The 3 P's of the Perfect Sales Pitch
While the words Shark Tank may bring people to remember a row of investors on their television, to the entrepreneur or small business (wo)man it brings a shudder. It is sadly however one of the many things that are nonnegotiable when you decide to have your own business. In order for any business to thrive, you need to pitch. So what are the traits of a great pitch?
Personalization
No matter how technological this world gets, personal connection is still the driver behind why most business agreements happen. In order to assist this in your pitch, use a personal story that will either connect the problem to the solution (i.e. your product) or the person to either the product or (even better) you. This will allow both a connection as well as an even deeper understanding of your product.
Passion
If you cannot get excited about your product, who will? Make sure every moment of your presentation is full of energetic passion. Like every emotion, it can and will become contagious. When you becomes energetic, people will be more in tune with the idea of investing. After all, we all want to be connected with things that make us feel energetic. Make sure this is seen in every move you make as well as your voice. One big tip to this however. Make sure you are actually energetic and not just on-script.
Plain
No matter how complex the agenda behind your product is, make sure it is as simple as possible. In order to want to invest in your product, people must understand the concept behind it as much as they do the problem it solves. Every investor knows every product they invest in, from the smallest part to its largest market. Don't make your prospective investor fight to know what they are buying.
With all this in mind, please remember to not go for the P that may as well be the Holy Grail itself: Perfection. No presentation has ever gone perfectly because neither product nor person is perfect. However, this does not in any way mean that you should throw in the proverbial towel and wing it. You should attempt to be as close to the Grail as you can, but understand the things you hope won't happen inevitably will. That does not mean the end of the pitch. I've personally had volcanic-type errors occur during presentations, but seemed to find a profitable end to quite a few of the tunnels. Make sure the 3 P's are involved in your presentation and I am sure the end of your tunnel will be the best it can possibly be.
A Former White House intern and past campaign strategist and consultant. Heather has been published in The Daily Caller, Parcbench, Human Events and other publications. Heather holds a dual Masters Degree from Regent University and has been nominated and awarded for her writing and dedication to agendas such as Domestic Violence.
