{"id":122258,"date":"2022-08-09T05:30:50","date_gmt":"2022-08-09T05:30:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.similarweb.com\/corp\/?p=122258"},"modified":"2024-04-10T11:40:34","modified_gmt":"2024-04-10T11:40:34","slug":"sales-pitch","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.similarweb.com\/blog\/sales\/consultative-selling\/sales-pitch\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Create a Killer Sales Pitch (And What to Avoid)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Your opening sales pitch is one of the most important parts of closing that deal. But, what does it take to make a winning sales pitch?<\/p>\n

We take a look at what a sales pitch is, why they\u2019re so important, how to make a great one yourself, and the most common sales pitch mistakes to avoid.<\/p>\n

What is a sales pitch, and why is getting it right so important?<\/h2>\n

A sales pitch is where a salesperson explains what a business or product is, and why it\u2019s beneficial. This can be over the phone, in a face-to-face meeting, or in a slidedeck, for example. Look at it like this:<\/p>\n

Hook<\/b>: your sales pitch. <\/p>\n

Line<\/b>: lead nurturing and education. <\/p>\n

Sinker<\/b>: closing that deal. <\/p>\n

It’s vital to gaining the attention – and the interest – of your prospect. With a bad sales pitch, you\u2019re unlikely to get another chance. But with a winning sales presentation<\/a>, you\u2019ll either move them quickly down the funnel, or be one they\u2019ll call when the timing is right.<\/p>\n

So, what makes for a winning sales pitch? Let\u2019s go through the 6 main steps.<\/p>\n

\"6<\/p>\n

6 ways to make a winning sales pitch<\/h2>\n

Here are the 6 ways to make sure your sales pitch is on the road to success (and to customers converting…).<\/p>\n

1) Research your prospect<\/h3>\n

If there\u2019s one thing we won\u2019t get bored of saying, it\u2019s \u201cresearch your prospect\u201d. And we mean it. Before you think about how to write a sales pitch, research your prospect<\/i> (yep, that\u2019s the third time already) in every way you can before picking up that phone, entering that meeting room, or joining that Zoom call.*<\/p>\n

By research, we mean both about the company, its goals, and perhaps even its shortcomings, but also about the individual or individuals you are speaking to. Think about why and how your product or solution applies to them, and how you can build rapport with them because, ideally, it won\u2019t be the last time they\u2019re talking with you.<\/p>\n

*all equivalents included – you\u2019re not getting away with this one.<\/i><\/p>\n

2) Make it about them<\/h3>\n

That leads us nicely onto this section: make that sales pitch all<\/i> about them. Use your research to adapt and personalize each pitch you do, so that they are specific and relevant to each prospect. Realistically, they will only really care about how they can benefit from your product – the rest might be (\/probably will be) forgotten.<\/p>\n

One thing that will take your research and personalization to the next level is data<\/b>. Data that proves your product works in providing a solution for the client\u2019s specific problem or needs.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere do we get the data from?\u201d, we hear you ask. The answer = Similarweb Sales Intelligence<\/a>.<\/p>\n

While it almost feels like it\u2019s data you shouldn\u2019t be able to see, it\u2019s actually completely legal and not creepy at all. See for yourself.<\/p>\n

\"sales<\/p>\n

Above is our Lead Generator, where you can see the filter system on the left, making sure you\u2019re seeing websites that meet the specifications of your ideal customer profile<\/a> (ICP), as in, the ideal companies you solve for. This might include the types of industry, business size, business location, traffic amount, websites with fast-growing traffic<\/a> – the works. You name it, our filter\u2019s got it.<\/p>\n

Then, you\u2019ve got the cheeky Contacts tab along the top. \u201cCheeky\u201d purely because it saves you a lot of time from searching the web in numerous ways to find an email address<\/a>. We do it for you. You\u2019ll find contact information for different roles within the company too, which is helpful if your pitch targets the CEO, the CFO, or the CTO.<\/p>\n

As if that wasn\u2019t enough, you can make the most of our Insights Generator tool<\/a>. It gives you access to website data of each of your prospects and their competitors, allowing you to \u2728 pimp up that pitch \u2728 of yours with that all-important touch of personalization – yep, helping you to make it about them<\/em> and how you solve their<\/em> problems.<\/p>\n

3) Ditch the jargon<\/h3>\n

\u2018Talking the talk\u2019 doesn\u2019t necessarily mean \u2018walking the walk\u2019 in this situation. In fact, it can be the opposite. Using confusing or complex language that your prospects may not understand – or even sales lingo that your prospects have heard all too<\/i> often – could send them running in the other direction.<\/p>\n

Keep it simple and to the point – but also make it conversational. It\u2019s the best way to engage and educate your prospects, and to get them wanting to learn more about what you have to offer.<\/p>\n

4) Offer a solution or a better way forward<\/h3>\n

By offering a solution or a better way forward, you are really making it hard for them to say no. Imagine:<\/p>\n

You<\/b>: \u201cI can make your life a whole lot easier, and get you more revenue as a company\u201d<\/p>\n

Your prospect<\/b>: \u201cNo, I\u2019m good – thanks\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s an offer that\u2019s hard to turn down. Sure, you\u2019ll get some objections<\/a> on price, current or competitive solutions, or other technicalities but, with a good pitch and deck, you can prove your product\u2019s worth. Who can say no to an easier life or more revenue?<\/p>\n

5) Anticipate objections before they arise<\/h3>\n

Leading on from that, you need to consider all potential objections before even making the pitch. Think about things that your prospect could be wary of: costs, integrations, moving from a current provider, missing out on deals from competitors, general workload, change<\/i>.<\/p>\n

By preparing for potential objections, you avoid hesitations and show how confident you are in your product. Confidence and surety are things that will shine through to your prospects, helping them overcome any doubts.<\/p>\n

Ideally, your pitch will cover these objections before a prospect has time to ask – or even think – about them. For example, we always suggest having a slide in your deck that talks about your competitors<\/a>. It gives you the opportunity to lever your business above the rest and point out your niche or USP – perhaps more naturally than fighting an objection would.<\/p>\n

6) Outline the next steps<\/h3>\n

Right so, you\u2019ve given a killer sales pitch and now you\u2019re wrapping up the conversation with your prospect.<\/p>\n

Now what?<\/p>\n

Give them a roadmap.<\/p>\n

Outlining the next steps to your prospect is all part of lead nurturing<\/a>, and it forms a sense of commitment to one another. It might be a follow-up phone call a few days later, or even checking in before beginning a trial period for your product or work together. Let your potential client know exactly what (and when) to expect moving forward.<\/p>\n

\"6<\/p>\n

6 common sales pitch mistakes to AVOID<\/h2>\n

If you\u2019re more motivated by the negatives, you\u2019ve come to the right place. Here are 6 things to avoid when making a sales pitch – and I bet you can all relate to at least one of these in your past experience.<\/p>\n

1) Too much information<\/h3>\n

When you reel off a lot of information at once, and sometimes about topics that your prospect won\u2019t have fully grasped, you\u2019re bound to lose their engagement. Attention spans are funny things, and throwing a load of new, hard-to-absorb information at them isn\u2019t helpful to anyone.<\/p>\n

So, here\u2019s a hot tip: break it down.<\/p>\n

Not only should you use simple and conversational language, you should make your pitch digestible by breaking it down into the necessities. Save yourself time by instigating certain questions in your client\u2019s mind, and remember, do your pitch well and you\u2019ll get through to Round 2. Ding, ding, ding. <\/p>\n

2) Off-putting chat<\/h3>\n

Don\u2019t say it, don\u2019t say it, don\u2019t say it\u2026 <\/i>\u201cLow-hanging fruit\u201d.<\/p>\n

We spoke about ditching the jargon in the to-do section, and boy, do we mean it. A conversational tone will get you so much further than a hard sell. And one traditional trait of a hard sell? Sales buzzwords.<\/p>\n

While they might have worked way back when, these days, people can spot them a mile off. The thing with overused phrases \u2013 particularly when it comes to selling things \u2013 is they can quickly seem disingenuous, taking away from your authenticity and trustworthiness.<\/p>\n

Being personable and relatable is a far better route to take. And don\u2019t you forget it next time you touch base <\/i>with your prospect. (Kidding).<\/p>\n

3) Keeping it generic<\/h3>\n

A generic or broad sales pitch won\u2019t get you anywhere. Let\u2019s be honest, your sales pitch won\u2019t be of interest until you spell out why it should<\/i> be of interest to them. Make it worth your prospect\u2019s time, otherwise they\u2019ll zone out quickly.<\/p>\n

This is exactly why research into your potential client, with data to back it, is what makes a winning sales pitch. You spot a problem or pain point, and you provide a specific solution for it. It\u2019s a no-brainer, really.<\/p>\n

4) Lack of visuals<\/h3>\n

Another way to make your prospects\u2019 eyes glaze over is too much text, or too much talk. We talked about breaking down your pitch or presentation into digestible chunks, and another effective method is to include visuals.<\/p>\n