How To Deliver A Successful Sales Pitch

Shivani has a big sales pitch coming up. She’s a client servicing executive at an advertising agency and the client is part of the FMCG sector. Her manager has asked her to lead the client presentation. Shivani has never made such a large pitch before and doesn’t know how to tackle it. Luckily, she’s working with a strong team. Shivani’s manager also gives her one key piece of advice: practice, practice, practice. Through relentless efforts, they get it ready in time. Shivani delivers a flawless presentation and they win the account.

It’s easy to think of a good sales pitch as a tricky thing. It’s difficult to get the right combination of words, tone and content in place. Then the presenter needs to have the skills to speak with impact. But the reality is that a strong sales pitch is simply a well-crafted presentation of value.

There are multiple components of a business pitch. It includes the purpose, the introduction to the product or service being pitched, how it works in detail, its value proposition. It may also contain logistic details and a cost section. A good pitch should conclude with the next steps or a call to action.

This is only scratching the surface of what goes into a pitch sales presentation. Let’s dive deeper.

1. How To Make A Strong Sales Pitch

2. Delivery Tips For A Sales Pitch

3. Tools For A Successful Sales Pitch

4. Master The Soft Skills For Pitch Success

How To Make A Strong Sales Pitch

The purpose of the pitch sales presentation is to get the client’s attention and make them interested in the product or service. It’s important to have a specific purpose when creating the pitch so there’s no scope to get off base. The presenter has to be specific and clear.

It’s not just the words that make a good pitch, it’s the way the information is packaged that showcases a product or service. What are the characteristics of a successful sales pitch? Regardless of the product on offer, the fundamentals of a successful pitch remain the same. The presenter needs a solid understanding of the product or service and a clear purpose for articulating that message to the specific audience.

In any of the examples of a sales pitch here are the four steps that can be observed:

1. Step 1: Understand the product or service and its benefits. Start by identifying the problem the product solves, and how it solves it better than any other product on the market. Identify a way to make the product memorable. Connect this to the emotions of the listener.
2. Step 2: Identify the target audience and their needs. Define the core message to send. This should include a pithy and direct hook that encapsulates in one sentence what the audience should take away from the pitch.
3. Step 3: Create an outline that includes a compelling opening, a coherent message and a call to action. The opening should grab attention. Then comes the bulk of the presentation. Remember that this too should be as concise as possible. Presentation decks that are hundreds of slides long will quickly lose the attention of the audience. End with a simple call to action. 
4. Step 4: Practice. With practice, even an uncomfortable presenter can gain the confidence needed to make an impactful presentation. With command over the material, every presenter will have the control to adjust if things are getting off track. One way to practice is simply by reciting the pitch out loud; another is by recording a dry run and watching the video to see what can be improved.

In the end, no matter how spectacular the product or service may be, it needs to resonate with the audience to make a sale. It has to fulfill their needs and expectations. Thus, an effective sales pitch requires a thorough understanding of the buyer’s needs.

Delivery Tips For A Sales Pitch

There are as many kinds of pitches as there are products and services. In addition, every salesperson has their own style, sometimes developed over years of practice and experience. There are also a variety of methods of delivery for a pitch. It could be a casual meeting in an office. It could happen in a formal conference facility with several representatives from each party. It could be over a phone call or even a Zoom call. Here are some tips for effective delivery:

1. Many things go into a great sales pitch, but there’s one thing in particular that stands out. The effectiveness often comes down to the ability to make the audience feel like the presenter is speaking directly to them.
3. An effective sales pitch should make the customer’s decision simple. It’s best to begin with an outline of the presentation. And then get to the heart of the matter.
4. It’s important to speak in a voice that is confident, clear and concise. The tone should be controlled. End the pitch with what the next steps are going to be and what action the other person should take.
5. Keep emotion out of the presentation if possible. For the content to connect to the needs and emotions of the audience, the presenter’s own nerves and feelings should disappear.
6. Ensure that the message presented is truthful, simple and direct. Be concise and to the point. Avoid extraneous details or anecdotal information that does not directly relate to the point being made. It isn’t a talk or a speech. A sales pitch should stay on point throughout.
7. One of the top tips for a sales pitch is to perfect delivery. It has to be convincing, and it has to be genuine. Craft it in a way that makes the message clear.
8. Don’t be afraid to sell the product. If the team in charge of selling it isn’t convinced by its usefulness or excellence, no one else will be either.

Having a complete understanding of how the product works shows the customer the presenter cares about them and wants to create a great experience for them. The sale is the beginning of a relationship; it isn’t an end in itself. 

Tools For A Successful Sales Pitch

With any contemporary examples of a sales pitch the good news is that there are more tools than ever before to make it effective. Tools can make the pitch more compelling and engaging for the audience. Here are a few of the most common choices to consider:

• PowerPoint

The presentation deck was revolutionized thanks to PowerPoint and similar software. They make creating a pitch deck easy with access to a computer and some fairly basic skills. Most salespeople use this tool to present their information, but it also works well for standing in front of a crowd because it can be very interactive. However, it’s important to be mindful of not creating bloated decks that go into minute details. Pitches are usually high-level concept presentations.

• Visual aids

Whether paired with a PowerPoint presentation or another method, presenters should consider using charts, graphs and even short videos in a presentation. It can help make a complicated concept or idea more clear for most audiences. They should be sure that it’s appropriate to the subject and not slowing down the flow.

• Handouts

Including supporting information about the product or service in a handout can be effective. Presenters can keep these ready and give them out after the pitch presentation is over. They must make sure the material is attractive and impactful. It should contain all relevant contact information. Once again, it’s essential to keep it brief.

• Web pages

Presenters should take advantage of the fact that presentations are often made over Zoom or sent over email. They can create a web page for the pitch and share it for added impact.

• References

Presenters can include professional references for sales pitches from previous clients who have used the product or service. They can put these in the documents and audio-visual presentations.

These tools will put any salesperson making a pitch on the road to success. Public speaking isn’t something everyone feels comfortable with. But it’s absolutely a skill that can be learned with a little time, effort and energy. Employees should be given every opportunity possible to speak in public to get over this hesitancy. 

Master The Soft Skills For Pitch Success

There’s no one way to give a great sales presentation, but there’s a way that works for each of us. As we find our feet, there are skills we can learn to make it easier. For instance, some people might want to make note of the details they’re going over in each presentation on index cards. Some may choose to memorize all the content. Good preparation will make the difference between a good sales presentation and a great one.

Harappa’s Impactful Sales Program can teach anyone in a customer-facing role how to make effective pitches. Through a combination of live masterclasses and self-paced courses, this blended program is designed for sales success. It imparts must-have Thrive Skills such as speaking persuasively and establishing relationships. Making winning pitches that communicate the value proposition clearly and convincingly is one of the focus areas, too. Learners will receive the nudges and feedback they need to get the most out of the program. Selling is a skill that can transform careers and organizations. Upgrade today with the Harappa toolkit for sales mastery!