Your next pitch will probably fail

If you pitch – regardless if it’s for investment, to sell products, or win new business – your next pitch will probably fail for one of these reasons:

• You don’t understand your prospect’s subliminal, unspoken pain,
• You think demonstrating excitement will generate excitement,
• You layer on features and benefits your prospect won’t remember,
• You don’t have a single unifying idea that ties the pitch together (one ring to rule them all), and
• You can’t set the hook in 30 seconds.

Your next pitch will probably fail. Unless…

There’s a way to get past this discouraging cycle of failure.

Dig into the psychology of your prospect to find out what they want – but can’t articulate,
• Reposition what you’re selling – it’s not a product, but a possibility of happiness,
• Deliver a pitch that’s so simple it can be repitched by your prospect,
Let your prospect write your pitch for you.

Imagine what your next pitch could look like if you incorporated these methods.

• A pitch where your prospect leans forward within 30 seconds,
• A pitch where your prospect finishes your thoughts for you,
• A pitch where your prospect loves your story so much they retell it to their boss,
• A pitch where you get to ’tell me more’ within 3 minutes.

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Valuable pitch lessons from advertising

I developed the 3 Minute Pitch methodology to deliver that. And to deliver you from a never-ending cycle of pitch discouragement.

The thinking behind the 3 Minute Pitch comes from my career as an advertising writer and creative director. In advertising, you need to capture attention, seduce, and sell – within 30 seconds. You also need to pitch prospects million dollar commercials based on little more than a few drawings.

We learned things few outsiders knew:

• That prospects’ pain points (which your product should solve) are just superficial expressions: their real pain is deeper, subliminal and often impossible for them to articulate.
Products are interchangeable. Features and benefits don’t matter. What we pitched was the possibility of happiness.
• If you asked your prospects the right questions, their insights would virtually write the pitch for you. Best part was, they didn’t know they were doing the hard work.
• Every pitch needed to have a brilliant idea – a ’Think Different’ or ‘Just Do It’ thought that the prospect would carry with them long after the pitch was done.
• Finally, every pitch needed to be a story that could be retold because it was entertaining and inspiring. Our pitches were the original viral marketing.
• Your pitch needed to set the hook within 30 seconds, and be done in 3 minutes.

Pitching is life, not convenience

You may think pitching isn’t something you need to learn. You’re wrong. When you negotiate your pay raise, when you convince your partner which restaurant to go to tonight, you’re pitching. Life is pitching.

Is your pitch up to the task?

Ask yourself: Does your pitch capture the imagination? Does it get your audience to lean forward in their seats? Does it get you to the all-important ‘Tell Me More’ stage? You can get the answers – and coaching – you need by booking an Optimize My Pitch session.

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