Ask (the right way) and ye shall receive

“It’s A Wonderful Life” is one of my favorite movies.  It’s a great one to watch, and not just at the holidays, when you want to feel warm and fuzzy.  And these days, we need something to make us feel warm and fuzzy.  A great scene in the movie is when there is a run on the Bailey Bros. Building and Loan.  With minimal funds, George asks his customers, “What do you really need?  What will it take to tide you over?”

The Federal stimulus package is a real-world modern example of minimal funds with the government asking businesses, “What do you really need?  What will it take to tide you over?”  Responding the right way will make or break a request for funding.  According to speech coach Chris Witt, the best ideas and the greatest needs only win out when they are presented clearly, credibly and compellingly.

Witt advises, “When making a pitch for funding, you have to make your audience feel a sense of urgency and believe in the ability of your organization, project or proposal to solve the problems they face.”

Leaders of business, government or non-profits can make the best case for their proposal by following Witt’s recommendations:

1.  Be credible
2.  Sound the alarm without sounding like an alarmist
3.  Substantiate every claim
4.  Put a human face on the problem
5.  Advocate a solution that mitigates risk

By making presentations more convincing than ever before, every time a bell rings … it can be your cash register.