Want to Sell More? It All Comes Down to Nailing the 'Three P's' According to Legendary Pitchman Anthony Sullivan On the new episode of "Fix My Pitch," business coaches Anthony Sullivan and Tina Frey break down the ingredients of a knockout pitch.

By Dan Bova

Key Takeaways

  • If you can't pitch, you can't succeed.
  • Learn to overcome shyness and stage fright.
  • Be aware of the message being sent by body language.
  • Facts tell, but stories sell.

"If an entrepreneur can't pitch their business, they can't succeed."

So says legendary pitchman Anthony Sullivan, who you probably know from his iconic OxiClean commercials. "It's something we see happen all the time on Entrepreneur's show, Elevator Pitch, where entrepreneurs have 60 seconds to pitch. If they don't get an investor's attention, they're done for."

To help entrepreneurs who didn't succeed on the show (and to offer all entrepreneurs the tricks of the pitching trade) Sullivan teamed up with business coach Tina Frey to host our new show Fix My Pitch. Over the course of this season, four failed Elevator Pitch contestants will receive training from world-class pitching and startup experts. Their ultimate goal? Scoring a second chance in the elevator to win a life-changing investment from our board.

On this episode, Anthony and Tina meet two contestants with science-based companies and break down some of the basics of a winning pitch. Anthony says it comes down to the three P's all lining up perfectly: "The pitch, the person and the product."

Here are some of the big areas Tina and Anthony drill down on with the entrepreneurs:

  • Exuding confidence with your words and body language
  • Finding that inner salesperson even if you are an introvert
  • Keeping your message simple and digestible
  • Selling by telling a great story

See how the contestants respond to their first round of blunt criticism, and see if any of Anthony and Tina's tips can be applied to you and your business. (Spoiler alert: 100% of these tips can be applied to you and your business!)

Fix My Pitch contestants

Ashley Rosulek, founder of Osweetfitness, affordable, high-quality luxury athletic wear

Brandon Storms, founder and CEO of Retavo, a platform to launch and maintain a state-of-the-art enterprise-grade marketplace at an affordable price

William Colton, MS, CEO of Paldara, a company harnessing the power of natural bacteriophage to fight and prevent disease.

Arvin Bhangu, founder of Superintelligence, a research lab that aims to create a system that allows for the co-existence of humans and Artificial General Intelligence (AGI)

Fix My Pitch experts

Anthony Sullivan, celebrity pitchman and entrepreneur

Tina Frey, keynote speaker, coach, communications expert, and author of The ART of Facilitation

Fix My Pitch is sponsored by State Farm. New episodes stream Wednesdays now through October 4, 2023 on Entrepreneur.com. Season 10 of Entrepreneur Elevator Pitch premieres on October 18, 2023.

Dan Bova

Entrepreneur Staff

VP of Special Projects

Dan Bova is the VP of Special Projects at Entrepreneur.com. He previously worked at Jimmy Kimmel Live, Maxim, and Spy magazine. His latest books for kids include This Day in History, Car and Driver's Trivia ZoneRoad & Track Crew's Big & Fast Cars, The Big Little Book of Awesome Stuff, and Wendell the Werewolf

Read his humor column This Should Be Fun if you want to feel better about yourself.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

More from Fix My Pitch

Is Your Pitch Not Working? Here's How to Fix It, According to Experts.

'There Is No Success Without Failure': How to Turn a Pitch Meeting Setback Into Success

Want to Sell More? It All Comes Down to Nailing the 'Three P's' According to Legendary Pitchman Anthony Sullivan

Celebrity Pitchman Anthony Sullivan and Tina Frey Reveal the Secrets of a Killer Pitch

Editor's Pick

Business News

JPMorgan Shuts Down Internal Message Board Comments After Employees React to Return-to-Office Mandate

Employees were given the option to leave comments about the RTO mandate with their first and last names on display — and they did not hold back.

Innovation

4 Ways Market Leaders Use Innovation to Foster Business Growth

Forward-thinkers constantly strive to diversify and streamline their products and services, turning novelties into commodities desired by many.

Science & Technology

Is Mental Clarity the Real Key to Success in 2025?

Peak mental efficiency = peak business effectiveness.

Business Ideas

70 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2025

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2025.

Business News

'Masculine Energy Is Good': Mark Zuckerberg Tells Joe Rogan He Thinks Companies Need More Aggression

On the most recent episode of "The Joe Rogan Experience," Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said corporate culture has become "neutered."