CREATING YOUR PERFECT SALES PITCH

If there was an age-old question, perhaps existential, like why are we here, then how to create a perfect sales pitch is the all-time conundrum that has baffled businesses, just as the former question has kept philosophers tossing in their beds at night for millennia! A Google query for ‘how to create a sales pitch’ yields 200 Million results in 0.57 seconds, while for comparison if you Google, ‘why is my girlfriend….’ without adding a question, you will get 2 Billion responses in 0.59 seconds. More about that later.

Confidence is key in the work of a sales representative.

A sales pitch is a short and time-bound oral presentation by a salesperson to a prospective buyer, in an attempt to convince the buyer to consider the good or service as the solution to a need or problem they currently face. In most cases, the salesperson will be considered successful if he is invited for a second meeting after he has presented his elevator pitch. The whole point is to make your prospect consider what you are offering as worth his time. So what do you need to do in order to cross this threshold?

Preparation, they say makes a battle half won. Don’t wing it. I know you are talented, have the making of a trial lawyer, and think on your feet. But whenever you plan to ambush a corporate executive with an idea for their organization, it is better that you do your homework. Your overconfidence will be best applied during your subsequent PowerPoint presentation, which chance you will only get if you do this initial pitch perfectly. 

Armed with knowledge about your prospect’s needs, weak spots, desires, and ambitions, go ahead and design your short speech in a way that will 

a). Arrest their attention

b). Make them want to listen

c). Arouse a curiosity from them to know more. 

The exact way that you can achieve this is nuanced and situational, but in general, the rule is to offer an outrageous solution to their problem, but imply that there is a catch. 

Be brief and to the point.

Make it clear that the catch will not affect their desires and ambitions, but you’ll be glad to demonstrate the ease with which they can solve their problem while sacrificing just a little of their comfort.

Make this talk short, clear, and engaging. Don’t talk fast like your audience is just about to hop into a jet. That they agreed to listen to you even for two minutes is affirming that you look good and presentable. 

So smile and thank them for their time, which you are sure is quite valuable. Then go ahead and in a conversational tone, introduce your solution to their problem. Finish by giving your name and that of your company. This order is very important. 

Most people are selfish and will want to hear things about themselves before they become interested in who you are. Use this knowledge to quote their past speech, writing, or post, and show how they, your prospect, were aligned in principle and practice with what you are selling. And for heaven’s sake, keep that confident smile present.

If you have time to properly expand and work on a conversation, touch on points of interest. Here’s a framework you can use for building your elevator pitch:

Work with a presentation format

Problem: Start with a statement or question about the problem you solve. You can present the problem using a personal anecdote, question, or eye-opening statistic. Answer the why.

Value Statement: Share a very clear, concise statement of value. Be action-oriented and outcome-focused. Avoid using jargon. Share benefits.

How We Do It: Highlight unique differentiators and explain what you do.

Proof Points: Provide clear reference examples and list recognizable achievements. Share industry validation and awards.

Customer Stories: Share customer examples and successes. Tell emotional and personalized customer stories. Make it real and tangible.

Engaging Question: Close the pitch with an open-ended question, creating a space to have a conversation. Finally, many companies use success stories in their pitches to ensure sales. Name-dropping really works, so be sure to use that to your advantage.