A good sales pitch starts with a great first impression. Sales professionals work hard to make a memorable and positive initial impact by creating laser-focused one-liners, but it’s just as important that your short, snappy delivery also resonates long after you’ve delivered that opening line.
You want a presentation that holds your audience’s attention — the longer you’re able to keep that attention, the higher your chances of winning them over. And captivating your audience involves being prepared with relevant buyer information, and a pitch that actively includes the buyer in the discussion.
As simple as it sounds, effective sales pitches require upfront work and a conscious effort to stray from the script. Creating effective sales presentations that are collaborative is an art that’s perfected over time and comes with years of hands-on experience.
You’ve put together a fantastic pitch and you feel as if you’ve covered every base, but even though you’re there to pitch your product and have put hours into the preparation – that doesn’t mean you know everything.
If you’re on a script — it’s time to put it down and don’t be overzealous or overconfident — go into the pitch with an open mind and aim to let the buyer do most of the talking.
Check in with the buyer during your pitch – take the time to listen to them and respond with deep, thoughtful follow-up questions. This is critical step to really understanding their business needs and ultimately closing the deal. If you’re listening and asking the right questions, you can adjust your sales message to one that sounds really attractive to the buyer.
If your pitch goes well and you have your ears open, it should feel less like a business presentation and more like a healthy conversation about their business needs.
Even though listening to your buyer is critical – don’t just pack up after your pitch, shrug your shoulders and wait for the customer to define the next steps.
Every sales pitch should end with a call to action that makes sense. Even if the customer isn’t ready to complete the sale yet, be sure to keep the prospect on the journey and move forward with a follow-up meeting or a trial period.
Never wait for the customer to make the call to action. This is solely the salesperson’s responsibility, and failing to be proactive could result in the meeting or relationship ending before you have met your purpose for coming.
You’ve done your homework, now share your answers to a problem they’re struggling with.
Enchantment is the purest form of sales. Enchantment is all about changing people’s hearts, minds and actions because you provide them a vision or a way to do things better. The difference between enchantment and simple sales is that with the enchantment you have the other person’s best interests at heart too.
It’s no secret that customers respond most to products that solve a current problem. A successful sales pitch will acknowledge that problem (via research) and provide a solution. Even if your company only offers one product, each pitch should speak to the unique challenges of the business you’re pitching.
Your message should be honed on a specific product feature or features that the audience will benefit most from.
82% of sales people are not aligned with the needs of their buyer. If you’re only espousing why you like the product — that value may be completely lost on the buyer.
Your sales pitch should be different each time you deliver it. This can’t be emphasized enough. If you come in with the story from only your angle, is it any wonder that it doesn’t resonate with your audience?
Prior to presenting your pitch to the buyer, you should conduct thorough research on their company, their industry, and competitors. During your initial contact, be sure to ask the right questions so you can tailor your message to address that business’ specific needs and ease the deal to the next step.
Great research will also eliminate unnecessary noise and will keep the buyer(s) engaged. Show them that you understand their business with a lean message that highlights your product’s features that matters to them the most.
