Can Your Train Leave the Station?

Pitching is relationship building!!

So...You have a product, you have inventory, you have a plan. But if you don't have sales, customers or clients, the train will never leave the station! Here is a roadmap to the perfect sales pitch: First off, here's a very personal, hard-learned tip that I can give you: It is not an easy road. But if you do it right, you can actually get the results you’re looking for. Making the perfect sales pitch requires strategy, practice, and creativity. It took me years to figure this out, to have the confidence to do it, to know the language to use, and it is still an ongoing learning process for me. I always do my homework and look at what other successful people and companies are doing to see how they are pitching and take a little tidbit from each of them to make my pitch perfect! Tip #1 Cater to your audience’s specific wants and needs. Don't just fly by the seat of your pants. You can create a general pitch that you can use for all of your potential targets, but then tailor your pitch specifically to what that person or group needs. For example: if you're pitching to a product representative, group talk about their buyers- if you're pitching to a store, talk about their target customers. Make sure you do your research and your homework and know who you are actually pitching to. Find out something about that specific person and maybe throw that in as well to build a more personal rapport. Tip #2 Solve a problem for the person or audience. Of course your ultimate goal is to make the sale or account, or even simply establish a relationship. But the only way to do that is to build a relationship around trust. You must convince that person to believe in what you're saying. It is imperative that you stand behind what you're pitching, and not just throw out empty words and promises. Truth and passion always shine through, and so does deceiving your audience. By doing this, when there is a choice between you and another company, they're going to choose you every day and twice on Sunday, because they value the relationship that you bring to the table, they trust you and they enjoy working with you. Tip #3 Always practice your pitch, even though you may be super experienced. We all draw a blank from time to time, out of sheer nervousness, excitement or just being plain old stumped when faced with an objection we aren't prepared for. But if you practice, that is exponentially less likely to happen. Your audience is always changing and you need to make sure that you're on target. Tip #4 Make sure you always leave time and space for the person who is receiving your pitch to ask their questions, give their objections, offer feedback and be heard. Listening and really hearing what someone is saying to you goes a long way in making your pitch successful and obtaining your desired results. Tip #5 Determine what objections are coming your way and figure out the answers! The easiest way to lose a possible deal, purchase or client is just not knowing how to answer the 'nos'. Be prepared, know your stuff, always be cool, calm and collected…even when - and especially when - faced with a 'no' or an objection. Tip #6 Follow up!!! Who wants to build a relationship with someone with no follow-through? Trust me when I tell you, it is not always going to take one pitch to get what you want. Plan for three, four and even five outreach efforts to build a relationship, capture your audience’s attention and build trust to get the responses that you want. Pitching is not an easy game - it requires intention, integrity, and persistence, but if you do it right with your audience’s best interest at heart and you show your truth and your passion for what you are pitching, you can win!!! 'Til next time.. think it . dream it . do it Kelli