7 Pitching Excuses Professionals Make That Keep Them Stuck—And How to Fix Them Fast
Excuses sink more great ideas than bad pitching ever could. Many pitches don’t fail because of what was said—but because of what was never pitched in the first place.
It’s easy to convince yourself that now isn’t the right time, that you’re not the right person, or that you don’t know enough.
But as Tony Robbins puts it, “You can either make progress or make excuses.”
If you’re looking to make your pitches stronger this year, here are seven classic excuses that keep people stuck—and the strategies to move past them.
1. “I don’t have enough time to prepare.”
If that’s your excuse, your problem isn’t time—it’s process.
W. Edwards Deming, a leader in process improvement, famously said:
“If you can’t describe what you are doing as a process, you don’t know what you’re doing.”
If you don’t have a go-to structure for preparing your pitches, no amount of time will help you.
Do you have a framework for structuring your pitch?
Can you articulate it to others?
Is it embedded in how you work?
With the right approach, you can pull together a respectable pitch in minutes and a compelling one with more time.
If you don’t know where to start, that’s a separate excuse—keep reading.
2. “I don’t know where to start.”
Start at the end.
Before doing anything else, ask yourself:
What’s the one thing I want my audience to take away from this pitch?
What decision or action do I want them to take?
Once you know the answer, build your case backward.
And don’t confuse where to start with where to open.
Your opening is the hook—the last thing you prepare. Get your thinking straight before worrying about the delivery.
3. “Other people are better qualified than me to speak.”
Maybe, maybe not. But that’s not the point.
You were asked to pitch for a reason. Someone believes you bring value to the conversation. Don’t let self-doubt take you out of the running.
If you’re unsure why you were chosen, ask:
What perspective do you need from me?
What specific insight or experience can I bring?
More often than not, you’ll realise that you’re more prepared than you think—or at the very least, you now know exactly what’s expected.
4. “I have too much to cover in the allotted time.”
That’s a better problem than not having enough to say.
The solution? Get to the point.
Define the one key takeaway you want your audience to remember.
Strip your pitch down to only what’s essential to make that point compelling.
The hardest part of pitching isn’t covering more—it’s focusing on what truly matters.
5. “I don’t know enough about my topic.”
Donald Rumsfeld famously said:
There are known knowns (what you’re certain of).
There are known unknowns (what you know you don’t know).
And there are unknown unknowns (the blind spots).
If you’ve been asked to pitch, your “known knowns” are what people want to hear.
Still unsure? Ask the person who invited you.
Why did they ask you specifically?
What perspective do they want you to bring?
Most decision-makers see more in you than you see in yourself. Getting their input clarifies expectations and ensures your pitch is on point.
6. “A lot of what we have to cover is technical and boring.”
No one who’s ever gone deep-sea diving regrets learning how to use the scuba tank.
The problem isn’t technical content—it’s how you frame it.
If you’re worried about your pitch getting too bogged down:
Tell a story. Show how your solution will make an impact.
Give only the top-line details. Enough to keep them engaged—leave the deep dive for later.
Make it about them. Don’t focus on what your solution does. Focus on how it changes their reality.
Your audience doesn’t need every detail. They need a reason to care.
7. “I’m new to all this. I’ve never done it before.”
See this for what it is—an opportunity.
And commit to keeping it simple.
First, get clear on:
Why you’re being asked to pitch.
What perspective they want from you.
What success looks like for your audience.
This will impress your client and build rapport before you even step into the room.
Then, follow this structure:
Stick to what you know. Confidence comes from familiarity.
Decide on your key takeaway. Clarity shows competence.
Support your point with evidence. Clear thinking earns buy-in naturally.
That’s it. No bells and whistles. No overcomplication.
Your first pitch isn’t about showmanship. It’s about substance.
Rehearse, anticipate questions, and prepare clear answers.
Get this right, and you’ll pitch with composure—showing your audience an organised, thoughtful, and credible version of you.
No More Excuses—Just Strategic, No-Sell Sales Pitches
These are just some of the many excuses that keep great ideas from seeing the light of day.
If you’ve been holding yourself back, this is your sign to move forward.
Happy pitching.