English for Work · English for Thai Professionals
Unit 5: Pitches that Ask for a Decision
Clear, Courteous, Not Small
This module teaches short pitches: a new idea, a budget request, a client offer, or a two-minute talk in a meeting. A pitch is not a speech. It is a request that another person can accept, refuse, or change.
Before this lesson:
Unit 4 — Reports that a Manager Can Use
Unit 2 — Polite Strength
Unit 3 — Meetings that Do Not Drift
After this lesson: Unit 6 — Follow-through after the Yes
If the listener cannot repeat the ask in one sentence, the pitch is not finished.
Learning outcomes
- open with the value, not your biography
- make one ask, not five soft hints
- name cost, time, and risk without shrinking
- handle a no without leaving the room empty
1. The two-minute shape
Use six lines. Then stop and ask.
- Problem
- What we want
- Why it helps
- Cost / time
- Risk if we wait
- The ask
Friday’s packs will miss 9 a.m. if we keep the full booklet.
I want approval to cut the appendix and print Thursday.
That keeps the event date and avoids a 12,000-baht rush fee.
The cut takes two hours. The website can hold the extra pages the same day.
If we wait until tonight, the printer is gone.
Can I cut the appendix and lock Thursday?
Not this
“Sorry to take your time. This is just a small idea, and I may be wrong, but perhaps we could consider looking at the booklet if you’re not too busy.”
Pragmatic note
พิตช์ไทยมักเริ่มที่ตัวผู้พูด: ขอโทษ ถ่อม เกริ่นคุณวุฒิ พิตช์อังกฤษที่ทำงานเริ่มที่ปัญหาของผู้ฟัง แล้วค่อยวางคำขอ ความสุภาพอยู่ที่การไม่กินเวลา ไม่ได้อยู่ที่การทำให้ไอเดียตัวเองดูเล็ก
2. One ask
Choose one. Say it in the last line. Do not hide it in the middle.
| Hidden ask | Clear ask |
|---|---|
| We were hoping you might look at this sometime. | Can you approve 18,000 baht today? |
| It would be great if the team could maybe help. | Can I have two people on Thursday morning? |
| We just wanted to share our thinking. | Can we pilot this with one client in October? |
Try this
Rewrite: “We would be honoured if you could kindly consider supporting this initiative.”
Possible answer
“Can you approve a 30-day pilot with a budget of 25,000 baht?”
3. Value before features
People do not buy a list. They buy a change.
| Feature | Value |
|---|---|
| A new dashboard | Managers see late orders before the client calls. |
| Two extra staff | The evening shift no longer closes the line. |
| A new brochure | Sales can answer price questions without waiting for design. |
Not: We built a dashboard with five filters.
But: Late orders will show up in the morning, before the client calls.
Pragmatic note
คนไทยที่ถ่อมมักเล่าขั้นตอนงาน เพราะกลัวคุยโว ให้เล่าผลที่ผู้ฟังได้ก่อน รายละเอียดเครื่องมือเก็บไว้ตอนถูกถาม
4. Name the cost before they hunt for it
If you hide the price, the listener will not trust the rest.
- Time: two weeks / two people / Thursday morning
- Money: 25,000 baht, or no extra fee if we cut scope
- Trade-off: we keep Friday, we drop the appendix
The pilot costs 25,000 baht and two staff for three mornings.
If it fails, we stop after 30 days. The only sunk cost is the first week.
Not this
“The budget is still being considered, but it shouldn’t be too much.”
5. Handle questions without collapsing
Use Unit 2. Hear the concern. Name the limit. Offer a move.
| They say | You say |
|---|---|
| Too expensive. | I can cut the printed pack and keep the website pages. That saves 12,000. |
| Too soon. | Then we skip Friday and pitch a Monday date. I need that decision today. |
| Who else has done this? | One client in May. I can send the one-page result after this. |
| I’m not sure. | What would you need in order to say yes this week? |
Not this
“Oh, yes, whatever you think. It’s just a small idea.”
6. A no is not the end of the room
Leave with a smaller ask or a later door.
- If not the full budget, can we test one client?
- If not this month, can we lock November?
- If not now, what would make this worth a second look?
I understand we can’t fund the full rollout.
Can we run a 30-day pilot with one team instead?
If that fails, we stop. If it works, we come back with numbers.
Pragmatic note
ในวัฒนธรรมไทย การได้ยินคำว่าไม่ มักจบด้วยการยิ้มแล้วเก็บของ ในงานที่ต้องมีงบ การเก็บของทันทีทำให้โอกาสที่สองหาย การถอยที่ดีคือถอยเป็นขั้น ไม่ใช่หายจากห้อง
7. Slides, if you need them
Four slides are enough for most internal pitches.
- The problem in one line
- The change we want
- Cost and time
- The ask
Do not read the slide. Say the line, then look at the person who can say yes.
8. Practice set
Keep each pitch under 80 words. End with a question.
- Ask your manager for two extra days before a client launch.
- Ask a client to accept a smaller first version this month.
- Ask for 15,000 baht to hire a temp for the evening shift.
- The listener says it is too expensive. Reply without collapsing.
- The listener says no to the full plan. Leave with a smaller ask.
Model for no. 3
The evening line closed three times last week.
I want 15,000 baht for a temp over ten nights.
That keeps the helpdesk open until 9 p.m. and protects the new accounts.
If we wait, we keep losing calls after 6.
Can I hire the temp this week?
9. Quick check
1. Best opening
A. Sorry to take your time. This is just a small idea.
B. Friday’s packs will miss 9 a.m. if we keep the full booklet.
2. Clear ask
A. We just wanted to share our thinking.
B. Can we pilot this with one client in October?
3. Value, not feature
A. We built a dashboard with five filters.
B. Late orders will show up before the client calls.
4. After “too expensive”
A. Oh, whatever you think.
B. I can cut the printed pack and save 12,000. Can we do that version?
5. After a no
A. Smile, sit down, and drop the idea.
B. If not the full rollout, can we run a 30-day pilot?
Answers: 1B 2B 3B 4B 5B
Cultural insight
Did you know?
Thai courtesy often treats a direct ask as pressure. International workplace listening often treats a hidden ask as fog. You can keep respect by naming the cost and leaving the other person a real choice. Pressure is not the same thing as clarity.
A peaceful pitch does not trap anyone. It puts a decision on the table and lets the other person stay dignified, whether the answer is yes, no, or not like this.
Glossary
- Pitch: a short request for a decision
- Ask: the yes you actually need
- Value: the change the listener gets
- Trade-off: what you give up to keep time, money, or quality
- Pilot: a small test with a stop date
Next in this series
Unit 4 — Reports that a Manager Can Use Unit 2 — Polite Strength Unit 3 — Meetings that Do Not Drift
Open the path
Series home · 0 Stance · 1 Email · Watch-out · 2 Strength · 3 Meeting · 4 Report · 5 Pitch · 6 Follow-through
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