Q:  Our Ask Event^™ is coming up soon, and we are wondering if our speaker (who will follow the script we give him!) should acknowledge the current situation with the economy during the pitch.

Lisa in California

A:  The Pitch Person should stick to the standard script, but the Visionary Leader^™ could allude to current economic "challenges," citing examples of how the economy impacts the people who your organization serves/benefits. For example, a Visionary Leader could say, "Domestic violence can increase during tough economic times due to stressful household situations, and we are seeing an increase of 10% in women and children seeking shelter." If your Visionary Leader says something to this effect, then it does make sense for the Pitch Person to briefly refer to what the Visionary Leader said in his or her talk. But otherwise, nothing special needs to be said by the Pitch Person about the economy. The standard script will work just fine.

Terry