A sales pitch can be a successful deal or a failure. It’s better to have it nailed down before you meet with a client. It serves as your verbal business card and your opening line. These are the first words your client will hear when meeting or calling them.
Below are the important ideas behind an excellent sales pitch and some good examples of the best sales pitches in different industries.
What is a sales pitch?
A sales pitch is a complete sales presentation that helps a business person explain the benefits and nature of their brand or company and usually lasts in less than 2 minutes. It is also known as the ‘elevator pitches’ because they tend to deliver within the duration constraints of one single elevator ride.
Providing long hours of presentations to prospective clients by salespeople is a thing of the past. In today’s busy world, no one has that ‘long hours’ of time anymore. In fact, experts believe that you are doing it wrong if you still relay a presentation for an hour-long or more than that.
Sales pitches are known as ‘elevator pitches’ for a good reason. If you try to give clients a pitch, they should be able to get the message and understand what you are trying to offer in the time it takes to ride an elevator from the lobby to their floor.
Salespeople should learn how to present their message more concisely and compellingly. If you nailed it, you will have a lot of time to talk down the line.
How to get started with your pitch?
Starting a sales pitch is not that easy and the most challenging part of the process. You need to get your client’s attention so they will continue to listen to you and would like to hear more about the value of your service or product and the possible growth it will provide their business. You must try to hook the client first before you can share your offer.
Below are the essential elements that might help you get started with a pitch.
- Think of the problem. Always begin with the issue. Unless clients learn the problem you can get a solution with, they won’t be curious to hear the possible solution.
- Create a starting pitch that directly points to their vertical. Nobody wants to listen to a general pitch that might apply to a business. Dig more information about their vertical and utilize it to customize the pitch right away.
- Provide stakes. If clients don’t solve the issue with your solution, what exactly are they losing? You don’t need to say it in visible terms, but trying to allude to the risks factors of your sales pitch can help you secure a straightaway buy-in.
One thing to remember is, consider to stick to 30-seconds or at least provide two to three sentences if you are providing the sales pitch through an email. Below are a few other methods you can try.
Begin with a more personal anecdote.
Start your sales pitch with things you are most familiar with or know best, and that’s yourself. It doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to focus mainly on yourself through the entire pitch. But starting with a more personalized anecdote can help you foster empathy and promote authenticity.
The key point here is not to focus more time on the product’s merits. Many times you will hear pitches like, “This product helped me attain X successfully in X amount of time?” And you will see clients are already yawning because nobody cares about the results if they have no idea what exactly the problem is.
A personal touch on your message must also focus on the real issue which can be resolved by your product or service. Do not forget to connect your personal anecdote to the client’s business.
Ask questions that are related to the problem and that you can resolve.
It might be an overused method, but totally not dismissed. Asking questions is still effective these days when you begin with a pitch. But then again, the questions must focus mainly on the issue.
It is recommended to stick with questions that are answerable by a yes or no and specifically tailored for a business you are trying to get a pitch with. For instance, you are trying to pitch for a real estate business, make a question that describes a problem most real estate firms are experiencing. A good question like, “Do you spend most of your time monitoring individual property sales? That is already a possible time to spend showing several homes to prospective buyers.
Begin with a statistic that offers stakes and resonates.
It’s still effective to start your pitch with a stat. However, you have to make sure that it offers stakes and resonates with the prospects. A thought like, what does the statistic have to do with the issue? How will it reflect a critical or potential fall down that could give a negative impact on the client’s business?
For instance, you are a salesperson for a yard maintenance service. Starting a pitch like, “50 percent of residential homes do not consider yard maintenance”, is a boring and lazy way to start a pitch. Instead, you can consider this pitch: 50 percent of residential homes today do not consider yard maintenance services which results in thousands paid to HOA yearly.”
Now that you already know how to begin your pitch, it is time to perform the rest of it.
How to make a sales pitch?
Make it clear.
You don’t need to tell long messages about how things work to get across your pitch. It has to be on point and lean. You only have to make sure that your pitch will register to the listener’s mind immediately. It means, speaks with clarity and intention.
Make it short.
A sales pitch is not a conventional procedure. You don’t need to use a PowerPoint presentation or slides. It doesn’t need you to provide complimentary snacks for clients while in the boardroom meeting. And, you don’t need to deal with your audience’s patience and time for a longer time.
Explain the problem they are facing.
Relay a message about why your clients need you. Your prospected market is also valuable just like how valuable the problem you can help them with. Point out a problem they are mostly facing. If you are doing a sales pitch for spreadsheet software for a client Excel’s features doesn’t have, you can discuss how challenging it is to do bookkeeping without this new spreadsheet software’s functionality.
Explain who your target customers are.
Imagine the perfect picture you want to paint within your sales pitch. Provide your buyers a perspective on who’s purchasing your service or product. They need to know that you have an engaged and lucrative market in mind. Be concise in classifying who will be curious about buying your product or service. Try to relay why your customers should be interested in them too.
Explain how your service or product can solve their problem.
It is the phase where you can begin bringing it all home. You already built a market where you are selling your product or service and you clearly understand now why you are selling it to them. Now, establish an insight into why they have to buy from you. What exactly can you do more compared to the competitor? For example in the accounting industry, you could tell how the functionality of a new data visualization can make a busy life more effective.
Identify what successful result your product or service can provide them.
Show clear benefits of your service or product on a wider scale. In other words, show your target market how your product and service can make their lives better in general. Your sales pitch should be a one-liner summary of what your business is all about, how they are performing, and for whom. It is more than just a requirement for salespeople. Everyone who is part of your business, from the CEO to salespeople must know by heart how to provide a one-line sales pitch.
How to structure a sales pitch?
Begin with a sales pitch framework.
If you have more time to expand and work properly on a conversation, use the points of interest. Below is a framework that a salesperson can utilize for creating their elevator pitch.
- Problem. Begin with a question or statement about the problem you can solve. You can show the problem utilizing questions, eye-opening stat, and using personal anecdotes to answer all the whys.
- Value Information. Provide concise, clear information of value. Be outcome-focused and action-oriented. As much as possible, prevent using jargon words. And most of all, share the benefits.
- How We Do It. It explains what you exactly do and highlights unique differences.
- Client Stories. Share client successes and examples. Tell personalized and emotional stories from customers. Ensure that you are making it more tangible and real.
- Engaging Questions. End your pitch with open-ended questions, creating rooms to have more conversations.
Several businesses utilize success stories in their sales pitches to make sure of the sale. It also works if you name-drop, so use it to your advantage. If your product or service is light or small enough to put in your regular pocket, make sure to have it with you to show your customer.
Remember that it’s off for a salesperson to brag about themselves, their services, or their company. In the business, it’s called ‘the me monster.’ In doing a sales pitch, the actor in the story is the client, not you.
Presentation matters.
The last thing to consider when doing a sales pitch is distribution and presentation. It makes the whole thing complete. You need to find the right people with whom you can deliver your pitch using the right techniques like a free trial, short presentation, and a demo.
The distribution process will start with a list of contacts on hand. Identify the personas on your list, know the right information about them, get an introduction, and contact them on days they are available to talk and not busy at all.
What are good ideas for sales pitches?
Making your sales pitch the most effective way can be challenging. But that’s how it is and you have to deal with it successfully or lose everything. Most salespeople ask how is it possible to create the best pitch? Below are a few ideas you can consider for your sales pitch to be successful.
Tell a story.
Keep your customers engaged by conversing with them with real but brief stories. It can be about previous clients who found genuine success because of your service or product. You can also share a few insights about your company or business.
Include a worthy proposition.
What value can you provide for a customer and their business? While a pitch is required to be short but sweet, do not forget to include a proposition that will serve as the main point of your sales pitch.
Customize the sales pitch.
Identify the person you are talking to. Ensure that the sales pitch is related to their industry to get their interest. As much as possible, personalize it so it delivers the message that is essential to the customer you are speaking with.
Switch up your sales pitch.
There are several types or examples of sales pitches to choose from.
- the question sales pitch
- the one-word sales pitch
- the subject line sales pitch
- the rhyming sales pitch
- the pixar sales pitch
- the twitter sales pitch
Depending on the situation or client, you must also change the type of sales pitch to use.
Practice how you’ll do your pitch.
Practice makes perfect. If your pitch is ready, make sure to practice how you’re going to present it most comfortably in front of the clients.
Do not use metaphors.
A sales pitch is not happening in a classroom. The idea of including clever and vivid comparisons might work effectively in an English theory. However, it’s a completely different thing when it comes to pitching. Using metaphors might confuse the customer. As much as possible, make your sales pitch simple and clear.
Create a wow-factor situation.
The best way to ensure that your pitch is memorable is to blow the customer’s mind. You can do this by telling a fact which is counter-intuitive, relying on the product or service’s best selling point is the most recognizable way. You can tell a shocking story or emphasize a unique functionality.
Emotionally appealing to prospects.
Understanding clients is the central point of consistently getting sales pitches. If you do, it’s just right to continue with the technique. One best way to perform it is to revolve the sales pitches around the customer’s commonalities and life experiences between the both of you.
Prepare backup facts.
While some buyers decide mostly considering their emotions, they must be rational in making decisions for other stakeholders and themselves too. By giving case studies or statistics that support an appeal, you are giving credible facts that help them feel they are doing the right thing.
Tap into the client’s FOMO or fear of missing out.
FOMO or also known as fear of missing out is a powerful tool that builds an effective sense of urgency. One thing you wouldn’t let happen is for customers to be puzzled or feared by your pitch. Sometimes, you will wait a little longer before that fear fades away. Instead of waiting, you can use that fear to make them do an action immediately and decide if they are willing to consider your pitch. You can use that to your advantage.
Educate your prospect.
You want to build an authority space for yourself. Some relevant and interesting facts can help you get your client’s attention. It can also add a certain degree of trustworthiness and legitimacy to your pitch.
Best Sales Pitch Examples
Here are 7 great sales pitch examples
Merck
“For 130 years, Merck (known as MSD outside of the U.S. and Canada) has been inventing for life, bringing forward medicines and vaccines for many of the world’s most challenging diseases in pursuit of our mission to save and improve lives.”
Many pharmacies and hospitals are convinced to use Merck’s solutions because of this pitch. Why? Merck understands that strong and scientific foundations and values drive better decisions in the healthcare industry. They invest in that by tying their work into their mission and emphasizing their long history. This way, it delivers a strong message that encourages their prospective market.
HubSpot
“There’s a better way to grow. HubSpot offers marketing, sales, service, and operations software that helps your business grow without compromise. Because ‘good for the business should also mean ‘good for the customer.’”
One of the best sales pitches in the industry. Short, simple, but on point. This HubSpot’s pitch tells companies what they can provide and offers results that can drive both the customers and their business.
Vidyard
“Vidyard is the key to making remote selling easy. From prospecting to proposals, record and send videos that add a personal touch at all stages of the sales cycle. Email isn’t dead, but it sure is boring. With Vidyard, you can record and send videos in just a few clicks – perfect for busy sales reps trying to break into inboxes or marketers trying to make a splash.”
This company has been making great waves because its salespeople are targeting the use of video materials as a great tool in prospecting customers. They discover that excellent pitches must be personalized and the best way to do that is to add a genuine human face to their message.
Vidyard sales pitch always rocks because they know well who their prospects are. Also, they are more focused on the competitive advantage they are getting from the get-go. They are not selling a service alone, but they create remote selling techniques easily, which make a lot of difference now in their business.
Gap Inc
“Gap Inc. is a leading global retailer with a collection of brands including Old Navy, Gap, Banana Republic, and Athleta. We’re committed to serving the needs of our customers while delivering long-term value to our shareholders.”
Gap is a popular brand in the clothing industry, but the company behind this successful brand is called Gap Inc. It is a traded business handling several brands that are successful already. In their pitch to their prospective clients, Gap Inc clearly states their dominant position in the market which secures a long-term investment for the client who will try to accept their pitches.
Xactly
“We automate and streamline the commission process for sales organizations. For a lot of companies, that means getting you off an Excel spreadsheet or a home-grown cumbersome system. The Xactly advantage is that we’ve been in the cloud since 2005. We have been able to anonymize all of our customer’s data to allow you to leverage different data points when making your decision.”
The company’s sales pitch mainly focuses on the problem their customers are facing at the moment. This is an essential part of every successful pitch and Xactly does it efficiently. The technique is to address your client’s concerns or issues and focus on how your service or product can resolve these concerns. With Xactly’s situation, it’s about getting clients off Excel spreadsheets and cumbersome legacy systems.
LISNR
“In 2012, one single belief brought LISNR’s founders together: ultrasonic audio is better. These individuals understood the growing need for a device- and platform-independent solution for sending short communication back and forth at the software level. They believed that companies shouldn’t have to spend on costly hardware or processes to drive more friction-less and connected experiences.”
This sales pitch found on LISNR uses their history and genuine story to make clients understand how their company started and explain their respective goals. The pitch provides a more contextual approach about their product which makes the buying process not only a transaction for both parties but also a greater contribution to a belief system and mission.
The Bottomline
A short sales pitch is an effective pitch. One important thing to ensure about it is that they are completely optimized for a thin conversation. Using filter words, talking too much, and telling unnecessary stories about yourself, your company, and other unrelated things for more than 3 minutes can kill a conversation so easily. As much as possible, practice making a short sales pitch, simple, and clean. Your customers will definitely thank you for that.
