1. Identify your customers' real problems

The starting point of any strong value proposition is not your product. Nor is it your technology, or even your brilliant idea. It's the customer's problem. Or, more precisely, the customer's perception of that problem.

A powerful pitch is not an exercise in self-promotion. It's first and foremost an act of empathy. It's about showing that you understand the priorities, hang-ups, irritants and tensions of the person you're talking to. And that you're in a position to respond concretely.

This stage consists of conducting a survey, active listening and analyzing the field. It will help you avoid a major pitfall: talking about yourself... when you're expected to talk about the customer.