Town throws first pitch

Times Contributor  

 

The stage has been set at the Civic Centre for 7 p.m. on June 19. 

Contestants from non-profit agencies in Strathmore are stirring creative juices, smoothing out kinks in their ideas and shaking off backstage worries with an eye on the prize of $10,000 offered in the Town of Strathmore’s Let’s make a Pitch contest. 

The award will go to the development of the winning idea. Town of Strathmore’s CAO Dwight Stanford said it is not too late to enter and those interested should contact Jen Sawatzky at 403-934-3133 as soon as possible.

The defining moment for these contestants will be the short minutes of their presentation in front of a celebrity panel of judges, a panel comprised of shopping centre development guru Ron Renaud of Rencor Developments, oil services wizard Beerd Beekman of Magnum Cement, and business prodigy and entrepreneur Brett Wilson. 

To win, contestants have to figure out the art of the pitch. 

“The value of marketing is the one of the most under-rated skills in life,” said Wilson. “When you present yourself, whether it’s socially, for a job opportunity, for business, or promoting a product … mastering your presentation is an asset.”

Wilson said that a perfect pitch and a polished presentation are attainable, even for those who don’t have a natural talent for it.

What are his tips?

“Get their attention quickly,” said Wilson. “You only have about 15 to 20 seconds to grab their interest before their attention is lost.”

Wilson said practise is essential. He said the insertion of ums and ah’s throughout a presentation wastes valuable time and quickly delivers a message that you are unprepared and haven’t thought your idea through. While he didn’t think there was time in this venue for a polished audio-visual presentation, he said sometimes one image or visual representation can drive an idea home. 

In this contest, the judges will be directing targeted questions to contestants, so predicting possible inquiries and again practising clear responses ahead of time would be beneficial.

Wilson has been a supporter of Strathmore charitable events in the past and he considers giving back to the community one of the many ways to improve personal and business investments.

“There is little doubt that creating a sense of community is key to having people come to town and having them stay there,” said Wilson. “Seeing strong community interest and creating good infrastructure is definitely a driver of economic interest.”

Donations of $100 or more can be given towards the town beautification projects by any corporation, business or individual; the ‘Let’s Make a Pitch’ event will also generate a marketing opportunity, as contributors names will be posted at the event and inserted on the program. These donations make good sense, too, as tax deductible receipts will be issued by the Town of Strathmore. So everyone is encouraged to come out for a fun night of networking. Food bank donations will also be accepted at the door.