BY Rachel Cagle
Don’t you wish there was one magical sales pitch that would land you a sale every time you used it? If you had that at your disposal, you could walk into any meeting room (or this year, I guess it would be log onto any video chat) with confidence. After all confidence is the characteristic 60% of sales reps believe is the most important to possess in order to be successful, according to SalesFuel’s Voice of the Sales Rep study. Do you know how to improve your sales pitch to be like that?
Unfortunately, there is no such magical sales pitch. However, Gabe Larsen, writing for HubSpot, says that there is a specific formula to creating unique sales pitches that will land you more sales.
How to Improve Your Sales Pitch: the Formula
State the Problem: It’s why you’re there, isn’t it? Your prospect has a need to be met or a problem to be solved and you’re uniquely qualified to help them. So, how to improve your sales pitch is to begin with that. Keeping the problem top-of-mind will remind the client that they need to take action and soon, whether or not they end up choosing you.
Provide Value: Once the problem has been addressed, cut to the chase. How can you help? What value can you provide to your prospect’s company if they decide to work with you? Larsen recommends sales reps be clear, concise, action-oriented and outcome-focused.
Lay Out a Plan of Action: Want to know how to improve your sales pitch? Explain how all the value and benefits of your solution will come to pass. How long will it take? How is it different from other common solutions your prospect may encounter from other companies? Remember, when explaining your differentiating qualities from your competition, do NOT insult your competition. Point out the factual differences and keep it at that. The worst thing you can do for a sales pitch is childishly insult others. Keep it respectful.
Present Evidence: The best way to prove that your solution will work for your prospect’s unique situation is to add references in your presentation. Do you have clients from the same industry who were facing similar problems when they purchased your product or service? Use them as a reference. Get a review from them explaining how your company has helped them thrive, or at least solve the problem at hand, and present it to your prospect. Everyone wants a guarantee that they’ll be getting their money’s worth. And the fact of the matter is that they don’t know or trust you yet. To start building that trust, you need to provide evidence, not just promises.
End with a Question: Hopefully, you’ve scattered a few questions throughout your sales pitch so far in order to keep your prospect engaged. After all, there are few people out there who would rather be talked at instead of to. But ending your presentation with a question lets the prospect know that the ball is now in their court. You’ve presented your information and said your piece. But don’t just end with the stereotypical, “Any questions?” Ask an open-ended question created specifically for that prospect. Preferably one that may get the negotiation process started. The fewer meetings you have to schedule with a prospect, the less likely it will be that this sale will be pushed to the wayside and forgotten.
Delivery Notes
Be Confident: Remember that confidence is the top trait sales reps believe they need to possess in order to be successful in their career field. You need to enter every sales meeting with confidence for a number of reasons. First, confident people have nothing to hide. They’re sure that they’re pitching a product or service that will be of use to their prospects, and that kind of faith in a product or service is contagious. Second, confident people come off as more likeable. We tend to unknowingly forge our own destinies. If you go into a sales meeting believing that there’s a good chance that the prospect won’t like you and won’t want to make a deal with you, your body language and attitude will end up making that your reality. So, get pumped up before you make a sales pitch! Blast your favorite get-psyched song into your headphones, indulge yourself with your favorite snack sized candy bar: Whatever you need to get your energy and confidence up, do it!
Establish Your Authority: This doesn’t mean coming off as some hot shot that thinks everyone should listen to them by default based on their job title. No. The best way to establish yourself as the authority in your field is to educate your buyer. Let them in on trade secrets you’ve acquired over your years in the business. Make it clear that you’ve seen a thing or two and why it is that your experience has lead you to be where you are now choosing to sell this product or service. The more knowledgeable a prospect is, the more confident they will be in their purchases.