The Purpose Of A Sales Pitch
What is a sales pitch? It's a quick yet descriptive and engaging presentation of your eLearning or HR solution's value. It is often done in under two minutes, where you have to establish your value proposition and create a deep connection with your listeners. Effective business pitches are among the top selling skills that professionals in this field should possess. Depending on where each prospect is on the buyer's journey, you should modify your sales pitch examples and personalize your approach. Maybe someone browsed your website and got key information about your business, while someone else might have requested a demo after carefully analyzing your solutions. These two occasions differ significantly and require different sales pitch ideas and execution.
In other instances, you may approach someone on LinkedIn by sending a personal message. Regardless of how someone landed on your sales pitch, the latter is instrumental to any SaaS sales strategy. You have the opportunity to highlight your product's value and showcase how it can improve people's lives and solve their pain points. That's why it's best to focus on challenges instead of features.
In This Guide, You Will Find...
- Components Of An Effective Sales Pitch
- The 9 Best Practices To Create Your Best Pitch
- Sales Pitch Examples That Work Like A Charm
- 3 Valuable Tips To Enchant Your Prospects
Components Of An Effective Sales Pitch
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Opening Hook
Opening hooks are like catchy email subject lines. They should grab your audience's attention immediately. So, how do you start pitching an idea? A provocative question, a curious face, the mention of a mutual interest, or a powerful declaration are all effective ways to attract attention. For example, you can say, "I heard you were looking into ways of boosting your revenue," or "Did you know that 50% of small businesses struggle to...?" If you've met someone at an event, this is your introduction; simply state that it was nice seeing them there.
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Pain Point Identification
Successful sales pitch examples show prospects that they understand their challenges and can relate to them. When you start your pitch by asking them about a specific problem, you immediately gain their attention. It's the perfect way to introduce your product and its value.
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Value Proposition
Business pitches aren't complete without mentioning your product's value and benefits. It's not about focusing on features and tech details, though. For example, if you want to sell your onboarding software, say something like, "Our software onboards employees in half the time of your current solution and keeps them engaged." If there's nothing unique about your product, why would anyone upgrade or change vendors?
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Social Proof
Anyone can claim anything they want nowadays. However, you need proof to back up your claims. This includes case studies, testimonials, and online reviews by satisfied customers. Prospects must feel like your solution performs optimally and your company is credible. Apart from including this information in your sales pitch, it's best that you invest in online reputation management. Chances are, prospects will go online and do some digging about you after the pitch is over.
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Call To Action (CTA)
What do you want to happen after your sales speech is over? It could be handing out your card and encouraging further communication, or a clear request to book a meeting. You may use phrases like, "How about a quick chat to discuss this further?" or "I'd love it if you could make time to schedule a meeting. How does your calendar look next week?" Also, your CTA could be a free trial offer or a demo presentation.
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The 9 Best Practices To Create Your Best Pitch
1. Research Your Audience
One of the biggest complaints and worries of B2B consumers is that businesses don't understand them. Effective sales pitch examples must inspire relatability early on, although it's easier said than done. To achieve this, you must research your ideal buyer personas and find each one's unique challenges. When you've chosen your targets, visit their LinkedIn and other social media pages. Check their posts to get a sense of their interests and challenges. But that's just the surface. You should also dig deeper to identify their purchase cycle. Who makes decisions, what obstacles do they often face, and what is their budget? While you should use a sales pitch template, you must personalize your approach depending on a client's unique pain points.
2. Focus On Benefits, Not Features
It's easy to get carried away and start discussing the groundbreaking features of your software. You probably spent months finishing them, overcoming various obstacles. However, your sales pitch isn't the right place to talk about them. Prospects must understand how your solution will fix their problems. So, focus on the value and benefits of your software, not the tech features. Nobody wants to hear about the specifics of your payroll software, but they'd rather know how the software as a whole can complete complex tasks and streamline certain processes.
3. Leverage The Art Of Storytelling
Stanford Professor Jennifer Aaker said, "Stories are remembered up to 22 times more than facts alone." This goes to say that you must leverage the art of storytelling to capture your prospects' attention and get them hooked easily. This is how to close a sale and build meaningful relationships from the get-go. Leverage the components we mentioned earlier to build your story and create anticipation. Everything, from your hook to your CTA, should work toward enchanting your prospects. In some cases, you can use visual aids to build even more interest. If you are describing a client's success story, for instance, you may use charts and graphs showing the improvement after they purchased your solution.
4. Personalize
Did you know that 71% of consumers expect companies to provide them with personalized experiences and offers? Not only that, but they get annoyed when this doesn't happen. This proves that your sales pitch examples should differ depending on the situation. Most professionals and companies use customer relationship management (CRM) or automation software to create sales pitch templates. However, these templates shouldn't be used blindly on every prospect. Remember that, depending on the size of the company, different roles are involved in the decision-making process. You can't talk the same way to a VP, a Head of Marketing, and a Head of Legal. These roles judge a proposal based on different things.
5. Use Data And Statistics
Yes, storytelling can help with the delivery of good sales pitch examples, but it's not enough. Apart from catchy stories, prospects also want to see tangible results. So, connect your claims and story to actual data from past customer success stories. Did someone see a significant retention and engagement boost after using your LMS solution? Quickly mention the percentages to gain trust and build credibility. This way, your sales pitch isn't all empty promises but measurable results.
6. Listen Actively And Appeal To Emotions
What do most customers want when they speak to eLearning and HR companies? To feel like someone listens closely and cares about them and their problems. A software sales strategy should focus on adaptability. Depending on a prospect's reactions and responses, you should modify and alter your approach. This is one of the hardest things to do, and a key reason why creating an effective sales pitch is a lot of work and involves lengthy training.
Additionally, you should understand your audience's emotions, concerns, and motivations. Once you know what triggers them, you can deliver a sales pitch that not only grabs their attention but also converts them into paying customers. A couple of psychological tricks are scarcity and reciprocity.
7. Keep It Short
Depending on the different sales pitch examples, you should modify the length. While we will talk in detail about the different pitch types in a bit, let's mention a few things now. Email pitches shouldn't be over 200 words, while phone pitches can't be more than a few minutes. On the other hand, elevator pitch examples are the most demanding of all, since you have to conclude them in under a minute, the approximate duration of an elevator ride. The reason your pitch ideas should be short is that people get easily overwhelmed when you bombard them with irrelevant information. You don't have to talk to someone for an hour to convince them of the value of your solution. A few productive minutes are enough to get them on your side.
8. Prepare For Objections
During a lengthier sales pitch, prospects might come up with various objections, including your credibility, pricing options, and resources. For example, if you are a relatively small company offering link building services and your target is enterprises, they may ask you whether you have the right number of pros to work on their account. As you keep refining your approach and receive necessary sales pitch training, you'll be more prepared for any sort of objections. Keep various secret cards up your sleeve to hit back at any question or worry. For example, a SWOT analysis can easily showcase how trustworthy and strong your company is.
9. Follow Up
A sales training thought leader will tell you that your effort to convert a client isn't done once your sales pitch is over. In fact, this is only the beginning. You planted a seed, but you have to keep working to turn it into a blooming plant. This means that you need to contact your prospects and request a meeting, whether by phone, Zoom call, or in person. Timing is key, though. Don't rush them. Let the pitched information sink in for a couple of days, and then contact them. Don't wait too long either, as they may completely forget about you. Keep in mind that you are not the only one pitching them products and services.
Sales Pitch Examples That Work Like A Charm
1. Elevator Pitch
This is one of the most demanding sales pitch examples, as it should be delivered in 30–60 seconds. Encapsulating the value of your solution within this short timeframe is tricky. However, a masterful product pitch can intrigue prospects and leave them asking for more information. For instance, if you want to sell your authoring tool, you may use this punchy sales pitch example: "Did you know that one of the most common limitations of authoring tools is a lack of interactivity? With short attention spans and a lack of engagement, our authoring tool is here to solve this problem. Through powerful interactive elements, we aim to boost learner engagement and retention by 30%. And we have customer success stories to prove this." Not only do you mention your product's value, but you also leave them with a cliffhanger.
2. Phone Pitch
Phone sales pitch examples can be a great first step in sales prospecting. Basically, you call potential customers who fit your industry and buyer personas. You've done research regarding their needs and challenges, so you know what might work for them. You don't need to make a sale right then and there. This is a first introduction of your company and solution. If the prospects appear to be interested, you can book another meeting to talk in depth. Also, be respectful of their time. Before you start your pitch, ask them whether they have a few minutes to hear you out.
3. Email Pitch
Data shows that 80% of B2B buyers prefer email communication. And who can blame them? Emails are short and quick and don't require being on the phone for multiple minutes engaging with people you don't know. The best email marketing practices involve starting with a powerful subject line that prospects can't ignore. Make sure to personalize the email so it mentions people's names. Quickly mention how you found them and why you are reaching out. Then, disclose your software's benefits and the key differentiators from the rest of the market. Throw in social proof and success stories that build your credibility. At last, add your CTA. What should prospects do? Book a meeting, download a demo, or start a free trial? The next steps should be clear.
4. In-Person Pitch
If you prefer sales pitch examples that are more personal, in-person meetings are ideal. You have the opportunity to build rapport with prospects, engage with them in a more relaxed way, and then head straight into the gist. During this product pitch example, you can leverage physical materials like brochures, samples, and prototypes. Additionally, demos don't have to be videos shown on a screen. You can let prospects use your software in real time and experience the interface as you speak and explain key features and benefits. Based on their reactions, you should modify your pitch—if you see that they are getting bored, have a backup plan to engage them deeply.
Lastly, prospects are free to ask their questions the moment they arise. They don't have to wait until you reply to their email.
5. Presentation Pitch
This is where you can show off your PowerPoint or Google Slides talent. A sales presentation pitch typically includes your sales deck, which refers to visual aids in presenting the value of your solution. It helps significantly with product marketing and sales enablement. However, not all visual presentations are successful. Use interactive and playful elements to deliver your message. What should a sales deck include? Start with a strong introduction, where you introduce yourself and your company for about a minute or two. Then, it's time to discuss the main problem or problems people in your field face and explain how your software can help them overcome these challenges. Leverage testimonials and case studies to prove your solution's benefits and why it stands out from the competition.
Use a video or screenshots to show how it works and be transparent about the pricing model. Moreover, introduce key team members and their credentials. In the end, use a powerful CTA and include a contact form in case anyone wants to reach out.
6. Follow-Up Pitch
No one can guarantee that even the best sales pitch examples will generate interest from prospects. This doesn't mean that you should abandon all efforts to convert them. You can politely reach out once more and remind them who you are and what happened during your pitch. That's why it's crucial you know how to write a follow-up email after no response or call prospects at their office. The goal during the follow-up conversation isn't to get a yes or no. You need to expand and enrich the discussion. Maybe you can provide an additional case study or freemium offering. At the end, ask prospects whether they would be interested in setting up a meeting or a call the following week.
3 Valuable Tips To Enchant Your Prospects
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Video Pitches
Many sales pitch presentation examples or email pitches go beyond the typical text message. They also incorporate videos. For emails specifically, instead of using 200 words, you can create a personalized video talking to each prospect like it were made for them. Remember that people receive numerous emails daily. Your video can really stand out from the crowd. You can take a look at bright examples of Loom videos that customize your messaging.
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Flattery
No matter which sales pitch examples you want to follow, flattery is always a good avenue. For example, a prospective company may have received a Top List Award or reached a respectable achievement, so you can start your sales pitch by congratulating them on this feat. Not only do you make them feel good, but you also prove that you've been paying close attention to them. However, don't overdo it with flattering, as it can get uncomfortable.
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Prove You've Done Your Research
Knowing what awards a company wins isn't enough research. You must go deeper if you want to build trust and start building deep relationships. Here's an example. Let's say you offer content marketing services and you notice the content marketing ideas a company uses. You can mention in your sales pitch how much you like them. You can also share a post of theirs with their audience and tell your prospect you did that. Then, you may gently ask them if they want to book a meeting and discuss even more powerful content marketing opportunities.
Key Takeaway
Pitching to potential clients is never an easy process. Each prospect has unique challenges, needs, and goals. Your sales pitch examples should send the message that you know exactly what they need and how you can help them overcome their obstacles. The approach is the same whether you enforce a phone, email, elevator, in-person, or presentation pitch. Start with a strong hook, identify their pain point, explain how your software can solve it, and use social proof to support your claims. Use storytelling to appeal to prospects, listen actively to their concerns, adjust your sales plan, and be ready for objections. The most challenging aspect is that you must do all that as quickly as possible, without spending more than a few minutes.
