Making a sales pitch can be a tricky and tiring task. But take our word on it, if you know the essential dos and don’ts of sales pitching then you should be able to close sales much easier. Now, if you are searching for a way to boost your sales and bring in more clients, below we have gathered 5 dos and don’ts of sales pitching that you can consider implementing in your next pitching effort.
Do’s of Sales Pitching
1. Tell a Compelling Story
Storytelling is a valuable tool for engaging with your client. It will make them feel an emotional connection to you and your product. If you are able to link the story you are telling to the product itself, even better. One common example of this is telling a story about a previous customer's positive experience with your product. Not only does this leverage the power of storytelling, it also provides your product with a boost of social proof.
2. Believe in Your Solution
Your personal drive and your passion for the product/service convinces people. There are rare occasions when there is no other product like yours, but most of the time it’s the salesperson's convincing power that closes the deal. Let the audience see the spark in your eyes and hear the enthusiasm in your voice. If you are not there for it, don’t expect them to believe you. Your prospect is the leading star of the presentation and your solution is his sword and shield.
3. Include Specific Success Metrics
Find a balance between the emotional and the rational side of the audience. Include metrics from previous collaborations as you tell the story, but too much hard data can trigger only the rational side and make your audience too serious. Your audience needs to see a change that is bigger than their company because it positions your offering as inevitable. This is the direction the world is moving and makes it clear that they should not be left behind.
4. Develop a Sense of Urgency
Offering limited-time-only deals or an exclusive number of spots is a great way to develop a sense of urgency in your client's mind, and urgency sells. Mastering sales is just as much about keeping your current customers as it is finding new ones. The 80/20 rule suggests that 80% of a business's revenue comes from 20% of its customers. So, there’s no harm in offering your customers good deals and offers every now and then.
5. Create a Natural Flow of Conversation
Most customers go into a sales pitch knowing what you're gonna say because sales pitches are predictable. Yes, some points are mandatory to have, but we encourage you to strive for a unique conversation. Create a journey for your audience and lead them to your product/service. As every journey there are peaks along the way to keep their attention and engage them.
Don’ts of Sales Pitching
1. Cookie-Cutter Sales Pitches
Clients want to be treated as if they are unique and valuable. If you employ a cookie cutter sales pitch that isn't at all personalized, chances are they won't be interested. Instead, get to know your client and craft your pitch to match their position and personality — even if you have to do it on the fly.
2. Provide Irrelevant Information
A little bit of stats and data to back up what you are saying is a good thing, however, bombarding your client with irrelevant information is not. By and large, clients only care about how your product is going to benefit them. Any stats or information not pertinent to those benefits are best left out of your sales pitch.
3. Relying on Gimmicks
Gimmicks can range from mildly amusing to concerningly extreme. Whatever end of the spectrum that they fall on, though, they rarely ever work. You shouldn't have to rely on sending your client fruit baskets or performing an interpretive dance outside their office window to get a sale. Your product, its features and its benefits should always take the spotlight, not some crazy gimmick.
4. Being Too Pushy
A little persistence isn't necessarily a bad thing, but if you get the feeling a client isn't at all interested, it's better to dust yourself off and move on rather than wasting any more time on them. Not only will being too pushy with uninterested clients distract you from clients who are interested, it can also give you and your company a bad name.
5. Selling To Just Anyone
There used to be a time when the ability to "sell ice to an Eskimo" was the mark of a good salesperson. Now, though, it's been determined that pursuing interested leads who fall within your target audience is a much better use of time. Instead of pitching your product to anyone with a pulse, focus your efforts on qualified leads.