Using expressive behavioral cues to achieve social goals in entrepreneurial pitching and negotiations

Abstract: Building on research in entrepreneurial pitching, non-verbal behaviors, and kinesics, we examine the nonverbal behavioral cues that entrepreneurs display when pitching their venture to an audience of investors that comes with the possibility of leading to further negotiations if successful. Using archival video data of live entrepreneurial pitches from a live pitching competition, we code and classify the different nonverbal behavioral cues that entrepreneurs across both genders display when pitching. Drawing on a functional approach to nonverbal behavior (Bonaccio et al., 2016), our findings identified five expressive pitching styles that entrepreneurs engage in to emphasize their ideas and that also help achieve social goals.

Keywords: Pitching styles; negotiations; behavioral cues; kinesics; influence