“Most ideas FAIL, not because they are bad ideas, but because they are Badly Presented.”— Adrian Shaughnessy
Pitching is to business the same as it is to baseball. In baseball you need to pitch, to start the game and in business you need to pitch to start the sale. The survival and growth of business and start-ups is based on their sale which is directly dependant on how good they are at pitching their idea. In today’s world where everyone seems selling something, the competition is tougher than ever before. The key to success lies in mastering the art of pitching. The good sales pitch frames people mind in such a way that they are compelled to see the world through the eyes of a presenter and end up taking the desired action.
The good thing about crafting a successful sales pitch is that just by focusing on as little as 7 steps you can master the art of winning sales pitch.
If you thought you left homework back in high school, think again! Investors are more likely to invest with professionals who are well prepared and know their numbers in great detail. Pitching is not just throwing the idea. Creating a good sales pitch starts with many questions like Where to start? Who is the right audience? How to approach the audience? and many more… If you are considering these questions already while crafting your sales pitch, you are on the right track.
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According to Jeff Hoffman, “The solution is to take a less-is-more approach with your sales pitch.” Clients hate sales pitches, so the longer the pitch, the lesser the client engagement. If you are having trouble capturing your audience’s attention or getting your foot in the door, it means you are dragging on for too long. Trim the content of your sales pitch until it is as concise as possible without losing the main intent of the pitch. If you have done your homework, you won’t be needing the excess details and buzzwords to get the attention!
Prepare to sync with the needs of the buyer and identify the problems and challenges they are facing. The next is to clearly spell out the problem you are addressing to the right audience. If your audience won’t know the problem, they will not pay attention to the solution. People will only invest into you or your solution when they will be told that there exists a problem that will be changed by the solution you are offering.
The big chunk of your sales pitch should focus on the solution. You’ve already engaged your audience by telling them their problems, so now is the right time to offer the unique solution that addresses their problem. Don’t forget to back up your solution with the facts and numbers that support your solution.
Up to this point you have done a brilliant job, but a successful pitch doesn’t stop there! Before you close out, your duty here is to ask your audience to take the action. That action could be filling an online form, making a call, signing up for an event. No matter what kind of activity you need from your audience, it must be abundantly clear!
So far, you’ve put a lot of effort into a perfect sales pitch, and now it’s time to get what you came for! This is the time for you and your audience to make the final agreement. Make sure both parties are walking away with clear steps for moving forward. It’s also a great idea to “BAMFAM” (Book A Meeting From A Meeting) so you can nurture and build the relationship further!
Whether you’re in sales as a profession or just looking to gain a new skill, here’s to hoping that your next pitch gets you a home run!
