Importance of Pitching while making Sales in an entrepreneurial organization.

 Effective sales pitches are an essential ingredient in the armory of every sales team, and most of the time, you will find a good sales representative refining this potent weapon to sway customer buying decisions in their favor.

While the quality and the utility of the product or service are key criteria in the purchasing process, whether or not a customer will finally buy the product or service also depends upon the value proposition and structure of your sales pitch. Of course, it needs to be in line with the interests of your prospects.

Elements of a powerful sales pitch

• 1. Get visual
• 2. Be a storyteller
• 3. Focus on Solutions
• 4. Answer the ‘How do I believe you?’ question with testimonials and social proof
• 5. Questions, please!

Though sales pitches vary from one seller to another, they are all common in one aspect – their end goal is to pitch sales for a certain idea, product or service.
But it isn’t necessary that all of them convert into sales.
Even as you deliver your wonderfully crafted sales talk to your client, he is always wondering whether it is adding to his business or introducing the required value in their life.

So what’s the magic formula behind a perfect sales pitch? How can you make yours more effective, more successful?

Here are a few essential elements by which you can make your pitch more compelling.

1. Get visual

Did you know that about 40% of all people respond more to images than just plain text?

The point that we are making here is that if you are delivering a sales presentation to a marketing team, it should be liberally sprinkled with images and/or videos.

You can get your images from Google.

2. Be a storyteller

Some of the greatest salesmen have been great storytellers.

To be a storyteller does not mean you have to spin a yarn to your audiences.

Efficient business-related storytelling is about discussing your sales pitch in a simple yet engaging way.

Great storytellers humanize their sales presentations with real-life anecdotes and stories that warm the hearts of their listeners.

One great example of storytelling is telling your audience how you started your company (your Eureka moment).

Another example that you can share could be how you arrived at an idea while you were doing something very inconsequential, e.g. cleaning your teeth or brushing your shoes.

The more relatability or human-ness your story has, the deeper chords it will strike with your targeted mass!

The short point that we are making here is that you should make sure your presentations are interesting and insightful.

This can be done by peppering them with real-life examples about yourself and your company.

Also, structure your sales talk in a way that every person in your audience relates to it.

3. Focus on Solutions

Let’s face it, your audience has gathered in that swanky conference room to find solutions to its business problem. Is your sales proposal solution-focused?

While storytelling is important, what’s even more significant is how can you solve the problems of your client. What is your ultimate value proposition?

Let’s take the example of Airbnb which identified 3 problem areas for travelers – price, accessibility to the city and local culture, and ease of booking.

To solve these problems, this hospitality company came up with a solution that was easy to implement and was a win-win for travelers and accommodation providers alike.

Airbnb encouraged locals to put their houses up for the grabs, thus helping travelers get a real taste of the local life while also finding cheaper accommodation options than hotels.

So what are the best ways of providing a solution to your buyers in your sales presentations?

1. Don’t provide too many solutions to confuse your client. Point it down to the real problem, and elaborate on the solution confidently.

2. Propose a solution that is simple and easy to understand.

3. Has your solution helped others too? Show your client your successful examples. Testimonials are great influencers.

4. What are the benefits that your client will most likely get should they buy your product? Can you quantify those benefits?

However, at this point, most people go about decorating their products and services.

While making a pitch, do not present your case as a company trying to make a business. You must make sure you present your case as a consumer-centric service provider, elaborating on “what’s in store for the consumer?”!

4. Answer the ‘How do I believe you?’ question with testimonials

Remember, you may have other sales reps sitting in your sales presentation, representing the client’s side.

They too have made similar pitches to their own clients and can sift the chaff from the grain.

Most probably, it is these guys who will likely raise the first objection/question How and why do I believe you?

To get past this bottleneck, you need to make sure to include several testimonials in your slide deck. These testimonials should support your claims.

You may have quotes from industry leaders supporting your product or others who might have used it.

Unless you show that your product has been accepted by a lot of people, you are not likely to make much headway. Allow your earlier work to speak for itself.

Some of the best sales pitches aren’t made by the salesperson but by your customers. You should always encourage your customers to leave a review or feedback.

After all, it is much easier for your client to trust someone who was once in their place and wasn’t disappointed in trusting you!

In addition to reviews and healthy testimonials, thorough research helps. Most successful sales pitchers have almost all the answers ready when it comes to competition.

Though we aren’t saying you should focus on your business rival during your sales talk, it helps to be armed with all the facts and figures in case someone asks about your competition.

Lastly, what happens if your product fails to meet the expectations of your clients?

Is there a money-back scheme in your sales package? Would you substitute your faulty product with something that works perfectly fine?

What are the added advantages of using your product? Leave no questions on “if” and “but” unanswered!

After all, your customers are the final decision makers.

5. Questions, please!

Your great sales pitch shouldn’t be about your product alone, it should be centered on your audience and its problems. While delivering your presentation, keep asking questions from your audience.

Ask for feedback regularly so that both you and your client are on the same wavelength. Asking for questions and feedback democratizes your pitch and makes your client feel heard and wanted.

It also helps you keep your product offering laser-sharp.

To sum the essential elements of a good sales pitch, it should structure itself around the 3I’s – inspire, involve, and intrigue your audience.

Make your client the hero of your presentation; present him with ideas that can solve his problems.

Now that we have understood the broader elements and structure of your ideal sales pitch, let’s discuss how to plan and master the art of sales pitching.