Business Pitch for Sales Presentation

Sell a new product, promote a new service, convince an investor to buy your idea…To achieve these key objectives, it is essential to prepare a good business pitch.

In this article, learn how to create an effective sales pitch, the different techniques and types of pitch, as well as some examples to base yourself on.

What is a sales pitch?

A sales pitch, also called sales pitch, it a means used to try to persuade a person or a group of people to buy a product, a service, or any other opportunity relevant to the target audience, by making a presentation of the offer.

Only one rule: each presentation must be personalized. To do this, it is essential to know precisely the field of intervention of your interlocutor and his mode of operation and decision-making.

It is useless, for example, to request an appointment with your banker for the takeover of a business in the fast food sector if the latter does not finance this type of project, or even to solicit investors if the exit prospects or the type of project do not correspond to their selection criteria.

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The 4 types of business pitch

Different scenarios call for different sales pitch ideas. Here are the 4 most common types of sales pitches:

1. Elevator pitch

The elevator pitch is the one you use when meeting a prospect for the first time. This is a short, information-rich sales presentation that quickly introduces your business, products, or services to a potential buyer with whom you have little relationship.

The idea is to present your offer in such a way as to convince and arouse the curiosity of the prospect, who will want to know more. From there, you can schedule a consultation meeting to discuss how your offer meets your prospect’s needs.

Elevator pitches are widely used in business seminars, conferences and social events.

Focus on the Elevator pitch

Straight from the U.S., the Elevator pitch, which could be translated as: “elevator pitch”, is a very brief oral presentation that allows you to quickly and simply define a project and its assets.

The name “Elevator Pitch” has its origins in the fact that it is possible to describe a project in a very short period of time, equivalent to an elevator ride of around ten seconds to a few minutes. Imagine meeting your Managing Director by chance in the elevator, elusive and often in a hurry, you will only have a few seconds to explain your project to him and convince him to support it before the doors open and he disappears.

The creators of start-ups use this mode of presentation very widely to retain the interest of investors, and thus allow them to make a decision in a minimum of time. This method has proven itself, to such an extent that it is now taught by schools, incubators and accelerators, to entrepreneurs, to give them all the means to “market” their projects, and thus obtain the support of investors.

In practice, the entrepreneur’s business plan file can be summed up in a few sentences, to highlight only the relevant information: how do you meet the needs of your customers, how can your offer make the difference, what is the potential market, what are your distribution and supply networks, etc. The details of the project are made available only at a later stage.

Here is an example:

As Account Manager for [enter company name], I am in constant contact with hundreds of marketers. I realized that most of them spend almost an hour a day writing reports, which unfortunately are never consulted. Yet reporting is a tedious and time-consuming task, and marketers have other priorities.

At [company name], we understood this problem and created an innovative tool called [tool name]. This tool stores all your marketing and sales data and generates custom reports in 30 seconds. Are you interested? We would be happy to call you to discuss this in more detail.

This argument is effective because it reminds the reader of a problem they often encounter, demonstrates the inspiration of the product and offers a concrete solution. It also gives the prospect the opportunity to say, “Yes, I want to know more about your tool.”

2. The sales pitch on social networks

The vast majority of brands and target customers are active on social platforms, which makes social media a great place to start pitching customers.

Before you start your sales pitch, check the prospect’s social profile and make sure your pitch will be relevant. For example, if you sell content marketing software, you can target content marketing strategists, copywriters, and others who will find your product suitable for their use.

Here is an example of a social media pitch template:

Hello [customer name],

How about an offer that simplifies your sales and marketing efforts?

We would like to introduce you to a tool that can really make a difference in your daily efforts.

Almost all sales and marketing managers are responsible for producing regular reports. Julia Smith, Marketing Manager at XXXX, previously spent more than 30 minutes a day creating manual reports.

Today, she uses [indicate your company’s tool] and it only takes three minutes. Plus, it creates reports five times more relevant.

Our tool allows marketers like you and Julia to produce quick and detailed reports instantly. We can also help you and your colleagues do the same. Do you want to know more?

3. The “cold call” or cold canvassing

Cold calling involves contacting potential customers that you have never met or talked to before, for the sole purpose of selling them your products or services.

Regardless of the means of communication used, it is important to be very open and adopt a conversational approach. Instead of using a standard sales pitch script, tailor your presentation to the needs and profile of your prospects. Also respect their time. If they are not available for a call, consider rescheduling it.

Here is an example of a sales pitch template for a cold call:

Hello [customer name].

This is Thomas Jones from [your company name].

I am contacting you to schedule a brief telephone conversation and share the results of our work on the factors allowing companies to maintain an international perspective.

This is especially important information for businesses that, like yours, are growing rapidly.

We’ll also offer some recommendations on which areas you should focus on to make a difference.

Would you have some time for us in the coming week?

Tell me what would suit you.

4. Business pitch by e-mail

The email pitch is one of the main types of sales pitches that every salesperson should master. It’s about reaching out to potential customers via email and pitching your product as the perfect solution to their problems.

However, an average person receives around 121 emails per day. So you need to make a great first impression for your brand to stand out. You can do this by creating a catchy subject line and optimizing the email content to suit your prospect.

Here is an example of an email pitch:

Hello [customer name],

I hope you’re doing well.

I wanted to contact you to express my appreciation for your work at [company name]. Congratulations on your [latest accomplishment].

I also looked at your website and saw that you are looking for content writers to help you with a few projects.

But before going into details, let me introduce myself. My name is [your name], I am a tech enthusiast and freelance content writer. My specialty is creating top notch content for blogs and business websites. I create engaging, well-researched, SEO-optimized content that brings value to the target audience.

Would you be willing to discuss how I can help you create content?

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What is the structure of a good sales pitch?

While the quality of your products or services is critical to influencing purchase decisions, the outcome of your awareness efforts depends on the structure of your sales pitch template.

To help you craft an effective sales pitch that aligns with your audience’s interests, we’ve put together an easy-to-follow five-step structure.

1. Define the problem

Some sales specialists start by presenting their product right after the opening of their sales pitch. But it doesn’t often work that way.

The focus is not on the features or capabilities of your product, but rather on the critical challenges your prospects are facing. This is what you want to solve. So, before presenting the solution, start by highlighting the problem that your customers are facing. If you acknowledge their challenges, it will be easier to tailor the pitch to meet their needs.

A solid opening shows the prospect that there is an opportunity too big to ignore. This creates a sense of urgency and persuades the prospect to consider what you are offering, long before they know your solution.

2. Present the solutions

Once you’ve captured the prospect’s attention and convinced them to read your pitch, move on to show them how your product addresses the issues they’re facing. Customers pay more attention to products that address their problems. For this reason, refine your message to directly address their challenges and how you can address them more effectively.

Explain how your product helps them achieve their business goals faster and with less effort, how it saves them money or time, and protects them from risk.

The goal is to consider their needs and show that you have their interests at heart. By doing so, you prove the intelligence, relevance and uniqueness of what you offer.

3. Provide an action plan and deliver value

An effective sales pitch script presents your brand’s product or services in a way that resonates with your prospects. However, even if your concept sounds amazing, it won’t grab attention if you can’t demonstrate how it solves prospects’ problems. This is where a solid plan comes in. Always showcase the level of insight you possess by showing the exact value of your product or service.

Whenever possible, use images or other visual elements to give interested parties an overview of your concept. You should back up your sales pitch with personalized presentations or explainer sales videos demonstrating how your plan works.

This not only makes your pitch more cohesive, but also makes the prospect better understand and remember your idea.

4. Share social proof

It is not enough to propose a solution and provide an action plan. You need to go the extra mile and bolster your sales pitch with social proof. If your solution has helped others, let your prospects know.

Showing success stories to potential customers is a great way to influence their decision. In a world where only 18% of customers trust sellers, social proof is the best way to overcome this difficulty. Almost 91% of consumers trust online reviews, so use social proof in the form of testimonials, expert reviews, case studies and customer satisfaction statistics to back up your claims.

By using social proof, you tell prospects to accept advice from those who have already benefited from your offer.

5. End with a compelling call to action

This is one of the most important parts of a good sales pitch. After demonstrating your solution and providing social proof, it’s time to wrap up. In your call to action, start by reiterating your brand’s unique selling proposition (USP).

As a seller, the main goal is to close more deals, so don’t hesitate to ask for the sale. If you are not proactive enough, chances are you will lose the sale or the contract. Whatever actions you expect the prospect to take, make that clear in your call to action. Using a compelling call to action at the end signals to potential buyers that you are confident enough that your solution is right for them.

How to conclude a sales pitch?

At this point, the sales pitch should end. Explain the steps, whether it’s a product test or a consultation, while keeping it simple.

Finally, thank the prospect for reading your sales pitch. You can also invite him to ask questions or raise any issues he might have. Making sure prospects feel like they’re in safe hands is the easiest way to earn their trust and close more deals.

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Key of your success for business pitch (details, details, details…)

The interlocutor (conversational partner)

The type of interlocutor that you will meet and convince to support you will depend on the nature of your project, its sector of activity, its state of progress and its ambitions.

The presentation of the project
Depending on the situation, you may be required to meet face to face or in front of several people. In any case, here is the typical outline of a successful project presentation.

The speech

There is no room for improvisation when presenting your project. Your message must be fluid, adapted, clear and be delivered within a defined time. Here are the main tips to adopt.

• Adapt: ​​if the project is a technological innovation, a purely digital activity, etc. You may need to adapt your vocabulary according to your interlocutor, avoiding technical and theoretical jargon and abbreviations. A simple way, try to explain your project in a single oral presentation!

Nevertheless, this does not exempt us from familiarizing you with the terms specific to the creation and management of a business: economic model, segmentation, commercial strategy, marketing mix, working capital, break-even point, self-financing capacity (free cash flow), financing plan, financial forecast, etc They will be very useful for you to be understood by the business creation professionals you will meet (bank, investors, chartered accountants, competition jurors, etc.).

English is very popular with investors… if you speak to them, plan a version in the language of Shakespeare!

• Be clear: avoid getting lost in the details and prefer to focus on what makes sense to your interlocutor. Encourage short sentences. Three watchwords: precision, conciseness and clarity. As the saying goes, “too much information kills information”.
• Time yourself: if your interlocutor does not impose a time limit on you, do not lose any objective that you must be able to convince in less than 5 minutes. If time is limited, you will need to adapt your presentation. You have to be ready to present your project in 30 seconds as well as in 30 min. The hardest part is often going from 30 minutes to 30 seconds.
• Rehearse: prepare by rehearsing several times, if necessary with those around you, in order to have a fluid and rhythmic presentation. Your speech is not fixed in time, it will evolve according to the progress of your project, your failures and your successes. Know how to take advantage of it to improve your presentation.

The questions

Your oral presentation will inevitably lead to an exchange with your interlocutor which will take the form of a questioning, either to ensure that he has understood your project, or with the aim of obtaining clarifications on subjects passed over in silence. So you have to be well prepared.

• Anticipate: to effectively answer your interlocutor’s questions, the best way is still to anticipate them. You must therefore list the tricky questions and prepare the answers accordingly, which must be brief and precise. This will have the advantage of showing that you know your project well and its weak points. It’s a way to defend your project constructively.
• Bouncing back: you will not always be able to consider everything, so if your interlocutor destabilizes you with a question, be sure to remain in control of your emotions. It may be his role to object and challenge you. In such a situation, be responsive and able to question yourself. The objective is not to know everything, but more to show that you are aware of the points to be improved.

Presentation materials

A presentation support is not always required, but it is better to be well armed and to prepare some for each situation and interlocutor. It is, in a way, the business card of your project.

• The slideshow: it should be used to illustrate and complete your speech and not to recite your presentation. It is mandatory in front of a competition jury or a college of investors. You should favor short presentations. For example: for a 5-minute presentation, no more than 5 slides are needed.
• Remember that your presentation must be readable, precise, clear, airy, coherent, etc. and use different media like video, sound, photo, computer graphics, animation, etc. to break the monotony and attract attention: You are not exempt from writing and giving figures, but make sure that your content is readable even from a distance. So plan for large print. Also avoid drowning your interlocutor in figures and graphs. Highlight only the key figures, those that give meaning to your project.
• The Executive summary: it is a synthetic presentation of your project, which can be made available to your interlocutor as a prelude to your oral presentation or at the end.
  • The objective of this summary is to arouse the interest of the reader in a minimum of time. This summary must fit in a maximum of two pages, reflect the essence of your project as well as its chances of success. It must answer the essential questions: what is the project, what am I selling, to whom, why, etc. (cf. Presentation of the project). There is no standard plan for writing this summary, but the main thing is that it be concise and easily understandable in order to demonstrate in just a few lines all the interest of your project to your various interlocutors.
• The business plan: it is the creator’s reference document. In 20 to 30 pages, the business plan should allow your interlocutor to get a very precise idea of ​​the project that is proposed to him. It is preferable to put it back at the end of your presentation so that he is not tempted to consult it during, in order to retain his full attention.

Communication

Knowing how to present your project is one thing, being listened to and understood is another. Your oral expression, your posture, your ability to manage stage fright, etc. will be your main allies to ensure that your message is well received. Beyond the elements that make up your project, you must therefore not lose sight of the fact that the first thing that your interlocutor takes into account: it is you.
For your message to be delivered effectively, we invite you to adopt the following tips.

• Manage stage fright (performance anxiety): stage fright results from a feeling of insecurity, linked to a situation perceived as dangerous. To prevent it from disrupting your presentation, especially when you are in front of several people, there are a few remedies that it is recommended to follow.

Before the presentation:

– Prepare your presentation well before you start. It is important to fully understand your subject, the messages and the key words to convey.
– Program yourself mentally, by visualizing the smooth running of your presentation, step by step.
– Play it down, no one is perfect.
– Relax with stretching exercises and breathe deeply with your belly, like when you sleep.
– Divide up speaking time with the people on your team.

During the presentation:

– Breathe slowly, do not rush and stand up straight.
– Do not apologize for the slightest mistake.
– Smile.
– Be yourself.
– Do not lose sight of your objectives and that you are there to convince.
– Look at the forehead of your interlocutors while scanning the room.
– Tell a story.

Having stage fright is normal, it’s what allows you to surpass yourself!

• Capture the attention of your audience: to be sure that people listen to you, you have to be silent. This may surprise you, but seeking silence a short time before you speak will help you get attention more easily.
  • To do this, you must add listening and observation. If you have to deal with several interlocutors, do not hesitate to look at them individually, you will be sure to get all the attention required for the presentation of your project.
• Adopt a good physical posture: when we address our interlocutor, it is commonly accepted that we are understood 7% by words, 38% by tone and 55% by gestures. It is therefore essential to adopt a good physical posture if you want to make a good impression and be understood.
  • If you are seated, avoid leaning over the table or slouching backwards, you will appear to be demotivated. You should also avoid crossing your arms and legs because this posture indirectly expresses a withdrawal on your part.
  • If you’re standing, you should keep your head and body straight and your feet flat, “grounded in the ground.” This posture will give you confidence. Naturally avoid rocking, pacing and keeping your hands in your pockets.
• Express yourself orally effectively: only one rule, attack your sentences with confidence and not drop them. In other words, avoid decreasing the intensity of your voice as you pronounce a sentence. You also need to train yourself to project your voice, without shouting, in the event that your interlocutors are numerous and dispersed in a large room. Of course, don’t forget to articulate.
  Good oral expression is only possible if you know your project like the back of your hand!
• Be enthusiastic and positive: your attitude and your personality will also make the difference. Be dynamic, smiling, attentive, and don’t let yourself be destabilized by anything. Also avoid sticking to your guns and be open to discussion and criticism.

Conclusion

A well-written sales pitch can encourage your prospect to seize the opportunity you present to them. As the examples above illustrate, the best sales pitch connects with prospects on a human and emotional level. It contains enough evidence that your brand can solve their problems.

This is what inspires the prospect and guides their decision to take the next steps with you. If you follow the steps above when crafting your sales pitch, you will end up closing more deals.

Photo credit: DiggityMarketing via Pixabay

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