How's Your Sales Pitch?
We all are in the business of pitching products and or services. Teaching people how to “pitch” so you can sell is a huge industry. There are thousands of consultants and books available to help you refine your sales pitch.
An effective sales pitch is essential to the success of any business. To put a spotlight on this, we are launching a new online TV show, dubbed “The Pitchman…He Speaks in Long Sentences.” (To learn how the Pitchman and that tagline came about, check out our commentary Coke or Kale?) This show is reaching a sizable audience utilizing a humorous, entertaining approach. Those who don't have a promotional consultant can find one through PPAI's "Find a Promotional Consultant" tool that we link to from our end-user safe YourPromotionSolution.com website.
We invite you to watch The Pitchman Show and subscribe to the Pitchman YouTube Channel.
The art of the sales pitch is intriguing. We encounter it when we need to buy a product or service. What stimulates a sale? What distinguishes a good pitch from a bad pitch?
I’ve been reflecting on an experience I had when my wife wanted to show me her gym, which is near where she works. We had some time to kill between dinner and a movie, so I thought it would be nice to take a look at Golds Gym. Golds is right next to the movie theaters. Interestingly (and sadly) this building used to be a huge Barnes and Noble bookstore.
I belong to LA Fitness on the side of town where I work. We also are active at Cycleup, a high-end spin studio, and are involved with a couple of running groups. My wife and I stay pretty active.
I thought we would be able to go through Gold’s Gym on our own with my wife showing me around. But, it turned out we need to do this with a fitness consultant. Dang, I thought! Geez, I have to get a gym sales pitch to see this place! I mumble to my wife that I wasn’t really up to timeshare type pitch. But, we had time to kill and figured I would suck it up. I wanted to see the gym.
It turns out this was a very productive time. Not just seeing how beautiful the place is. Cardio Theater playing movies on a massive screen while working out on treadmills was pretty cool. Our gym tour guide was brilliant at his pitch. It was SO good it didn't even come off as a pitch.
He started with questions. What are your goals? What are your challenges? How do you determine what exercises are best for your situation? A problem for me is pain. As an older person, who is somewhat active, pain is a part of life.
One eye-opening point had to do with addressing that I love to run. I enjoy being outside getting to a destination we choose. Our community has a massive network of paseos for cycling, running and walking. We can go wherever we want, and there is a freedom in that. I love the people we run with, and I can take my dog with me. Afterward, we hang out for coffee. It’s part of our lifestyle.
In the sales pitch, it was noted that what I love to do is not great for my body and pain. Right. Pounding on a hard surface is not as good for me as being on a treadmill. The thing is, I don’t think Gold’s Gym wants dogs on treadmills. (Although I think it’s a pretty cool thing.)
Gold’s Gym is nice, and I learned quite a bit about the services they offer. These services will benefit me. With a knowledgeable professional, I can address my pain points.
As we wrapped up, I was expecting I might be locked in a room for the timeshare type pitch. Join today, and you’ll get a t-shirt and a new car. That didn’t happen. We covered a variety of things on this tour. In closing I was given a 10 Day pass, ending with a no pressure close.
Relating this to any business/sales situation, we see the components that make up a good pitch. At the core is listening, looking for the pain points, effectively conveying how our client's needs can be met while helping them achieve their goals. A good pitch creates the opportunity to close the sale.
This pitch was SO good, I’m almost tempted to join, even though seemingly I have my gym needs covered. BUT, I may try the place for 10 days.
Consider what sales pitches have influenced your buying decisions? What can you learn from these pitches? I continue to learn from real-world experiences…and look forward to learning more.
© 2018 Jeff Solomon, MAS