DELIVERING THE PERFECT SALES PITCH is like throwing a no-hitter. It’s no easy feat, but those who have mastered the art of the flawless pitch have the power to consistently bring home more wins. In reality, every salesperson gives several sales pitches before closing a sale. For example, you might deliver an elevator pitch over the phone to secure a sales meeting, but you’ll need a second pitch for a one-on-one sales conversation with the prospective buyer, or possibly a more formal sales pitch presentation to a group of buyers and influencers. Presenting your pitch to a group is the most challenging scenario because the formality of the situation can limit your innate ability to engage prospects and build rapport. It’s been my experience that salespeople who just deliver presentations, sans engagement, endure long sales cycles and low close rates. On the other hand, when a salesperson involves prospects through a more interactive, engaging demonstration, that percentage jumps significantly. How can you create an engaging, interactive demonstration? Show passion. Undeniable passion closes sales. It’s contagious, and prospects love it. Don’t just tell your prospects about your products or service; show them the difference you’ve made for other clients. Offer facts and examples to prove you’ve successfully resolved the type of pain your prospect is experiencing. Leading with results can convince prospects that you have the right solution to meet their needs, even without a direct sales pitch. Communicate instead of lecturing. Step away from your PowerPoint. Lay down the clicker. Look your prospects in the eyes, and have a heart-to-heart about a topic that’s important to them. Ask for their perspective. You’ll be remembered for connecting with them personally. Identify their pain, and then speak directly to their concerns. Be sure you know what pain your prospects are experiencing that led them to consider your proposal. If you can’t gather this information in advance, build a quick needs assessment conversation into your pitch, and then adapt your presentation on the fly. Demonstrate you care about your prospect’s company and his goals. Your delivery should feel personal. If a prospect asks you a direct question, answer directly. In the sales world, candor is refreshing. There’s no faster way to earn a prospect’s respect than by answering the tough questions directly, even when the answer isn’t easy. Rehearse so you can confidently own the room. Being completely familiar with your presentation will give you the confidence to go off script. Don’t ever read from the screen. Reading from the screen makes you seem unprepared, and if you can’t keep eye contact, you’ll seem less confident. Quickly make it clear what the prospect can get out of a partnership with your company, and stay focused on what benefits he can look forward to receiving. Spend 80 percent of your time talking about your prospect’s needs, not your own products or services. Like every major league pitcher, a salesperson must honestly assess his current skill level and dedicate time to developing those skills in order to find his way to the perfect pitch and that coveted no-hitter.
