Business Presentations - Use Power Pitching - Get the Personal Edge

Whenever and whatever you're pitching, dozens of factors will figure in the final decision of your prospects. All else being equal, you have the edge if you can establish a personal connection. Connect emotionally and intellectually, so they like and trust you more than your competitors. How can you get your prospects to like you? Try these tips.

* Focus and be sincere. If you appear nervous or unsure, you may seem devious or incompetent. If your sales presentation does not respond to their concerns and you just grind on with a prepared pitch, they will decide you don't care about them and their problems. Look people right in the eyes and convince them that you stand 100% behind the ideas, products, or services that you want to sell them. Pick up on their concerns, and address them.

* "Divide and conquer." If you're doing a sales presentation, shake hands with everyone as they enter the room. Connect with them so you see them as individuals, and you become more memorable to them too. (People are usually more shy of groups of strangers than in one-on-one contacts.)

* Use technology to enhance your sales presentation, not drown it. PowerPoint can keep you on track, but it can't establish trust.

* Keep it simple and memorable! When your prospects have a debriefing afterwards, you want them to remember what you said more than anything your competitors pitched to them. Break your talking points into snappy sound bites that are easy to write down and remember. Make them interesting and repeatable.

* Steer clear of technical language and jargon. Rehearse your presentation in advance with your spouse or an intelligent 12-year-old across the dinner table. If there's anything they don't understand, it's too complicated.

* Tell great stories. People are trained to resist a sales pitch, but no one can resist a good story. Let's say you're trying to get money to fund your software company. Tell a story about how the prospective investor's life will change when you bring the product to market: "Imagine that a year from now you'll come to work and use this software to do in 5 minutes what now takes you 45 minutes. I don't know what that would do to your life, but in all our test markets or pilot programs, people tell us..." Then add more stories.

Take a lesson from Hollywood. Give your stories interesting characters and dialogue, plus a dramatic lesson that your prospects can relate to. Don't say, "Certain companies have used our software." Don't even say, "IBM has used our software." Instead, say, "Joe Smith at IBM said to me, 'If we don't increase sales turnover by 20%, we want make our projections'. We guaranteed them they could if they used our software. Six months later, Joe called and said, 'You guys saved us.'"

If you are pitching a product that hasn't been built yet, build a story about what it will be like for someone using it.

Everything else being equal, you're way ahead of any and all your competition when your prospects relate to you, like you, and trust you.

Patricia Fripp, CSP, CPAE is a San Francisco-based sales trainer, executive speech coach, and award-winning professional speaker. She is also a Past-President of the National Speakers Association. For more information on her sales training; executive speech coaching; books, CDs, DVDs, and videos contact: PFripp@Fripp.com, 1-800 634-3035 or visit: http://www.fripp.com

Patricia Fripp offers this article on a nonexclusive basis. You may reprint or repost this material as long as Patricia Fripp's name and contact information is included.

In The News:


pen paper and inkwell


cat break through


How to Give a Great Speech

As a former owner of a National Speakers Bureau, I... Read More

Tips for Thinking on Your Feet

If you really aware and alert, your audience's behavior -... Read More

The Secret Language of Money

At a number of business seminars and presentations, I passed... Read More

Speech in Business

The social skills of a small businessperson, franchisee, independent contractor... Read More

Powerful Presentations: How to Write and Deliver a Presentation to Remember

If the mere thought of standing up in front of... Read More

Present Statistics In Context

"I didn't have 3000 pairs of shoes. I had only... Read More

Winning The Big Pitch - The 7 Deadly Sins Of Business Presentations And How To Avoid Them!

Are poor presentations costing you business?The ability to deliver a... Read More

Don?t Give Presentations Or Speeches - Give Leadership Talks Instead

The CEO of a worldwide business asked me to help... Read More

Presentation Paranoia

"The human brain starts working the moment you are born... Read More

Lecturing from the Lectern

Most people love to hide behind the lectern.. It makes... Read More

Present for Success: Simple Strategies to Add Confidence and Credibility to Your Next Presentation

Tomorrow's the day and you're dreading it. You're scheduled to... Read More

Shamus Browns Top 5 Sales Presentation Tips

When its time to give your next sales presentation, here... Read More

Special Delivery! Tips for Improving Your Humor

Delivering humorous speeches involves a lot more than simply having... Read More

Create A Better Impresion With Your Emails

How do you come across in your emails?As I receive... Read More

How You Can Save On Conference Calling

In recent years, companies have recognized the need to expand... Read More

How To Make Your Best Ever Presentation

The most important tip...EVER!Make sure that you always think of... Read More

Develop The Winners Edge Through Conversational Hypnosis

Communication is vital for survival in an age of information... Read More

Powerpoint Sales Presentations Are Boring - Stop It!

As the meeting began, the project manager of the buying... Read More

Show the World Your Wares Easily and Inexpensively

You've spent a lot of time preparing your PowerPoint presentations... Read More

How to Begin a Lesson Plan

DEVELOPING LESSON PLANS: In developing lesson plan formats, two things... Read More

Problems with the Lecture Format

ALTERNATIVES TO THE LECTURE FORMAT: How often do you use... Read More

35 Surefire Ways to Kill a Meeting

1. Play "find the meeting" by changing the location and... Read More

Dump Your Speeches For Leadership Talks

The CEO of a worldwide business asked me to help... Read More

Nonverbal Communication in Business

There are five key elements that can make... Read More

Eight Success Tips for Your First Trade Show Booth

Exhibiting in a trade show can involve a major investment... Read More

Rise Above Cattiness

Cattiness is something no one ever wants to be accused... Read More

Media Training Tips: Maximising Your Media Moment

Media training is a 'must do' professional development program for... Read More

A Discussion about Facilitation Skills

Interview with Julia Apple-Smith, Manager of Employee Development at Sauer-Danfoss... Read More

How Storytelling Can Grow Your Business

People love stories. We love to hear about other people,... Read More

Trade Show Victory!

So you're going to have a booth at a trade... Read More

Improve Your Bottom Line with What You Say

When was the last time you thought about what you... Read More

Preparation for Your Presentations

(Excerpted From the Jim Rohn Millennium Weekend Event)Persistence in your... Read More

Six Marketing Tips for Trade Show Success

A trade show is an ideal way of showcasing your... Read More