This is what the perfect sales pitch looks like

Fuel for the sales process: the perfect sales pitch

A compact, concise presentation usually causes more headaches than dealing with the same topic in long form. The reason is quite simple: the fewer words we can use, the more carefully we have to consider each one. Does the sentence really help to convey the core message? Couldn't I perhaps say more with a different formulation, get to the point more directly? This can sometimes be a time-consuming process. But it is worth it. If you really manage to concentrate your content in a compact form and remain coherent, you will achieve the desired effect even in tense situations. And that's exactly what counts in a sales pitch. Limited attention spans, uncertain prior knowledge - your presentation has to be on point to get the sales process moving.

What is a sales pitch?

Let's put ourselves in the cold call 's shoes: a brief greeting, explaining the reason for the call and not forgetting to let the other person have their say. This opening is followed by the sales pitch. What do you want to sell and why do you think this is relevant enough for your contact person to take the time for an unannounced call?

Let's think about how we ourselves react in our private lives when a stranger surprises us with their request on the phone. It becomes clear that there is only one option for the sales pitch. It simply has to be good (just like these examples), otherwise it will lead to an abrupt end instead of preparing the ground for a real conversation.

60 to 90 seconds is all the time salespeople should give themselves for the sales pitch - because the other person won't either. If it's not clear exactly what you're selling and how it can help the other person, then it's a lost cause. So everything important has to fit into this time frame. And in such a bold and coherent way that your contact person can make immediate use of it. This is the only way your contact can take on board what you have said and establish a connection with their own situation and the challenges it presents. If this is not successful, you will lose their attention. After all, when cold calling a lead, there is always the question in the background: Is this really worth my time?

Broad mass or class for yourself: factors for a good sales pitch

Spontaneity and aplomb dominate the image of the perfect sales employee. But there is another side to the sales pitch. Sales teams must be prepared to invest time in preparation in order to keep honing their sales pitch. Only then can they get the best out of the situation when it comes to the pitch.

1. prepare

A truly convincing sales pitch cannot be made up out of thin air. It must be thought through from the lead's perspective so that it can appeal to the other party in the best possible way. It's not about using marketing terms, but rather simple and unambiguous wording. Good wording does not raise any questions, but ensures that the other party immediately knows exactly what the pitch is about. In this respect, the sales pitch needs to be repeatedly rechallenged in the sales team: Are the key messages really getting through to the target person in the right way?

2. individualize

This does not mean that there is one optimal version of the sales pitch. It makes no sense to grind to exhaustion to find the one version that picks up leads from all target segments. Really good sales pitches do not miss an opportunity that presents itself. Individual references to the other party take a good sales pitch to the next level. The one size fits all approach misses this opportunity. Does research or lead intelligence provide news from the target company that can be referred to? Has the lead perhaps even appeared in public in connection with your topic? The better the pitch builds up individual references, the more impact it will have.

3. leave no doubt about the added value

All that in 60 seconds? Salespeople are already starting to delete passages here. And it doesn't get any easier, because added value is key - and key figures get to the heart of the matter. Despite all the individualization, sales pitches must not lose their impact in terms of content. The motto is to make it clear what really matters and to hide all the side issues! There is still enough time for the full roadshow once the hurdle of the sales pitch has been overcome and the cold call has been successfully completed.

Takeaway

Practice, practice and more practice: Especially after a team workshop, a sales pitch will no longer have much to do with the initial draft. With every correction loop, you will find further starting points for improving details. What counts is convincing leads, not satisfying your own vanity.

What must a sales pitch contain?

Time is limited, so there is not much room for preliminaries. The sales pitch goes straight to the point with the hook, and that has to be spot on.

Hanger

At the beginning, Salespeople clearly summarize the core problem and its most important contexts. Leads feel directly addressed in their working reality.

Solution

The solution principles for many problems are nothing new. Nevertheless, the other party needs to know which path your product is following.

Added value

The individual solution principle results in a specific added value that competitor products designed differently cannot deliver. This must fit the lead's situation!

Context

Now it's time for a few details for a better understanding of the offer. A reference to successful implementations or real data also gives the claims more substance.

Outro/Call to Action

You have made it clear what you can achieve and which path you have chosen. Now focus on the other person. At this point, you can ask the contact person to take action and proceed directly to dealing with the objection.

When pitching, salespeople should leave nothing to chance, but we still encounter bad practices. It's tempting: salespeople always add an extra detail because they think that more information is more convincing. But details only become relevant much later. For example, the product demo is the perfect setting to present features and create even more excitement. Instead, the art of the sales pitch is to argue succinctly and concisely without raising more questions than there are answers to. 5-minute pitches are definitely too long, because salespeople only speak for the last 2 minutes to hear themselves talk. Instead, create space for an individual approach to your counterpart.

Less words, more impact

The best sales pitches don't have to say everything, because they give the other person food for thought that reinforces the impact of what is said. If you focus directly on a real problem and point out possible solutions, you set the thoughts of your contact person in motion: "This could actually be the solution!" Good pitches regularly generate this perception among leads - and create the basis for the joint search for the perfect offer.