My first ever stand-up gig was at the beloved Comedy Works. All new comics are given 2-minutes max. After that, if you don’t exit the stage, they cut the spotlight and mic on you.

It doesn’t matter if you are Chris Rock-level killing the room. If you go over your time, you will be abruptly cut off and embarrassed on stage. Standing there in the dark holding a dead microphone (more on this harrowing experience here).

So what did I do?

I decided to cram 2:25 seconds worth of jokes into my 2-minute set because I couldn’t bear to kill my darlings. I thought I had great jokes and I needed to showcase as much as possible!

The result was a ridiculously rushed set and a blown opportunity. I didn’t show up nearly as well as I could have in front of the booker.

The segue here is I see salespeople do this all the time.

These salespeople think every bit of info on their company, product, service, and clients is invaluable, so they cram 45 minutes worth of content into a 30-minute pitch.

Want to be more successful during your next sales pitch?

Prepare less content than time allotted to present. This allows for organic conversation, improvisation, and opportunities for you to break the 4th wall.

More often than not, the unexpected moments are the ones that stick with your prospect, and they can’t exist without building in some room to breathe.