Jeff CharlesIt’s the part of the sales process we all love. It’s when we’re finally able to tell the prospect why they should buy our product or service. It’s when we can talk about how wonderful our company is.
It’s the pitch!
And yet, so many entrepreneurs fall short when it’s time for them to pitch. They realize that presenting an effective solution isn’t easy.
It can be maddening.
You’re positive that you’re presenting your solution in the most persuasive way possible. You’ve given the most riveting case for the prospect to become a paying customer.
And you get rejected.
It feels like giving the speech of your life only to have your prospect brush it off like an annoying housefly. You ask yourself why your prospects just aren’t able to see the value in what you’re offering.
Why does this happen?
Because many entrepreneurs don’t know how to make a proper sales pitch. They haven’t yet learned how to deliver a pitch that really speaks to their prospect’s needs. They mistakenly believe that just telling the prospect how awesome their product is will suffice.
However, giving a good sales pitch doesn’t have to be difficult. If you follow the proper steps, you will find it much easier to build a compelling case for your offering.
If you master these steps, not only will you be able to get more prospects to say “yes,” you will also be able to make them feel happy about it!
Make Sure You Fully Understand Your Prospect
Wait, hold on. We’re not talking about the pitch yet…
Why?
Because your pitch is going to fall flat if you don’t do your due diligence beforehand. Before you even think about pitching your offer, you must make sure you understand your prospect.
If you don’t have a full understanding of your prospects needs, you won’t be able to give an effective pitch. After all, you can’t tell them how your product meets their needs if you don’t know what their needs are, right?
Take your time and ask effective questions that will help you figure out what their needs are. Make sure you listen carefully so you will know how to tailor your pitch later on.
All Prospects Are Different
No prospect is the same, so it would be a bad idea to use the same pitch for each one. This is why you need to make sure you understand them before pitching.
Make sure you pitch according to the pain points your prospect has told you about. Even if you know there are other benefits the prospect might enjoy, focus first on what their stated needs are. This is what your prospect really cares about.
It’s even helpful to bring up the pain points they brought up earlier. You want them to feel the pain again while you’re telling them how you will alleviate that pain.
Find out how they want to feel. Do they want to feel secure? Prestigious? Less stressed? Listen carefully for any indication of emotion. You will want to address it when it’s time to present your solution.
After showing them how your product will address their pain points, then you can talk about other areas that will make their lives easier.
Focus On The Outcome
When you’re discussing your offering, there is one overriding factor that you must focus on in order to persuade your prospect. It’s the outcome.
What do I mean when I say “outcome?”
Simply this: you need to show your prospect what things will look like after they accept your offering. How will their life be different? What will it look like?
Many people make the mistake of assuming that their prospect will already envision the outcome just by hearing about the offering itself. It’s not true. You need to paint the picture for them. You have to show them what your offering will actually do for them.
Here’s an example:
You’re a wedding planner trying to convince a couple to hire you. Don’t focus primarily on the features that make up the service you will provide. Yes, it’s important to talk about handling the catering, decor, etc.
But what you really want to focus on is the experience you are going to provide.
In this case, your prospects want to hear about how memorable their wedding will be. They want you to tell them how great of a time their guests will have. They need to hear about how magical this event will be because of the services you will provide.
After that, you can tell them how you are going to do it. But even when you’re going into detail about your services, always bring it back to the outcome. When you’re speaking, tie each service to the outcome the customer wants.
If you want to get the sale, find out what your prospect wants to feel, then make them feel that way.
Provide The Evidence
Along with showing your prospect the outcome of doing business with you, it’s also important to provide proof of your claims. You have to establish a certain level of credibility, or the prospect won’t have any reason to believe you will provide the outcomes you say you will.
If you can back up what you say, then it will be easier to get your prospect to trust you. This doesn’t sound easy, but it really doesn’t have to be difficult.
There are a few things you can do to build credibility:
- Stories of how you have helped other customers.
- Statistics that bolster your claims.
- Testimonials.
- Providing free trials of your offering (if possible).
When you give proof of your claims, your prospect will feel much more comfortable with the idea of doing business with you.
Keep It Concise
One of the best ways to lose a prospect is to confuse them. It’s very important to make sure that your presentation is as clear as possible.
It’s tempting to tell your prospect everything about your offer. After all, you want to make sure that they know exactly what they’re buying, right?
The problem is that if you tell your prospect too much, you run the risk of drowning them in a sea of information. That’s why being concise is so imperative.
When possible, try to limit the information to what is most relevant to your prospect’s specific situation. Frame your offering in terms of their needs are. Doing this will help you avoid overloading your prospect with too much information.
After your prospect understands how your offering addresses their pain points, then you can gradually talk about the other aspects of your offering if you want.
Don’t Forget To Close
Believe it or not, one of the most common mistakes people make when they’re learning how to sell is forgetting to ask for the business. The go through their whole pitch and expect the prospect to buy.
When selling, you’re in the driver’s seat. You’re the one who needs to lead the interaction to its conclusion. After presenting your offering, you have to remember to ask for their order.
Before asking for the business, make sure that you address any questions or concerns. After your presentation, ask them if they have any questions. If they don’t, then go ahead and close.
Conclusion
Learning how to deliver a great sales pitch takes time. For entrepreneurs who are not used to selling, it can be a challenge. However, if you practice these steps, it will help you become better at persuading prospects to become customers.
Need help creating your own sales pitch? Download my free checklist to get some guidance.
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