The 3-sentence story

1. The 3-sentence story Summarizing your story to its main elements

2. The elevator pitch • Imagine you are in a lift with Bill Gates • What would you tell him about your project? • What is the most important thing to say? • You have 2 minutes! • Used with investors

3. Nine Cs of an effective elevator pitch • Concise As few words as possible, but no fewer • Clear Your grandparents can understand it • Compelling Explains the problem • Credible Explains how you solved the problem • Conceptual Not unnecessary detail • Concrete Specific and tangible • Customized Addresses audience’s interests • Consistent Same basic message • Conversational Not complete, but aims to interest audience in more information

4. Three sentences • Summarize your story in three sentences: • Problem • Solution • Results

5. Three sentences • Problem • Farmers in Zimbabwe find it difficult to sell goats, so they are not interested in raising them • Solution • The project has introduced an auction system that gives farmers a good price for their animals • Results • As a result, farmers in 10 villages are now investing in goat raising

6. Three sentences • Problem • Schools in District X lack basic facilities such as classrooms, desks and textbooks • Solution • The project is encouraging parents and local people to get involved in managing the schools • Results • In five schools, parent associations are now helping build classrooms and raising money to buy textbooks

7. Three sentences • Problem • People in District Y defecate in the open, spreading diseases • Solution • Unicef has found a way to persuade them to build and use pit latrines • Results • The project will use this method to promote latrines in 50 villages

8. Your turn! • In pairs, interview your neighbour about his/her topic • Write 3 sentences that tell his/her story • Report back to us • No DevelopmentSpeak!