At Cheddar we talk a lot about what makes businesses, specifically start-ups, succeed. For most entrepreneurs, that starts with the elevator pitch. Journalist and Digital Media Consultant John Boitnott offers his tips and tricks for how to craft the best pitch. Boitnott says it's critical to memorize your pitch, and give an indication of the company's revenue and sales opportunity. It's also important to be ready to confront your product's flaws from the start. Lastly, Boitnott says entrepreneurs should mention their founders' story, and make the investors intrigued to learn more. There are also a few things Boitnott says entrepreneurs should avoid doing in these pitches. Those include: do not "bait and switch" the investors, do not drone on about the product, and do not go in blind.