Definition

A sales pitch is a presentation to a person or a group of people with the aim of convincing them to purchase certain goods or services. Also referred to as a sales presentation, a sales pitch features a person with a clear and planned strategy presenting to prospective customers. In a perfect occurrence, sales pitch initiates or leads to the sale of the product being presented.

A sales pitch doesn’t necessarily have to be presented directly to the prospective consumers in person. Most of the time it is done through a press conference or such other medium that is meant to reach many audiences. This is because sales pitches are usually conducted to introduce new products that consumers have no prior knowledge of. They are also used to describe expansion, modifications or major improvements to existing products. A sales pitch can either be formal or informal.

First impression

The first impression matters a lot in a sales pitch. A business wants to have a situation where their initial impact is positive and memorable for as long as possible. First impressions can either be visual or vocal, but the best of pitches captures the audience’s eyes and ears. Other businesses will use a combination of selling techniques to ensnare more than the two senses.

What has worked in past sales pitches is usually used as a guide for future pitches but with slight modification and additions. This avoids the consumer terming the product a rip-off or a fake from the onset; which can lead to product failure.

Beginning statement

For many businesses, nothing matters more than the first statement. The overall belief is that the first statement should be catchy or attention-grabbing. If a pitcher fails to get the attention of the audience in the preliminary presentation stage, then he/she might lose them for the entire show. Knowing the attention span of the audience helps in deploying the best strategy. For an audience that is distracted, a pitcher may decide to use a shocking or surprising statement which intrigues the audience.

When the audience is a corporate kind or involves the sale of capital goods, then the first statement should be a positive statement. Different other strategies are adopted depending on the audience.

The bottom line in pitching is that the pitcher should have comprehensive information about the audience; what they like and what they dislike. It is vital for the person presenting the sales pitch to know the wants and desires of the audience and use them to maximize leverage.