What's The Big Idea: Sam Horn - How to Pitch, Present and Make People Care About What You Do

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“When we make a decision that is in alignment with our values, vision and voice, we set in motion a congruent life that just gets better and better and better.”

Sam Horn has trained the world’s top entrepreneurs (e.g. EO, YPO, TLC) and executives (e.g. Intel, Cisco, Boeing) how to communicate more clearly, compellingly and convincingly.

Her pioneering POP! book, endorsed by Seth Godin, Ken Blanchard, Mark Sanborn and marketing guru Jeffrey Gitomer (who calls it “a rocket ship to your success”) introduces an innovative step-by-step system for creating first-of-their-kind titles, taglines, pitches, brand messages, positioning and marketing copy that get your products and services noticed, remembered and bought.

Sam’s expertise is frequently featured in major media outlets including the New York TimesBusinessWeek and FastCompany

She has presented to more than a half million people worldwide (London, Geneva, Amsterdam, Dublin, Toronto, Berlin), was twice the top-ranked speaker for the International Platform Association, and a top-ranked speaker at the 2008 INC 500/5000 convention (with Jim Collins, Tom Peters and Tim Ferriss).

She’s served as Pitch Coach for the USA Today Perfect Pitch and British Airways Face2Face competitions, and for Springboard Enterprises – which has helped entrepreneurs receive $8.8 billion in funding.

She is the former Executive Director and Emcee of the world-renowned Maui Writers Conference (1992-2009) and has helped hundreds of people (i.e., Denise Brosseau, Founder of the Thought Leadership Lab) to crystallize their message into quality books that scaled their influence, income, and impact.


Today’s guest: Sam Horn

Her big idea: How to Pitch, Present and Make People Care About What You Do

Listen to What’s The Big Idea on your preferred platform below:



Key insights Shared:

  • Confused people don’t say yes

  • How to get people’s eyebrows up (intrigued & curious)

  • The value of making crucial decisions at crossroads

  • Why boldness has genius in it

  • Dealing with difficult people without becoming one yourself

  • Methodology’s on how do we have someone at “Hello”

  • Why it is our responsibility to say something original

  • How to package your own ideas in the context of personal experience and epiphany

  • The genius of starting with Where vs. Why…

  • Response to the thought of “why would anyone care about my story?”

  • It’s not about impressing it’s about connecting

  • The framework for helping people to structure the story for their business / idea / movement

  • Ink it when you think it!

  • How to WWWAVVE a real life example of a where story:

    -       WHO are you

    -       Where and when?

    -       What was said? (re-create the conversation)

    -       Adversity (conflict/pushback/naysaying)

    -       Victory

    -       Emotional context (how did it make you feel?)

  • How to come up with a signature story

  • What’s the shift?

  • The value of honoring the Yin & Yang 

  • The difference between being reactive and proactive

  • If we focus on what we don’t want, we will perpetuate the problem

  • How to meld the left and right brain pitches

    1) Start with 3 “did you know?” questions that go to the scope of the problem you’re solving, or issue your addressing, or the need that you need

    2) Imagine – get people to start picturing and visualize

    3) Now come in with evidence

  • The quickest way to get smart people’s attention

  • Techniques for delivering your message authentically and powerfully (Tactical vs. Emotional/Psychological)

  • The value of saying to yourself, “would someone reading this benefit?”


to learn more about Sam and her work:

Website: https://www.intrigueagency.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samhornintrigue