microsoft-backed ChatGPT for “training the AI to lie”.

What do we see from the case?

To start, identify the thing that is hindering your customer’s happiness. In Musk’s case, the culprit is Lying, he shifted the enemy from ChatGPT to Liars, no one likes being kept in the dark.

Agitate the Problem

Elon Musk outlined numerous hazards that threaten the safety of AI, he shows that we’re at a pivotal moment.

He showed his concerns about the possibility of AI turning rogue and “destroying humanity”. And he has highlighted: the ability of advanced chatbots to spread propaganda and conceal the truth could potentially lead to a catastrophic outcome for our society.

Therefore, If we don’t act now, it’s gonna destruct civilization.

Spark the Solution

“I’m going to start something which I call ‘Truth GPT’ or a maximum truth-seeking AI that tries to understand the nature of the universe, “TruthGPT might be the best path to safety,” Musk said.

And he posted a tweet to make his audience know where he was heading.

Show Instead of Tell

Instead of just telling investors about your solution, show them.

Taking Elon Musk‘s Powerwall presentation as an example, he played an engaging one-minute video of the Tesla Powerwall to demonstrate its capabilities.

If you can’t get in front of investors in person, consider recording a short video.

Allow me to brag a little bit, my tool Gemoo can help you easily complete this task. It allows you to record your screen and camera while giving a clear explanation of your solution. By bringing your solution to life and making it personal to investors, you can more effectively demonstrate its potential.

Sell Benefits, Not Features

By focusing on the benefits, you can avoid listing boring features that may not resonate with potential customers.

Since TruthGPT is still in its infancy, we don’t know how Elon Musk will showcase its benefits to the public. However, one thing is for sure, it will bring a trustworthy internet environment to people and protect them from scams.

To better illustrate this tip, let’s go back to the Powerwall presentation venue where Musk hasn’t shown the audience how the Powerwall can benefit them: “It gives you safety, security, and a completely affordable solution.”

No power? No problem. Snowstorm? No problem. Live off-grid? No problem.

The Powerwall is designed to handle any situation.

Building Trust

Eliminate uncertainty from your pitch by providing a demo.

As Musk stated at the Powerwall presentation: “This entire night has been powered by batteries.” Nothing else could serve better proof that Powerwall can be zero reliance on the grid.

If you are an early-stage startup, consider using:

• Demos
• Customer feedback
• Testimonials

Demonstrating the Potential

Show your audience how your product has the potential to grow.

“The whole system is designed for infinite scalability.”

“What is needed to transition the world to sustainable energy?”

“To transition the US, 200 million Powerpacks are needed.”

All of the above statements by Musk showed the high potential of market demand for the Powerwall.

Show your long-term Vision

Don’t pitch to raise money but with passion.

Show your genuine excitement for the future, so that investors are more likely to buy into your long-term vision.

Pitch because you have never been more excited about what you could accomplish. Musk has shown that Tesla cannot do this alone, receiving investment is a way.

And Musk also finished by using the collective first person to inspire hope: “This is something we must do, can do, and will do.” Making the audience feel they are part of the journey, and don’t like giving stuff up is natural of human.

By analyzing these powerful moments, we can unlock the keys to making effective pitches of our own. Learn how to inspire, educate, and captivate your audience, just like Elon Musk.

Thanks for reading my sharing, hope it was helpful!

Remember to always be genuine, passionate, and excited about your vision.

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