Much like baseball, knowing when and how to read the target audience (the pitcher) through practice allows you to hit that home run (aka. secure the sale). There are so many types of sales pitches to choose from, but let’s break it down into two categories: word count and brevity pitches. In developing all pitches, it is imperative to keep your brand’s values, objectives, and products or services at the forefront.
Word Count Sales Pitch
The first type is oftentimes the hardest pitch, but notably the best type to master: the one-word pitch. To start, you can create a list of words that describe the product or service you’re trying to pitch. A thesaurus is your best friend if you get stuck. To jumpstart your creative flow, think of former President Barack Obama’s “hope” and Google’s “search” one-word pitches. Once you’ve selected your word, push it through a less narrow pitch, i.e., social media, elevator, email, cold call, etc.
Another type of word count sales pitch is the subject line pitch. These pitches are most likely going to be trial and error. If you have an email automation system, though, it will be much more efficient to analyze what works and what doesn’t. Keep in mind the number of characters at which your subject line will be cut off and on which device most of your emails are read. For example, someone reading an email on a mobile device might experience a subject line that is cut-off. Perhaps that could work in your favor if the part of the subject line that is visible is enticing enough for the recipient to open the email to read the rest. Testing different emails with different subject lines can provide better insight as to what devices they are being read on and if they’re being opened. From here, you can tailor your subject lines with more accuracy and success. Best practices indicate that 41 characters is optimal for subject lines.
Also, consider using Twitter as a creative way to punch up your subject. Not only can you receive instantaneous feedback and analysis, but also a platform to practice on. Twitter raised its character limit to 280 characters and has become the standard character limit for effective social media marketing. If you’re really up for a challenge, try narrowing it even more to 140 characters – the original Twitter character limit. In a way, you can think of these social media pitches as virtual elevator pitches. Leave the fluff on the other side of the floor. With everything turning virtual, you’ll need to find your witty chops to ensure your words make an impact.
Brevity Sales Pitch
The elevator pitch is probably one the most well known and most practiced sales pitch today. The best starting point for an elevator pitch is to focus on the “why” rather than the “what.” Once you’ve gathered the information you wish to convey, it’s all about practice, practice, practice. Attempting to commit your pitch to memory will help limit inherent “um’s” and “ah’s” that could interrupt the natural flow of conversation, and boost your confidence in the process. Find someone you trust to give honest feedback, so you are able to ensure that your pitch is effective on real, prospective clients.
Next is the cold call pitch. Cold calling is based on first impressions. While it may not be the most invigorating experience in selling a brand or product, it is still incorporated in sales today. The first piece of advice in cold calling is to avoid the hard sell; meaning, don’t start with “I want to tell you all about how awesome the company and products are.” It’s best to just approach the pitch like a normal conversation.
Be mindful of tone as this typically indicative of their [mood], and practice active listening. While you want to make the pitch and land the sale, it’s also important to respect their time. If a person indicates that they’re busy and/or cannot talk at the moment, reschedule for a time that better suits their schedule. As Maya Angelou once said, “[People] will always remember the way you make them feel.”
Did you know that 80% of sales are made on the fifth to twelfth contact? With that in mind, you should know that follow-up pitches are just as important as initial contact pitches. Brevity is key for follow-up pitches. Cover the basics: who are you? What brand or product are you calling about? Why do you want to talk to them? This format helps keep the script clean and concise. Not all prospective customers provide reasons for their avoidance of your call, but there’s no reason to give up after the first couple of attempts. Keep perfecting your pitch and tailor it to reflect your attentiveness to such reason, if provided.
Contact Insured Solutions for additional support in boosting your sales pitch to better meet the needs of the business and potential clients.