Economy
How Startups Can Conduct Business Pitching for Solid Closing
By Emmanuel Otori
What does pitching in business entail?
In business, pitching means presenting company concepts to another person. As an illustration, you might introduce your fledgling company to possible investors or your items to prospective clients.
To get buy-in, a business pitch must clearly explain your strategy or objectives to the audience. Your goods and business are the subjects of your pitch. Beginning to share your concept is never too early. You must always be prepared to make a pitch in order to impress or excite people about your company. Pitches are target-based to either investors or customers.
A pitch is a speech intended to persuade an audience or listener to take a certain action. The idea of your speech dictates the purpose of your pitch and the likely outcome to anticipate, so the following reasons for a pitch are provided: to attract early adopters who will use your service, to attract investors, and partners who can help you grow your company, request a reasonable sum based on maturity and the stage of your startup.
Kinds of Pitch
Today, it is not uncommon that investors lack the patience and time to listen to traditional pitches where you reel off all the benefits of your product and then make a “great deal” to close.
One-word Pitch: It is important that a word reflects your brand. It is a keyword that summarizes the concept of your product or business. The elements of your brand can stimulate that word that becomes a key of clarity to a first-time hearer. This keyword is often coined from the mission/vision, goals, unique point or even the solution offered.
Elevator Pitch: This is your go-to pitch for networking events, social media, and elevator rides with potential clients. Every salesperson is expected to carry around a pitch like this. Within 30 to 60 seconds, the fundamentals of your product and company are discussed. You risk boring your listener whenever you’re outside. In your speech, you should focus more on why you give a particular solution than what solution you propose. This presents the concept of your product and company in a more persuasive manner.
Investor Pitch: Here is a speech that describes the issues you hope to address as part of your investor pitch. You should not use industry jargon when presenting; it is exclusively for your pitch deck. In an investor pitch, you describe what you do, the level of business maturity, the size of the market, and your partners. If you can create a large company, investors will be interested.
Customer Pitch: The customer pitch is that, in contrast to investors, customers are looking for the problems that your product and business can help them with. Get them to talk more about the issue than you do, and only then can you determine what the appropriate remedy is. Presentations can contain industry terminologies because it is considered that the audience is aware of the market.
Follow-up Pitch: Here’s a reminder of a concept you’ve already pitched to a listener who hasn’t yet lived up to your expectations. This needs to be handled respectfully and with courtesy. A postal pitch or a cold phone pitch can be used to follow up with an investor or a client.
Presenting a Pitch
Firstly, when giving a pitch, begin with a short, friendly introduction and a memorable slogan to pique the audience’s interest. Note that you should keep your opening slide up longer as your investors’ attention is filtered by it.
Next, in an investor pitch, you would continue by discussing a problem your business or idea addresses; whereas, in a customer pitch, you would allow the customer to explain their issue. Make up a story to raise thoughts, and then use the pertinent data and facts to persuade or convince them of the issue. Taking a moment will help your pitch’s dramatic impact.
Furthermore, explain your approach to the audience, outlining how your concept functions and how you have tested it to support it. Use visuals to show how your product or service looks in an investor pitch. These could be videos, images, or screenshots. Keep in mind, that businesses are not without rivals, but your special selling point offers you an advantage in convincing your listener that your solution is the best one.
Moreover, when making a pitch to an investor, describe your business model to demonstrate that you have a sound strategy for generating income. Your traction is a crucial component of your pitch because it details your past successes. Telling your investor how you intend to expand goes a step further. This demonstrates your maturity and where you see your firm going in terms of attracting customers.
Conclusion
You definitely do not want to have a fantastic product or idea but waste your opportunity to close by being unprepared. Before presenting to a prospective investor or consumer, it is critical that you assess your level of readiness in a few actions.
➢ Examine your pitch pattern to make sure it lives up to your expectations.
➢ Be sure to sound assured.
➢ Pitch-matching with a note is improper.
➢ Your pitch should be memorized and practised.
➢ Be mindful of your time and focus just on keywords in your pitch.
➢ Have brief versions of your pitch.
➢ Pair your story with a visual document called a pitch deck which you deliver while pitching.
In your pitch session, you should sell your problem in ways that are evident or set by the consumer to avoid promoting a remedy in your pitch without first detailing the problem, or at least its significance.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
Analysts at Coronation Research are projecting the inflation rate for February 2026 to moderate by 0.98 per cent to 14.12 per cent from the 15.10 per cent recorded in the preceding month.
The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) is expected to release the inflation numbers today, Monday, March 16, 2026.
In a note released over the weekend, Coronation Research disclosed that the fall in the average prices of goods and services for last month would be impacted by a decline in the prices of food items.
“Our projection is supported by favourable base effects, easing food price pressures, and slight appreciation of the Naira,” a part of the report sighted by Business Post read.
The organisation revealed that the ongoing government interventions in the agricultural sector to improve food supply conditions are beginning to ease pressures within the food component of the consumer basket.
It further stated that “appreciation of the Naira to N1,363.40/1$ from N1,386.55/1$ in January is expected to reduce the cost of imported food items.”
However, it stressed that the ongoing US/Israel-Iran war was capable of reversing the deflationary trends because of the rising global energy prices.
“Also, the $200 million financing approved by the African Development Bank (AfDB) Group to scale up priority agricultural investments is expected to be disbursed in March, but its impact is likely to materialise in the medium to long term, with limited immediate effects on food supply and prices,” it said.
Coronation Research also disclosed that the recent energy market developments could keep core inflation sticky in the near term, as average Bonny Light crude oil prices rose to $72.33 per barrel in February 2026 from $68.04 per barrel in January.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on President Bola Tinubu to order an investigation into the alleged N5.9 billion rebranding cost of the old Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation into the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited.
In a Sunday statement, SERAP urged Mr Tinubu to direct the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Lateef Fagbemi, alongside anti-corruption agencies, to look into the matter.
The group further urged the President to direct the panel to identify and invite officials who authorised the payment and contractors who handled the project for questioning.
“We’ve urged President Bola Tinubu to urgently direct the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, and appropriate anti-corruption agencies to promptly investigate the alleged expenditure of about ₦5.9 billion reportedly spent on the rebranding of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).
“We also urged him to direct the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to identify the officials who approved and paid the amount, and the contractor(s) who collected the money, and to invite them for questioning,” the organisation stated.
SERAP further alleged that the NNPC reportedly paid N2.9 billion for incorporation expenses from petroleum product proceeds, while the National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS) also charged N2.9 billion against crude oil revenue for the same purpose.
The group argued that the total cost was valued at about N5.9 billion, which was spent by the NNPCL for the rebranding.
“There ought to be full transparency and accountability regarding the reported ₦5.9 billion spent on rebranding NNPC to NNPCL.”
SERAP emphasised that Nigerians have the right to know who approved the expenditure, who received the money, and whether due process was followed.
“Any investigation into the rebranding project should determine whether the N5.9 billion represents value for money, lawful spending of public funds, and compliance with transparency and accountability requirements,” the statement concluded.
Business Post reports that NNPC became a limited liability company on July 1, 2022, under the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) in line with the implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), which was signed into law on August 16, 2021, by late President Muhammadu Buhari.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The NASD Over-the-Counter (OTC) Securities Exchange extended its stay in the south for the fourth consecutive session after it shed 1.18 per cent on Friday, March 13.
The unlisted securities market recorded a loss despite closing without a price decliner, and ending with two price gainers led by Geo Fluids Plc, which gained 1o Kobo to sell at N3.10 per share compared with the previous day’s N3.00 per share. Industrial and General Insurance (IGI) Plc appreciated during the session by 2 Kobo to trade at 54 Kobo per unit versus Thursday’s closing price of 52 Kobo per unit.
When the market closed for the day, the market capitalisation lost N29.83 billion to close at N2.489 trillion compared with the N2.519 trillion it finished a day earlier, and the NASD Unlisted Security Index (NSI) crashed by 49.84 points to 4,160.46 points from 4,210.31 points.
Market activity improved yesterday, as the volume of transactions rose 179.5 per cent to 10.4 million units from 3.7 million units, but the value of trades declined by 68.4 per cent to N29.9 million from N95.0 million, while the number of deals weakened by 11.5 per cent to 46 deals from 52 deals.
Central Securities Clearing Systems (CSCS) Plc remained the most active stock by value on a year-to-date basis with 38.4 million units worth N2.4 billion, Okitipupa Plc followed with 6.4 million units traded at N1.1 billion, and FrieslandCampina Wamco Nigeria Plc transacted 6.3 million units for N584.3 million.
Resourcery Plc ended the trading session as the most traded stock by volume on a year-to-date basis with 1.1 billion units valued at N415.6 million, trailed by Geo-Fluids Plc with 130.8 million units valued at N504.5 million, and CSCS Plc with 38.4 million units worth N2.4 billion.
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