Be it for wooing customers or investors, lining-up vendors. or convincing a myriad of people that your business is viable, reliable and trust-worthy – the PITCH is all important! In many cases, it’s the make-or-break of the business and you have only ONE opportunity to make it work. So. getting the Pitch right and presenting it properly is requisite for success.
To Get It Right The Pitch Must
- Allow Ample Time to: Prepare – Rehearse – Properly Present
- Be very Concise
- Cover All Salient Points (but never more than 3)
- Be Perfect and Persuasive
Transformation of the Modern Sales Pitch
Traditional Pitch (what was)
- The goal was to sell
- Centers around you & your product/service
- Monologue: presenter does most of the talking while the audience listens
- Presents features & benefits of the product/service
- The intent is to convert to a sale
Modern Pitch (what it should be)
- The goal is to help
- Centers attention on the audience and the problem they want solved
- Dialogue: presenter asks the right questions, then listens as the audience talks
- Presents solutions to the audience’s specific problems
- The intent is to start a meaningful conversation
Steps For Making A Successful ‘PITCH’
- Choose Your Words Very, Very Carefully and Be Concise
- Know Who You Are Pitching To: Know Their Pain
- Are You Pitching To The Final Decision Maker?
- Craft a Call-to-Action: Direct The Pitch To An End Result
- Be Unique. Stay Professional But Stir-up Curiosity & Interest
- Be Personable. Stodgy – Begging – Hungry Is Not The Way To Go
- Be Informal. Share Something About Yourself
- Have A Central Idea. Repeat That Idea During The Pitch
- Avoid Metaphors About The Business and Never Be An “ER” Business
- Don’t Be Self-centered. It’s Not About You. Your Are Not The Hero. If Anything, Pitch The Team
- What’s In It For Them
- Rehearse Often. The Pitch Should Never Sound Scripted
Following the above guidelines will get you the results you want from your PITCH. Remember, it is all about the audience and addressing their needs and wants. You are there to help them. You are there to solve problem(s). You are there to ease or heal their pain.
