Customer Reviews

Pitch Like a Girl: How a Woman Can Be Herself and Still Succeed

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I found this book to be easy-to-read, informative, and interesting.

The author tells you the what, the why, and the how of specific elements of "pitching" and she includes colorful examples to make her point.

She clearly breaks down the process of "pitching" into key elements and describes how to maximize the effectiveness of each element while including the major concerns of the other party.

(If anyone has seen the movie "Working Girl" with Melanie Griffith and Sigourney Weaver, you know how much work Melanie puts into her "pitch" and about the conflict between the "pink" woman, Melanie, and the "blue" woman, Sigourney.
This book describes certain elements of that movie to a T!)

The book hit the nail on the head when it said that as a woman you could jeopardize your chances of success if you are too feminine or too masculine. (This is not immediately obvious in most professions, and I have found that this is quite a fine line to walk in and out of the workplace.) Adjusting your style to suit the comfort level of your audience and being able to attend to the verbal and nonverbal behaviors of your audience are also discussed in this book.

Anyone that has tried not to pitch like a girl, female or male, has learned that what may seem like a simple natural motion into a complicated series of motions of from a specific grip on the ball, flex the wrist, position the arm, rotating the shoulder, twisting at the waist, leaning back, and moving my weight to the front foot for the throw.

What women might think is an innate ability to throw a baseball, or "pitch", is a very specific sequence of motions carefully learned over and made to look effortless through practice and refinement.

Thank goodness that someone could break down the motions of promoting the best of my skills and qualities to another person, for explaining how we are "pitching" all the time in our lives and the importance being able to do it effectively, and for explaining how "blue" people, "pink" people, and people with "stripes" are different.

This book helped me assess my audience more accurately, make adjustments to my "pitch" to increase my effectiveness, and decrease my level of stress while "pitching"!

Pitch Like A Girl is a book for both genders. Although this book is addressed to women, if you are a man, you'll find most of it applies to you, too. Because, as Lichtenberg amply illustrates, there may be fixed tendencies arising from "hard-wiring" in the different male and female brains and hormonal systems, but tendencies are subject to manipulation by socialization, by learning and by choice. So, we all end up with both blue (traditionally male) and pink (traditionally female) characteristics.

Ronna Lichtenberg provides her readers with three exceptional tools to improve communication and transactions across the styles that divide us:

1) She simplifies relevant scientific literature on the roles played by physical, psychological and sociological gender differences and makes it easy to understand and interesting to read.

2) She provides handy set of color-coded categories for how those differences work. That set is very useful for accurately interpreting other people's words, behaviors, expectations and intentions.

3) She gives exact, specific instructions on how to use your new understanding to get ahead in business -- and get what you want elsewhere.

In Pitch Like A Girl, you will learn to how to recognize and value both blue and pink characteristics (and your own particular blend) and use your tendencies for your highest benefit. You'll appreciate that the so-called "gender gap" in communicating is really a "pink" and "blue" gap that occurs within genders as well. So you'll be better able to talk to, negotiate with and make presentations to anyone by identifying his or her overall tendencies. In that, this excellent book adds substantially to the literature on male-style and female-style communication (such as Deborah Tannen's books You Just Don't Understand and That's Not What I Meant).

Of course, the book is about more than communications. The author's expression of the need for assertiveness and self-promotion in what she calls the "Me, Inc." approach is of interest to both "pinks" and "blues". As the saying goes, if I had a nickel for every time I explained the concept to both male and female clients, well...I'd have a whole lot of nickels. Let me just say, if you only get this one concept out of this and apply it, you'll be much more effective as an employee, an entrepreneur, a boss or whatever else you are. It is golden.

For women in particular, though, Lichtenberg addresses in depth issues all women face, pink, blue or evenly-striped. Issues that men are unlikely to face for many physical and cultural reasons. Best of all, she doesn't just help you understand them, she has ideas for exactly what to do about them. Men can just skip on to the generically useful parts.

Pitch Like a Girl is a book that at first glance gives the impression of simply being a primer for females in the modern workplace. As a male reader, my initial reaction was there wouldn't be much in it for me. I was wrong! The author has done an excellent job of revealing the clear and significant differences between men and woman in the workplace. Modern culture perpetuates a silly myth that men and woman are equal in every way... they just have a few parts different in anatomical design. The plain truth as Ronnie Lichtenberg explains is that we are "wired differently". This does not make one sex better or superior than another. We are unique by design and react differently in various situations. Men and woman also approach problems and challenges from different perspectives. This is as it should be, and trying to be something you are not, or conforming to others' expectations only leads to frustration.

Pitch Like a Girl is a refreshing book because the author believes women in the workplace don't have to change who and what they really are to succeed. She believes the real secret to success is to tap "more fully and consciously into the woman you already are". Litchenberg proposes that the key to fulfillment is to bring more of yourself to work, and to receive more back from it. To promote this she encourages the reader to discover their own "pitch". The "pitch" may be different for each individual, but as a powerful tool it will help you to exercise your natural skills of persuasion to influence others toward your point of view. This is accomplished by developing the skill set most women have acquired by nurturing and building personal relationships.

I enjoyed reading Pitch Like a Girl and it reminded me of the many barriers that still exist in the workplace for women. It also highlights the problems created when talented females feel forced to think and react just like their male counterparts. This fine publication is a pleasure to read and many parts are Lichtenberg's own autobiography which helps explain her philosophy and passion. The book is broken down into five chapters and each is seasoned with checklists, sidebars and thought-provoking questions. Pitch Like a Girl also includes some self-analysis testing and even has one appendix for guys to read.

Overcoming cultural expectations can be difficult. But, to be successful and fulfilled at the same time means being who and what you are intended to be on the inside and outside. This book will appeal to both female and male readers because it teaches us to respect each other for our mutual differences. When you understand and appreciate these differences, and view them as genuine strengths, you know that what the French mean when they say, "viva la difference".

Ronna Lichtenberg's Pitch Like a Girl reached the top of my reading stack just in time! I was literally in the midst of sending out promotional packets for my new business when I realized I needed to hold the mail until I finished her book. Ronna's practical advice was like a slap to the forehead - of course I should frame it that way, of course that's what potential clients will need to hear! Even my therapist agreed with Ronna's idea of selling my business as Me, Inc. instead of "just" . . . me. This is a great tool for women who struggle to sell themselves. Gini Hamilton, Communications Consultant.

I picked up a copy of this book after reading a glowing review in USA Today, and am really grateful I read the paper that day. Pitch Like a Woman is filled with smart, funny, practical insights into the best ways to reach your professional goals--and your personal ones as well. Author Ronna Lichtenberg's discussion of the different ways that men's and women's brains are wired and the pragmatic implications of those findings for how we conduct ourselves in the workplace is fascinating, not to mention incredibly useful. So are her specific tips for understanding your true goals, framing a pitch so that the recipient really hears and is receptive to your message and going after what you want in a way that is effective without being off-putting to others or somehow untrue to who you really are. I'd highly recommend this book--for working women, certainly, but there are plenty of wonderful insights here for men as well.

The illusion that women in business should be like men has been deepening so gradually, for so long, it's been hard to see it happening. But it has. Thankfully, this book uses science, strategy, and common sense to dissolve one myth after another. It's fun to read, too, because it's written in a witty and personal way, as if your smartest and best friend were letting you in on her time-tested secrets. This is my favorite kind of HowTo book, the kind that also pays attention to WhyTo. Best of all is the relief of being reassured that the way you are is the best way to be, so long as you become fluent in the nuances.

This book is filled with valuable information for business owners, professionals and corporate citizens. Essentially much of life is about pitching -- presenting ideas and products that we want others to buy. The title cleverly picks up the double meaning of "pitch" and "pitch like a girl."

But that's both a strength and a weakness of the book. Many readers, especially blues, will find the pink vs. blue a little too cutesy. Many management books identify "styles" of acting, thinking and deciding. Lichtenberg chooses to identify styles that get associated with men (blue) and women (pink). But, as she points out, some women are blue and some men tend to the pink.. Some have "stripes," as when a predominantly pink male creates a blue cover-up.

On the plus side, decoding your target's predominant style will be valuable, regardless of the label. And Lichtenberg rightly points out that "blue" women often can be perceived as threatening. If someone is really clueless, they'll need a lot more than one book, but you can get off to a good start here. Simply being aware of style will add spin to your pitch.

Other strengths of this book include general tips on pitching. For instance, I really enjoyed Lichtenberg's story of her friend who screened advertising agency pitches for a fast food account. Those who appealed on the basis of "I'm hungry" were likely to be tossed with the "So what" question. Those receiving a pitch want to hear, "What's in it for me?"

Definitely worth reading. And while I understand the author's decision to pitch this book toward a female audience, both men and women can benefit from much of the content.

The book arrived early. I heard the review on NPR radio and enjoyed the reading this informative book.
I have also been a "prime" member for several years and really think the service is worthwhile.

Great eye opener for business women and men alike!! Really makes you look at how you do things.

Just like there are styles for organzing, procrastination, behavior and thinking, there is a style for selling--by gender! What a great heads up this author gives us for recognizing and more effectively interacting with someone in a business and sales situation. The exercises in the book were easy and usefuil because they helped gain some clarity around my own style. An easy and informative read.