How to write a sales pitch

The ability to create a winning sales pitch is one of the most valuable skills in every salesperson’s arsenal. 

Whether you want to sell a new product, promote a new service, convince an investor to buy your idea, or gain more traction as a startup, a sales pitch will be key in the process. 

In this article, you will learn how to create an effective sales pitch script that can help you close more deals along with some sales pitch templates for your inspiration. 

What is a sales pitch?

A sales pitch is an attempt to persuade a person or group of people to buy a product or service. In a sales pitch, you present an offer, which could be a new product, service, a chance in a meeting, or any other opportunity relevant to the target audience. 

The sales pitch is crafted in a way that persuades the target audience to believe in and buy your offer. 

4 types of sales pitch you should know

Different scenarios call for different sales pitch ideas. Here are four of the most common pitches every salesperson should learn to craft:

1) Elevator pitch

An elevator pitch is the kind you make when you first meet a prospect. It’s a short, information-rich sales presentation that quickly introduces your business, products, or services to a prospective buyer, with whom you have limited rapport. 

The idea is to convey your offer in a compelling and intriguing way that leaves the prospect interested in knowing more. From here, you can plan a consultation meeting to discuss how your offer is the ideal solution for your prospect. 

Elevator pitches are widely used in business seminars, conferences, and social events. Here is an example of an elevator pitch.

This pitch is effective because it reminds the reader about a frequent annoyance or pain they face, demonstrates the inspiration for their product, and offers an actionable solution. It also gives the prospect a chance to say, “Yes, I want to know more about your tool”

2) Social media pitch

The vast majority of brands and target customers are active on social platforms, which makes social media a great place to start pitching to clients. A great social media pitch formalizes your idea to the prospect and persuades them to believe in your abilities. 

Before pitching, check the prospects social profile and ensure your pitch will be relevant. For instance, if you sell content marketing software, you can target content marketing strategists, editors, and other personas who will find your product suitable for their use. Here is an example template of a social media pitch.

3) Cold call pitch

A cold call pitch is where you reach out to prospective clients you’ve never met or spoken with before with the sole intent of selling them your products or services. 

Whether you’re making the call via the internet or over the telephone, it is important to open strongly and take a conversational approach. Instead of using a predetermined sales pitch script during cold calls, tailor the pitch to your prospects’ requirements. Additionally, respect their time. If they’re not available for a call, consider rescheduling it.

Here is an example of a cold call sales pitch template.

4) Email pitch

An email pitch is one of the key types of sales pitches every salesperson should master. It involves reaching out to potential clients via email and introducing your product as the ideal solution to their pain points. 

However, the average person receives about 121 emails every day, so you should make a great first impression for your brand to stand out. You can do this by creating a killer subject line and optimizing the email content to suit your prospect. Here is an example of an email pitch.

What is the structure of a successful sales pitch?

While the quality of your product or services is key to influencing purchasing decisions, the outcome of your outreach efforts depends on the structure of your sales pitch template. 

To help you craft an effective sales pitch that aligns with the interests of your audience, I’ve put together a simple five-step structure you may follow. 

1) Define the problem 

Some sales specialists start by introducing their product right after the opening statement in their sales pitch. However, this does not always work well.

The focus is not about your product features or capabilities, but rather the critical challenges your prospects are facing. This is what you want to solve. So, before introducing the solution, start by highlighting the pain your customers are facing. If you recognize their pain points, it will be easier to tailor the pitch in a way that meets their needs.

A strong opener shows the prospect that there’s an opportunity too great to be ignored. This creates a sense of urgency and persuades the prospect to consider what you’re offering, way before they even learn about your solution. 

2) Present solutions 

Once you’ve captured the attention of the prospect and convinced them to read your pitch, go ahead and show them how your product addresses the issues they’re facing. Clients pay more attention to products that address their problems. For this reason, hone your message in such a way that it directly addresses their challenges and how you can solve them in a better way. 

Explain how your product helps them achieve their business goals faster and with lesser effort. Go ahead and show them how it saves them money or time and how it protects them from risks.  

The goal is to take their needs into account and show that you have their best interests at heart. By doing this, you prove the brilliance, relevance, and uniqueness of what you’re offering. 

3) Provide a plan and offer value

A good sales pitch script presents your brand’s product or services in a way that resonates with your prospects. However, no matter how amazing your concept sounds, it will not get the desired attention if you cannot demonstrate how it solves the prospects’ problems or how it propels their ideas to success. This is where a solid plan comes into play. Always showcase the level of acumen you possess by showing the exact value of your product or service.

Whenever possible, use images or other visuals to give interested parties the bigger picture of your concept. You should back up your pitch with custom presentations or explanatory sales videos demonstrating how your plan works. 

This not only makes your pitch more coherent but also ensures the prospect can understand and recall your idea better. 

4) Share social proof

Proposing a solution and providing a plan of action is not enough. You should go ahead and anchor your sales pitch with social proof. If your solution has helped other people, let your prospects know. 

Showing successful examples to potential clients is a great way of influencing their decision. In a world where only 18% of customers trust salespeople, social proof is the best way to get past this bottleneck. Nearly 91% of consumers trust online reviews, so use social proof in the form of testimonials, expert opinions, case studies, and statistics on customer satisfaction to support your claim. 

By using social proof, you’re telling prospects to take it from those who have already benefited from your offer. 

5) End with a compelling call-to-action

This is one of the most important elements of a good sales pitch. After demonstrating your solution and providing social proof, it is time to close. In your call-to-action, start by reiterating the unique selling proposition of your brand. 

As a salesperson, the main goal is closing more deals, so do not be shy to ask for the sale. If you’re not proactive enough to ask for a sale, chances are you could lose the sale or contract. Whatever actions you expect the prospect to take, make it clear in your call-to-action. Using a compelling call-to-action at the end signals prospective buyers that you are confident enough that your solution is right for them.  

4 Winning sales pitch examples 

Now that you know how to write a powerful sales pitch that can increase conversions, let’s go over some winning sales pitch examples:

1) Yesware

In this example, the Yesware sale representative opens with a quick intro and connects with the prospect by mentioning some important information about the brand. 

The representative goes deep by explaining the reason for calling in a way that resonates with the prospect, and at the end asks a qualifying question. Most prospects will respond in a way that makes it easier for the sales rep to build the conversation. 

2) G2 crowd

G2, a popular website for reviewing business and software services, uses an impressive elevator sales pitch that’s only 21 seconds long. 

3) Mailbox validator

This follow-up pitch by Mailbox Validator starts with an explanation of how the sales rep met the prospect, which creates an instant connection. The sales rep then piques the prospect’s interest by mentioning a challenge. It also ends with a clear call-to-action , which increases the chances of conversion.

4) Healthy hearts institute

In this pitch example, presenter Chris Redlitz starts with questions and visualizations to capture the attention of the audience. 

He further highlights the problem of obesity and introduces how their company plans to eradicate it. He also adds an emotional element to the pitch by mentioning how people should take care of their loved ones. 

How to close a sales pitch?

At this point in your sales pitch, focus on leading the conversation to the next level.  You want your prospects to start doing business with you, so explain the next steps while keeping it simple. Whether you want them to try your software or schedule a consultation meeting, let them know.

Finally, maintain goodwill by appreciating the prospect for reading your sales pitch. You can also invite them to ask questions or raise issues they might have. Ensuring the prospects feel they’re in good hands is the easiest way to win their hearts and close more deals.

Conclusion

A well-written sales pitch can encourage your prospect to take advantage of the opportunity you’re offering. As illustrated in the examples above, the best sales pitch connects with prospects on a human, emotional level. It contains sufficient proof that your brand can solve their pain points. 

This is what inspires the prospect and guides their decision so that they can take the next steps with you. If you can follow the steps above when crafting your sales pitch, you will eventually find yourself closing more deals. 

Adela Belin is a content marketer and blogger at Writers Per Hour. She is passionate about sharing stories with the hope to make a difference in people’s lives and contribute to their personal and professional growth. Find her on Twitter and LinkedIn.