Can You Develop a Sales Pitch That Is Not Salesy?

Practice, Practice, Practice

We have to admit; our profession is not among the most admired. A more recent Gallup poll ranks Car Salespeople and Business Executives right there among Lawyers and Telemarketers as some of the least trusted professions. Other polls add Salespeople, Marketers, and Advertising Practitioners to the same list.

And there is even a term, salesy, to describe a person or an approach to delivering a sales pitch in an unaware, aggressive, and superficial manner, lacking the depth and engagement that a compelling story can provide. There is no equivalent term that I am aware of for nurses, doctors, or firefighters.

So, as I think about what makes a great sales pitch and how it resonates with prospects, I would argue that by their very nature, every sales pitch is salesy. But if you establish a solid rapport with the potential buyer and incorporate techniques of persuasion along with a well-defined value proposition, it can greatly enhance its appeal.

Gabe Larsen instructs that “your sales pitch should be short and have a clear message. In your pitch, you should explain your customers (e.g., what they do and who they are), the problem they're facing, a plan for how your product will help them, and what their success will look like as a result of using your product.”

And if you follow this framework on how to build your pitch, it is still bound to be:

Delivered to someone in the wrong state of awareness. The very nature of a pitch is to be delivered upon the question, "What do you do?” and “What does your company do?” There is no room for questions to clarify and understand your audience first.
It is superficial… most issues cannot be reduced to a black-and-white, 30-second soundbite, as much as marketers would like to make us believe.
And it has to be an aggressive sales pitch… to stand out from the many other pitches. It is aggressive through the choice of words, that long string of buzzwords spiced with superlatives.

Can you develop a sales pitch that is not salesy?

Let me give it a try by starting with a well-crafted elevator pitch framework used by many others and putting my spin on it:

1. Problem:

Start with a statement or question about the problem you solve and share why it is important. A catchy statistic perhaps, like “only 3% of people rate a salesperson as honest,” or insights from recent research studies highlighting key challenges in the industry.

Or tell it as a story, either about yourself or someone or something well-known: “Back in 2015, I was working at Volkswagen dealership in NY trying to sell diesel cars …”

The hardest part? Make sure the problem and the why is relevant to the person you speak with. If they do not relate, either save your breath, or ask questions to determine at least one common denominator first as a starting point for the conversation: “When was the last time you purchased a car? Did you do it in a dealership?”

At a trade show or other in-person event where people wear a badge, lead the conversation by asking, "what do you do at x company?" before pitching. Or when you know the audience is 80% homogeneous, tailor it to the 80% and state it, e.g., "As a salesperson, you have a trust issue.”

The common starting point, in my opinion, is the most important step to build rapport and engagement with potential buyers, and it forms the foundation of a great sales pitch. Without it, the rest is worthless. With it, you have a real chance to engage your prospects and avoid being salsey.

2. Value Statement:

Share a very clear, concise statement of the value proposition you, your product, or your service delivers. Focus the value on the outcome, and how it solves the problem.

The hardest part? Avoid using jargon and buzzwords. They (1) make you sound less genuine, (2) make you sound like anyone else, and (3) make you lose the share of the audience less familiar with those terms.

3. How We Do It:

What is unique about our strategy, what differentiates it, and what ensures success? Here is a place for catchy phrases that paint a picture through analogy, enhancing your elevator pitch. My favorite to this day is trying to explain a search engine for chemicals: "Google for chemists."

4. Proof Points:

Provide clear reference examples and list recognizable achievements. Share industry validation, research, and awards.

5. Customer Stories:

As soon as you have them, share customer stories and successes to highlight your value proposition to potential buyers. To make them real and relatable, use emotional and personalized customer stories. If the customer agrees to it, use his name. This referral is priceless.

6. Engaging Question:

Close the pitch with an open-ended question or ask. Is there something you would like to know from your conversation partner regarding potential prospects? Or something you would like them to do? The obvious goal here is to move beyond the sales pitch to the next step. If you were successful in Step 1. and did establish the common ground first, your chances are pretty good that your question will not come across as salsey, thanks to the strong rapport you’ve built.

And then… practice, practice, practice; remember, every pitch is a story waiting to be told.

This brings me back to the original question: Does a sales pitch always have to rely on heavy persuasion techniques to be effective? While I maintain my earlier statement that they inherently are, you can take steps to break the mold. One part of that is practice. Eventually, with practice, the pitch will become empathetic, personalized, relevant, meaningful, and a success.

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Gallup – Nurses Again Outpace Other Professions for Honesty, Ethics

Gabe Larsen – 5 Sales Pitch Examples Too Good to Ignore

Aja Frost – Only 3% of People Think Salespeople Possess This Crucial Trait

Photo from Wikipedia