Over the top, too aggressive, or falling flat– sales pitches come in all shapes and sizes that have unfortunately given the term a reputation that brings up more negative thoughts than positive.
But how can you create a sales pitch that gets attention and is engaging? In this article, we’ll cover that and a lot more, so read on!
What Is A Sales Pitch?
A sales pitch is a message or script used in the initial stages of a sales cycle to start a conversation with a prospect.
Contrary to popular belief, a sales pitch shouldn’t be immediately about selling a product, but rather guiding your prospect to take action, like booking a demo call or scheduling an appointment.
Structure Of A Sales Pitch
There are all kinds of sales pitches for different products, industries, and situations. The following framework covers the key components of an effective sales pitch that can be used as a blueprint for crafting your own.
The Pain Point
Addressing the problems and obstacles your prospects face is key to a successful pitch. Rather than talk about how great your product or company is, start by acknowledging your prospect’s pain points with relatable stories, hard facts and solutions that will make their lives easier.
Solution & Value Proposition
After addressing the pain point, present what you have to offer as the solution that will help your prospect overcome their obstacles.
When presenting the value of your product, it’s easy to get caught up talking about features rather than benefits. Your product can have dozens of features, but what are the results of those features for your customers? What changes or outcomes does your solution offer?
Revolving your pitch around your prospect and how they can benefit, and not around your product features is the key to a great sales pitch.
Social Proof
Support your pitch with social proof like customer testimonials, case studies, and client references to further validate the value of your offer.
Call-to-Action
End your pitch with a clear call to action (CTA) that guides your prospect to move on to the next step of the sales process, which is connecting further.
If it ties in with your pitch, supplement your CTA with links at the end to book a call and include them in your signature.
What To Include In Your Sales Pitch
We’ve covered the general framework of a sales pitch, now let’s take a closer look at what we can include in more detail.
The Hook
The subject line and intro to your email should both stand out and grab your prospect’s attention. Whether it’s a question or a compliment, a good hook makes your prospect curious to learn more and should tie in with your pitch.
Some great opening examples include:
- Sharing a data point: “90% of marketers say this trend will...”
- Giving a compliment: “I hung up your latest Twitter thread on our office billboard and…”
- Asking a thought-provoking question: “How much does (pain point) impact…?”
- Start with a short story: “Do you recall that one time Warren Buffet…”
- Mentioning shared interests: “I saw you’re also a fan of…”
- Mentioning a recent interaction: “I really enjoyed meeting you at…”
- Getting straight to the point: “Hey, I know you’re super busy, but this…”
Context is Key
Once your hook has done its job, jump straight into why you are reaching out. Keep your value proposition short but captivating by focusing on your prospect’s pain points and the benefits of your offer.
Here are some points to consider:
- Explain what your offer is all about in plain English– try to avoid marketing terms and abbreviations unless you’re sure your prospect knows all of them.
- What benefit or pain point does your product or service address? Tie in the benefits to your prospect’s goals and the results they can expect.
- Include proof to back up your claims like case studies, data, or testimonials.
Call-to-Action
In a sales pitch, the CTA will often be an invitation to move the conversation forward, for example:
- “Are you free for a call next Thursday, after you’ve had time to go over the numbers?”
- “What is the best time to chat about this in more detail?”
- “I’d love to hear your feedback on this. Would a 15 minute call tomorrow sound good?”
Sales Pitch Examples
Let’s take a closer look at some examples of sales pitches that get results.
Sales Pitch Example 1 – Short and Simple
Hey [Prospect],
We ran a search analysis of the top 50 B2B consulting firms in the Seattle area. Your search rankings are lower than the top 40.
Would you like to discuss the report and possible solutions in a 15 minute call? Let me know what works for you.
Regards,
[Signature]
This pitch gets straight to the point, presenting a problem the prospect has and a simple CTA to discuss the solution.
Sales Pitch Example 2 – Start With a Compliment
Hey [Prospect],
I loved your post on [topic] and agree with [main points].
We’re working on a new application that solves [pain point] and are offering free trials to get some feedback.
Would you be interested in giving it a shot? I’d be happy to get your feedback on this!
All the best,
[Signature]
Opening with a compliment shows you’ve done your homework, which in itself is flattering and increases the likelihood of your prospect reciprocating. It’s also a great way of breaking the ice and being conversational.
Sales Pitch Example 3 – Reference Past Interactions
Hi [Prospect],
It was a real pleasure speaking with you at your booth at the Sales Conference last week!
I recall you mentioned having a hard time tracking progress with your remote team, and I think I found the perfect solution!
[Introduce the solution and why it works. Include social proof to show what results to expect.]
Would you be free for a call this Thursday, after you’ve had time to try it out?
[Signature]
If you’ve had an interaction with your prospect before, then you’ve already built some rapport that you can leverage in your email.
Referring to past interactions will show that you remember them and in this case, remind them of the pain point they mentioned.
Key Takeaways
And there you have it. Sales pitches don’t need to be pushy messages to buy something, but rather a genuine way of pitching a solution to a problem that makes people’s lives better.
When pitching to prospects, keep in mind to:
- Use your pitch to start a conversation, not sell on the spot.
- Address their pain points.
- Focus on the benefits and results of your offer, not the features.
- Conclude with a CTA to move things forward.
