Anatomy of a Sales Pitch

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a sales rep carrying a quota is in want of a pitch. Whether new to the job or simply faced with the steely-eyed skepticism of a cold prospect, every sales professional has faced that moment of spontaneous amnesia following the seemingly innocuous question, “What does your company do?” This is when it’s helpful to draw from a script or outline while you marshal your wits and charm. 

I recommend developing a 60-second pitch articulating your value proposition. Once you have this pitch, you can adjust it to the natural give-and-take of conversation, but scripting makes it less likely that you will forget a key point. A strong sales pitch includes a hook, solution statement, benefit statements, differentiators, and proof points.

Hook

You have to earn–and keep–your audience’s attention. Open with an observation or insight, formulated as a question, to engage them. This could be a research finding, industry news, or an anecdote shared by a current customer about their experience. If you make it an open-ended question, even rhetorically, it demonstrates that you are interested in your audience’s perspective.

Solution statement

Tell your customer what type of problem your company solves. What does your solution do, and who is it for? What problem does it solve, and whose problem is this? It’s also important to define what type of product you’re offering, or what category it falls into. There may be different ways of approaching the same problem, and your approach may not be for everyone. 

Benefit statements

Now that you’ve explained what product (or problem) category your solution addresses, get more specific about the benefits your prospective customer might expect to gain. Customize these benefit statements for the buyer person you’re speaking to. What are the most important attributes of your product? Why are they important? Make your audience the hero of your story. How does your solution help them achieve their goals? Don’t fall into the trap of listing product features! Features by themselves don’t solve problems. You should only mention features when you need to provide supporting details for specific benefits.

Differentiators

Your opening pitch is not the time to mention competitors. At this stage of the sales process, you are working to understand your customer’s problem. However, you can–and should–begin to explain what makes your solution different. It doesn’t have to be better than your competitors in every way, but it does need to be different. Unsure what is different about your solution? Sometimes you can combine multiple product features or characteristics together so that the total package is the differentiator. With practice you can weave your differentiators into your benefit statements, so that you focus on benefits that only you can offer.

Proof points

Never underestimate the power of a story. Finish strong with qualitative or quantitative data from a satisfied customer. How much time or money did your solution save them? How much did they increase revenue? Choose a proof point from a customer that is similar in region, size, demographics, or goals to the prospect you’re speaking to. 

Conclusion

While the perfect pitch will be authentic to you and tailored to your audience, focusing on these key elements will help you effectively communicate your value proposition. Grab their attention, explain how you can solve their problem, help them visualize how they will benefit, explain how your solution is different or unique, and give compelling proof. With these essentials, you’ll be confident in what you have to offer.