You have 5 minutes to MAKE YOUR PITCH so make it count!
KNOW THE FACTS:
Practice your elevator speech. You need to be able to tell the story of the work your organization does in less than 1 minute. People get lost easily by drawn out explanations. Write down what they do, how they do it, and who is affected. Then, wrap that around a few sentences, and voila! You have your pitch. If the organization that you nominated is drawn from the basket and you do not feel confident that you can clearly and concisely promote it, pass this time and brush up on the facts so you can make a solid pitch another time. If there is no clarity, it can do more to hurt the organization you are trying to help by confusing those who are hearing about it for the first time.
TELL THE "HEART" STORY:
Be sure that the group has a very clear understanding of why you nominated this particular organization/charity and why it is deserving of consideration. Why does it matter to YOU?
SHOW THEM THE MONEY:
Where will the money go? How will it be used? The women in the room are ready to make a wise choice about where they donate. This is not about a detailed financial statement, but rather a strong description of what the funds will be supporting. Taking the time to find out where the money will go pays off in the long run and will give you the confidence to stand up and make your pitch to the group. If you do not explain this in your allotted time to make your pitch, the women will ask in the Q & A session, so you will still need to have an answer.