Every social innovation exists to address a social problem. Therefore, pitching the problem is very important when you are showing how your social solution will effectively fix the problem.
Pitching the problem requires three main things. They help in effective communication of the added value of your social innovation.
1. The Importance of Solving the Problem
You should know why it is important to solve the social problem. Address the problem effectively by avoiding assumptions and uncertainties as much as possible. One major mistake in pitching the problem is assuming that people understand the problem and why it needs to be solved. Make the problem easily understandable.
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2. The Target of the Social Innovation
Make a concise description of the population that is affected by the social problem and the target for your social solution. Focus as much as possible on the most important demography and the culture of the target population.
3. The Characteristics of the Problem
In addition to the importance of solving the problem (i.e. the why) and the target of the social innovation (i.e. the who), you also need to communicate the characteristics of the problem (i.e. the what).
In pitching the problem, make sure you focus on the cause and effect of the social problem as it affects the society. Make a detailed description of the nature of the problem, the pains caused by the problem and the gains of solving the social problem.
You should be able to differentiate between the cause of the problems and the symptoms of the social problem. The best social innovations are the ones focused on solving the root cause of the social problem rather than just the symptoms of the problem.
These are three things you should consider when pitching the problem your social innovation is designed to solve. It is therefore important that you focus on these things when designing your pitch deck for investors or other people that may be interested in joining your social enterprise.
