Deliver a great pitch and you’re halfway to a sale. But ask any entrepreneur and at some point they’ll have stumbled and fumbled their way through a sales opportunity. Often, you’ve got a short window and a whole lot to talk about, so where do you start? What do you say? And how do you make sure you’re remembered? We’ve put together a few tips to help you give a killer pitch.
1. Keep it simple
When you’re giving a pitch, less is more. So keep it short; lead with a strong one-sentence pitch, ditch the long Powerpoint presentation, and avoid buzzwords or tech speak. If people don’t get your concept quickly, chances are they won’t buy into it. And neither will your customers.
2. Tell a real story
It’s a proven fact that people respond better to stories than facts. It’s just the way humans are wired. So instead of reeling off long lists of data, tell a short story to capture their interest and engage their emotion. It’s also important to have a few compelling customer stories up your sleeve.
3. Solutions, not features
It’s tempting to talk up the bells and whistles of your product, but your customer just wants to know what it’ll do for them. So make sure you turn your product features into customer benefits. How does it solve people’s problems? How will it help them achieve goals faster? How will it save time or money?
4. Stop and listen
Your pitch isn’t a five-minute speech, it’s a dialogue. When you invite people to engage with you, the chances of them buying what you do are much higher. So take a pause or ask a question and wait for their response. If they want to know more, they’ll ask.
5. Show confidence
For a lot of people, pitching can be nerve-wracking. But the more you practice, the better it will flow and the more confidence you’ll have. Team members, friends and family can help with practice, so make the most of them. And don’t forget to enjoy it – a smile goes a long way.
