Most pitches are forgotten overnight because of how short-term memory works. According to the Ebbinghaus Forgetting Curve, people may forget up to 50% of new information within an hour and up to 70% within 24 hours. Founders should communicate at least 10x simpler, repeat their core message and avoid overwhelming listeners with information.
You look at your flight or train ticket to check your seat number.
A couple of minutes later… You look again at your ticket to remember your seat number.
A couple of minutes later… You know the drill.
So, we can’t even remember a simple seat number without looking at it a couple of times and memorizing it.
That’s the cruel reality of our short-term memory.
Our brains can solve the most complex mathematical challenges, but we can’t memorize that one simple number.
We neglect this very fundamental reality of our brain when we communicate and pitch…
By just mentioning your most important core message only once and then being surprised that the other person didn’t get it…
By overwhelming others with too much information, and then being surprised that you didn’t get anything across…
You need to communicate at least 10x simpler than you might even imagine.
This is The Ebbinghaus Forgetting Curve – see how much people remember from what you told them:
Within an hour, people may forget up to 50% of new information and up to 70% within 24 hours.
You will very probably continue not to remember your seat number by looking just 1-2 at your ticket.
Still, from now on, every time you look at it, consider it as a lesson and what it teaches you:
You need to simplify your messaging like hell if you want anyone to remember what you said.
Frequently asked questions
Why do investors forget most pitches?
Because of the limits of short-term memory. According to the Ebbinghaus Forgetting Curve, people may forget up to 50% of new information within an hour and up to 70% within 24 hours.
What is the Ebbinghaus Forgetting Curve?
It shows how much people remember from what they were told over time, with up to 50% of new information forgotten within an hour and up to 70% within 24 hours.
How can I make my pitch more memorable?
Communicate at least 10x simpler than you might imagine, repeat your most important core message instead of mentioning it only once, and do not overwhelm people with too much information.
