If you’re nervous, that’s okay because experiencing bouts of anxiety is normal when it comes to public speaking.
Everybody’s been through it at least once, but think of it this way: with pitches, you have the opportunity to talk about something relevant.
Introverts vs. Extroverts
People stereotype introverts as those who isolate themselves from crowds, minimizing their contact with other people. While they tend to be preoccupied with their own thoughts and feelings, they make great public speakers.
Introverts have an attention for detail that is very empowering, especially when it comes to preparing pitches.
Extroverts, though they are more comfortable in the presence of others, can be just as nervous as other people before a pitch. They do, however, bring vision, assertiveness, energy, and the network needed to give them direction.
Whether you’re an introvert doubting your abilities in presenting or an extrovert fearing to go overboard, your credibility lies in your authenticity and eagerness to get your message out there.
Wielding the Power of the Presenter
If you want to be an effective speaker, you must fulfill the following:
Don’t rush—begin with an abstract.
Cluttered content will get you nowhere. Remember, a seamless narrative flow is the best thing that a presenter can provide its audience.
So, before you divide your pitch deck into subheadings, focus on the primary theme and come up with an abstract. This will help you stay on topic for the entirety of the discussion.
Internalize before delivering your message.
How you deliver your pitch depends on your mastery of the topic. While a well-made pitch deck can certainly help you stay on track, you still need to know your topic by heart.
The best way to do this is to practice and internalize the flow of your sales pitch. While memorizing may seem like a good idea, internalizing your pitch will allow you to compare and contrast ideas in your own words instead of reading from your slides or notes. This shows your expertise on the topic.
Stick to your outline.
Starting your sales pitch strong will get the ball rolling. If your discussion is following the outline you made, then you can be sure that your conclusion can be easily tied with your starting remark. When you are able to connect your conclusion to your beginning, it shows mastery of the subject. Plus, this is how your audience can gauge your experience as a speaker.
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Your purpose as a speaker is to inform people. It’s about helping your audience acquire and understand new information that they can apply in their daily lives or may need when making an important decision.
In essence, to hold power as a presenter, you need to have a complete understanding of your topic, commitment to your beliefs, and willingness to take the conversation further. These skills are applicable to all types of speakers, regardless of whether you’re an introvert or extrovert. As long you’re firm and confident, not only will your sales pitch be effective, but you earn more credibility as a speaker.
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Feloni, Richard. “A World Champion Public Speaker Says Introverts Often Make Better Speakers than Extroverts.” Business Insider. May 21, 2016. www.businessinsider.com/champion-public-speaker-says-introverts-can-make-better-speakers-2016-5
Gino, Francesca. “Introverts, Extroverts, and the Complexities of Team Dynamics.” Harvard Business Review. March 16, 2015. hbr.org/2015/03/introverts-extroverts-and-the-complexities-of-team-dynamics
One of the most difficult things a presenter does is instill certain beliefs or convince the audience that their product or service is the best choice.
Apart from this, whether you hire pitch deck design services or create it yourself, you have to make sure that whatever shows up on the screen coincides with what you’re saying. Flow is important, as it contributes to how easy it will be to understand your pitch.
Winning the audience over may not be an easy feat, but it is, however, doable. Here are factors that make an influencing pitch:
Give & Take: Reciprocity
When you are pitching a fresh idea to an investor, provide a sample because not only would this make your presentation more memorable, but it will also help them understand your pitch better. In a way, it instills a sense of indebtedness, increasing their chances of complying to your request.
Reciprocity is useful in the world of sales, as this helps establish trust between you and your prospects.
What the Public Says: Social Proof
What makes you decide whether to watch a movie or not? Or if you should try the new restaurant in town? Usually, people take to Google and search for reviews before they try something new.
Most of the time, these influence decision-making and this is proof you should use social media to win your audience over.
Testimonials from previous clients give you an edge, as these showcase unique experiences provided by your product. In a way, these help your clients make informed decisions.
The 3 Cs: Commitment, Consistency & Credibility
The hardest part during a sales pitch is getting your audience to say yes. Gaining their approval contributes to the success or failure of your pitch, which is where learning the art of persuasion comes in handy.
Once you get your audience to comply with small requests, it will be easier for you to make larger requests, as they will be more likely to be receptive of these. Given that these are similar in nature to the original inquiry.
This was proven in a study conducted in the 1980s, where the “foot-in-the-door” technique was used. Martin Sherman called residents in Indiana and inquired about hypothetically volunteering and spending three hours collecting for the American Cancer Society. His associates called the same people three days later and actually requested help for the ACS. Thirty-one percent of those who responded to the earlier request agreed to help and this number is much higher than the 4% of people who volunteered when approached directly.
Your confidence and the trustworthiness of the content you are presenting invoke authority, reflecting your expertise on the subject, hence, making you credible. This convinces the audience that you are the right person to discuss a certain topic.
Moving forward, your custom pitch decks should coincide with your speech and vice versa. Not only do these factors apply to your speech, but these should also resonate with your visual aid, that way, your audience will be able to follow the discussion with their eyes and ears.
Download free pitch deck templates now.
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Swanson, Elizabeth; Sherman, Martin & Sherman, Nancy. “Anxiety and the Foot-in-the-Door Technique.” The Journal of Social Psychology. June 30, 2010. doi.org/10.1080/00224545.1982.9922806
When conducting a business pitch that revolves around finance, it’s important that the data resonates with the audience without it being too much to take in. While you want to be transparent and show them the big picture, you wouldn’t want to exhaust them by going over every figure.
Here are ways to make your financial pitch effective and understandable:
Clarify your objectives
Make sure you know what your pitch is for. Clarify what you want to achieve by talking about finance in a room full of people. For example, if you want to talk about yearend revenues, your objective could revolve around how this affects your company in the present and in the upcoming year.
As part of custom pitch deck planning, set an agenda, as this makes it easier for the audience to follow the flow of your discussion—it organizes your content into sections. With a sound agenda, you can set the financial scene and work toward the reveal of important data.
Having a clear agenda helps your audience save questions for the appropriate sections, which in turn benefits you in maintaining your momentum.
Don’t just show data—tell a story.
You can’t just project numbers and graphs on the screen and expect your audience to what it is and what it’s about—you need to go into detail and tell the story behind the data. This is where you can provide insight and share your business goals with your audience—you’ll want to discuss why these numbers are important to the company.
Pro tip: follow the three-part story structure and divide your narrative into three parts—the beginning, middle, and end.
Start by describing things as they are. That way, you create rapport with your audience and if you share an idea they are already familiar with, then that will engage them more.
Once you’ve laid all the facts, show them how things could change. Make sure that you cite reliable sources to increase your credibility as a speaker.
When it comes to the conclusion, make it inspiring—or as Nancy Duarte calls it, “new bliss.” This concept refers to telling the audience about how much better their world will be if they adopt your ideas.
Go beyond charts and graphs.
Pitch deck design helps make your topic become more understandable. Charts and graphs are great for representing important figures, including market shares and revenue for the quarter or fiscal year.
To win the hearts of your audience, however, simple graphics are not going to cut it—try experimenting with data visualization to communicate financial messages more efficiently.
Make your pitch a two-way conversation.
When your pitch becomes a monologue, your audience becomes less engaged—less involved—with your discussion.
Make your audience’s financial priorities a topic for discussion at some point in your pitch. Asking them questions and for their feedback helps them retain information better because they become directly involved.
How you communicate data has a significant effect on how your audience will perceive it. Discussing financial information is a hit or miss, especially when figures and complex data are flashed on the screen, which is why you need to present details in a manner they can relate to.
Lastly, remember not to dump data on your slides—stand back and think about what you need to include. Your custom pitch deck should only contain key financial statements and talk around them in detail later in the discussion.
Download free pitch deck templates now.
Get professionally designed pitch deck slides weekly.
Duarte, Nancy. “Structure Your Presentation Like a Story.” Harvard Business Review. October 31, 2012. hbr.org/2012/10/structure-your-presentation-li
Ashe-Edmunds, Sam. “How to Give a Presentation on the Financial Information of a Company.” Chron. n.d. smallbusiness.chron.com/give-presentation-financial-information-company-61420.html
Influence should be your main concern when it comes to speaking before an audience–may it be consumers, employees, teammates, or potential investors. Your goal is to make an impact big enough to either change your audience’s opinion or strengthen an already existing point of view.
The point of an effective sales pitch is to persuade your audience into buying or to think about your presentation, may it be a product, service, or concept. To do so, you must appeal to the listeners and convince then that what you’re offering is the most favorable choice.
The content and design of your custom pitch deck should work together to convince your audience.
The Greek philosopher Aristotle (384-322 B.C.) was incredibly influential, especially that he made significant and lasting contributions to various aspects of human knowledge. One of his concepts included the modes of persuasion, which, according to him, can be furnished by the spoken word. These are as follows:
Ethos (Credibility)
When delivering a pitch, you must assert your credibility and intelligence as a speaker. Your tone, pitch, and diction help establish this–you have to look and feel confident. Stage presence is also necessary in gaining the audience’s trust.
How do these factors translate to your pitch deck?
Include your credentials in a self-introduction slide.
Let your audience know who you are and what you specialize in, as these give your listeners a sneak peek into your expertise. If you have achievements that would help build your credibility as a speaker in the field, the better.
Leverage your credibility by quoting other industry experts.
Quoting industry experts add value to your pitch. It shows how familiar you are with the topic, boosting your credibility.
Pathos (Emotion)
The emotional content of your pitch makes it more memorable. That said, you become a better speaker when you have the ability to work with your audience’s emotions just as you handle your own.
How will you add an emotional factor to your slides?
Tell a story.
Stories can get in touch with your audience on a personal level, hence making it an effective pitching technique. The more people can relate to it, the better they understand what the pitch is all about.
Rehearse your pitch in front of other people and have them give you feedback. Remember that storytelling can either make or break your pitch so you have to make sure that the story you’re sharing is appropriate for your audience.
Evoke emotions through visuals.
Colors have the power to change or reinforce your audience’s mood in a matter of seconds. Apart from the design itself, companies that build pitch decks put the palette they use into careful consideration.
Logos (Logic)
Aristotle emphasized the appeal to logic and reasoning the most. Once you’ve captured your audience’s attention, the next step is to take action. Convince them that the change or action is within reason and in their best interest.
Survey results, market data, trends–the last mode of persuasion is the most common and the easiest to incorporate into a pitch deck.
How can you incorporate logic and reasoning into your custom pitch deck design?
Use backup in the form of case studies and testimonials.
When you include these into your pitch, it shows the effects of the practices, ideas, products, or services, in action.
Use common concepts as analogies and make comparisons.
Explaining complex concepts may not be an easy feat, but if you make the right analogies and comparison, those who may not know much about the subject can easily understand the topic.
While these strategies may seem obvious to many people, there are still those who are miss out on the advantages that these pointers give to the pitch itself, making them bland and unconvincing.
Hopefully, you apply these to your next sales pitch. Not only will you improve your credibility, but these will increase your confidence, too.
Download free pitch deck templates now.
Get professionally designed pitch deck slides weekly.
Influence should be your main concern when it comes to speaking before an audience–may it be consumers, employees, teammates, or potential investors. Your goal is to make an impact big enough to either change your audience’s opinion or strengthen an already existing point of view.
The point of an effective sales pitch is to persuade your audience into buying or to think about your pitch, may it be a product, service, or concept. To do so, you must appeal to the listeners and convince then that what you’re offering is the most favorable choice.
The content and design of your custom pitch deck should work together to convince your audience.
The Greek philosopher Aristotle (384-322 B.C.) was incredibly influential, especially that he made significant and lasting contributions to various aspects of human knowledge. One of his concepts included the modes of persuasion, which, according to him, can be furnished by the spoken word. These are as follows:
Ethos (Credibility)
When delivering a pitch, you must assert your credibility and intelligence as a speaker. Your tone, pitch, and diction help establish this–you have to look and feel confident. Stage presence is also necessary in gaining the audience’s trust.
How do these factors translate to your pitch deck?
Include your credentials in a self-introduction slide.
Let your audience know who you are and what you specialize in, as these give your listeners a sneak peek into your expertise. If you have achievements that would help build your credibility as a speaker in the field, the better.
Leverage your credibility by quoting other industry experts.
Quoting industry experts add value to your pitch. It shows how familiar you are with the topic, boosting your credibility.
Pathos (Emotion)
The emotional content of your pitch makes it more memorable. That said, you become a better speaker when you have the ability to work with your audience’s emotions just as you handle your own.
How will you add an emotional factor to your slides?
Tell a story.
Stories can get in touch with your audience on a personal level, hence making it an effective pitching technique. The more people can relate to it, the better they understand what the pitch is all about.
Rehearse your pitch in front of other people and have them give you feedback. Remember that storytelling can either make or break your pitch so you have to make sure that the story you’re sharing is appropriate for your audience.
Evoke emotions through visuals.
Colors have the power to change or reinforce your audience’s mood in a matter of seconds. Apart from the design itself, companies that build pitch decks put the palette they use into careful consideration.
Logos (Logic)
Aristotle emphasized the appeal to logic and reasoning the most. Once you’ve captured your audience’s attention, the next step is to take action. Convince them that the change or action is within reason and in their best interest.
Survey results, market data, trends–the last mode of persuasion is the most common and the easiest to incorporate into a pitch deck.
How can you incorporate logic and reasoning into your custom pitch deck design?
Use backup in the form of case studies and testimonials.
When you include these into your pitch deck, it shows the effects of the practices, ideas, products, or services, in action.
Use common concepts as analogies and make comparisons.
Explaining complex concepts may not be an easy feat, but if you make the right analogies and comparison, those who may not know much about the subject can easily understand the topic.
While these strategies may seem obvious to many people, there are still those who are miss out on the advantages that these pointers give to the pitch itself, making them bland and unconvincing.
Hopefully, you apply these to your next sales pitch. Not only will you improve your credibility, but these will increase your confidence, too.
Download free pitch deck templates now.
Get professionally designed pitch deck slides weekly.
Brooks, Chad. “Get Emotional: 5 Ways to Give Better Presentations.” Business News Daily. September 12, 2014. https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/7117-give-better-presentations.html
Zetlin, Minda. “5 Presentation Tips: How to be a Stronger Storyteller.” The Enterprisers Project. February 6, 2018. https://enterprisersproject.com/article/2018/2/5-presentation-tips-how-be-stronger-storyteller
As we’ve seen in stories, zombies are drawn to loud noises. This lets them swarm you and prevent you from reaching whatever goal you have set. Applying this in our line of work as presenters, there’s no better way to infect the audience with zombie-like expressions than letting noise interfere with your own pitch.
It’s impossible to get your message across if the crowd can’t hear you properly, but this isn’t limited to sounds that your audience can hear. Noise can also come in the form of unnecessary interruptions that get in the way of your business pitch. Technical glitches, distracting colors, inappropriate pictures, unreadable fonts, even a malfunctioning air conditioner can all count as noise.
Simply put, anything that makes your listeners uncomfortable is a potential hazard. These can prevent you from convincing them to invest in your proposal, which means lost partners and potential profits. Fortunately, there are two types of noise and three ways to immunize your clients from it.
In a post written on Public Speaking Tips, professional speaker and author, Lenny Laskowski, states that noise comes in two forms: external and internal.
External Noise
The first type may come from your surroundings, disrupting effective communication with your listeners. An unsilenced phone going off, a tall person blocking the view of another behind him, or an unexpected update notification flashing in the middle of your pitch can get in the way of delivering a successful performance.
Parts of your audio-visual aid might even unintentionally distract your audience. For example, if the speaker volume isn’t high enough, any narration that might be embedded won’t be heard. The same thing applies to your visuals if the screen is too bright or too dark.
Using colors can also be a distraction. If the setting or topic requires formality, using bright colors isn’t ideal to complement a formal pitch. The same goes for times when you need to put on an energetic personality and fire up your audience but end up using dark colors in your slides.
The venue itself is also a factor. If it’s too hot, too dark, or uncomfortable because there aren’t enough seats, people may have trouble listening to you. That’s why you should always check out the area beforehand.
Internal Noise
The second type, internal distractions, are worse because these come from within and may include your own negative thoughts and feelings.
You might be emotionally distracted by being too enthusiastic or possibly tired, which can affect the energy you have for your pitch. A lack of energy or sounding too serious can give the impression that you just want to get your speech over with. It may be fine to sound enthusiastic, but too much of it, like in an investor’s pitch, might make you sound too biased if you make promises without backing them up with hard facts. Alternatively, if you become too serious in an event that needs a more casual and friendly setting, this can send the wrong impression to your clients and infect them with that same lack of interest.
On the other hand, the audience might also be biased or have misgivings about your topic, especially if you present any new unproven products that have yet to enter the market. While skepticism may be unavoidable, you need to prepare for possible contrasting opinions during your Q&A section if you have one.
Here are three things to consider when combatting both types of noise to safeguard your pitch’s success:
1. Detect the Source of Noise
Damon Verial, a professional writer and contributor for various Web sites, including eHow, tackles the importance of finding the source of noise. He explains that depending on the importance of the situation, noise should be eliminated through various means.
Careful preparation is what helps you avoid unwanted interruptions, but despite your best efforts, some unexpected circumstances are still hard to prepare for. For example, your laptop might randomly shut off, or your slides could suddenly freeze while presenting. In times like these, you need to have backup devices that have copies of your pitch deck, if possible, so you can pick up where you left off immediately.
Before striking back, identify the root of the problem to find an immediate solution. Was it lack of preparation that disgruntled you? Or was it a problem with the venue that disturbed your pitch? The former can be taken as a lesson for what to prepare for next time. The latter can be resolved with some help. In this case, ask for the organizer’s help to take control of the situation and minimize any disruptions.
For technical problems, politely ask the coordinator to help you fix any issues so you can continue your pitch. This will help you handle the situation and put everything in place. Lighting problems, sound systems, microphones, and even power cables are things that they should be ready for.
2. Sharpen Your Listening Skills
Your job isn’t limited to speaking; listening is also vital to dealing with your audience. With the end goal of delivering a message, improving your listening skills is an essential part of the process. You need to know what concerns your clients will have when you bring your proposal to the table. These aren’t limited to prices. Timelines, implementation costs, and possible benefits are also factors to determining how feasible your proposal can be.
However, passive listening isn’t enough. To be an effective listener, actively seek out and attend to people’s concerns. This lets you better understand what they mean when they ask questions about your topic. After all, noise works both ways too: you need to ask for clarifications if clients voice out their concerns in order to prevent any misunderstanding and give appropriate responses.
By being an attentive listener, you get to answer in a constructive and engaging manner while showing your audience respect. This gives the impression that you genuinely want to know what others need, as opposed to simply pushing your products out and hoping someone will be willing to invest in them.
Aside from convincing them to voice out their opinions, give your viewers a chance to help you clarify anything that needs to be addressed. This prevents any possible misunderstandings that can divert their attention.
3. Harness the Power of Repetition
Never underestimate the power of repetition when combatting unwanted noise. People remembering your pitch after it’s over can make the difference between success and failure. If your prospects remember what you want them to, and you give them the means to contact you afterwards, you’re halfway to converting more leads to sales.
Simply having excellent speaking skills isn’t enough. You also want your listeners to remember the best parts of your performance. That’s why audience recall is important in any pitch. Keep your points simple enough to repeat them for emphasis but not so much that you endlessly reiterate each one. Are there aspects of your proposal that you can reduce into one to three words? Use these to reinforce your speech and support your facts so that the audience will remember exactly what you stand for.
A simple way to improve recall is to repeat your main points during vital breaks or at the end of your pitch. This highlights important takeaways for the audience, emphasizing your thoughts and stressing relevant information for your listeners to make your pitch memorable.
Done right, it makes your pitch sound more entertaining and convincing.
The Takeaway: Always Stay Alert
Always anticipate an onslaught of diversions. These can come from the venue, your equipment, your slides, or even yourself or the audience. Consider the appropriate tools to use and have backups in place when technical breakdowns happen. It won’t hurt to coordinate with your organizers for any contingencies you can use in worst-case scenarios, too. This lets you stay focused to avoid further distracting your listeners.
Instead of immediately going on the offensive, strengthen your defenses against disturbing noises that can ruin your performance. At the same time, maintain a solid feedback line for communicating with your audience. They may not always understand you, but if you take efforts to understand their side of things, you’ll be able to find out exactly what causes the noise on their end. You’ll also come across as someone who wants to build better business partnerships with other people rather than a typical salesman who simply talks about their own products without considering if it’s the right fit for his customers.
Don’t let negative thoughts or circumstances overwhelm you. Combat them by detecting the unnecessary noise, enhancing your listening skills, and reiterating your ideas to make sure everyone gets the point. Once you’ve got unnecessary noise under control, you’ll have the audience focusing on the most important things: the benefits that you can give them, and why they should choose you over the competition. This’ll prevent spreading blank stares to the audience and help you convert more leads for your business.
References:
Laskowski, Lenny. “Aspect 6 – The Noise.” Public Speaking Tips, May 22, 2015. www.ljlseminars.blogspot.com Verial, Damon. “How to Overcome Noise Barriers in Communication.” eHow, n.d. www.ehow.com/how_8031308_overcome-noise-barriers-communication.html
We’ve all had those days where stress pushed us to the edge, and we all know it’s not good to be around someone who loses their cool.
You won’t leave a good first impression if you keep a strained demeanor. Manage stress before it takes over your body and turns you into an angry presenter.
Stress by itself is a normal reaction that doesn’t go away until the perceived threat is gone, but delivering a pitch isn’t a real threat. Remind your body that you’re not in any danger. Relaxation will help calm you down and assure you that everything’s going to be alright. Here’s why you should regulate your stress and how to do it:
Likeability
When things keep going wrong, it’s important to know that there’s still tomorrow to look forward to. Stress skews our perspective towards fear and negativity, which makes it hard to even consider that things are going to get better. In addition to feeling terrified, our expressions project the anxiety we feel in response to internal pressure.
Stressing out before a pitch can lead to failure because the presenter may already be anticipating that something will go wrong. The audience can pick up on your emotions and will definitely sense if something’s not right. You’ll lose your credibility as a speaker if people sense you’re too stiff. Confidence in what you’re saying is needed for other people to trust in you, too.
Stress Management
Stress buildup can be mitigated in the first place by placing security checks. Identify what makes you feel threatened. Is it the fear of being judged or being in front of a large crowd?
Once you’ve identified them, step back and realize that none of them can really harm you. The audience is just there to hear what you’re going to present; none of them pose a real threat. Your body will start to calm down once it realizes that you don’t need to fear for your life, and you’ll have nothing to fear once you regain your focus.
Monitor Stress Levels
Some things are truly out of our control, but it doesn’t mean that we should lose our cool. Even if we’re not the best presenter, we should strive to give our best effort.
Doing some relaxation exercises can help release some of that pent-up stress. It will help empty your mind and introduce calming imagery in place of stressful thoughts. Also remember to breathe. Breathing helps relax muscles that become tense when you’re stressed. Pacing around and doing some stretches helps you unwind and prepares you to move your focus elsewhere.
Concentration
Conduct everything you do professionally, and you’ll get the respect you deserve. Don’t let stress get in the way of your ability to make a great pitch. After all, a stressed presenter doesn’t look good. It makes you look hostile, distancing you from your audience. Relaxation should come easily once you’ve identified and let go of what stresses you out.
Manage stress. Don’t let stress manage you.
Reference
“Stress Management.” Mayo Clinic. April 8, 2014. www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/basics/stress-basics/hlv-20049495
Your sales pitch is the last hurdle before you can seal the deal, but even that has a final step: the Q&A.
In every pitch, clients always have questions or concerns. These can be about how your company does business or the package options you have to offer.
Listening to and clarifying their questions will help them understand your position, making them more likely to trust you and close the sale. Experienced sales executives will always plan for these scenarios for 4 main reasons:
1. Clients Always Want Options
People will always look for a better deal to get their money’s worth.
You could be the best supplier of electronic gadgets in the industry, but if you don’t have any favorable options to offer your clients, like a bundle purchase deal with lower price points, or gadgets that they need, chances are they’ll give their money to the competition.
This is why having a fixed set of options rarely works: If you say you can’t give something to a client, you will have a harder time convincing them to invest in you. According to business consultant Larry Myler, giving alternatives is one of the negotiation techniques that salespeople use as a common ground for both their desired outcome and the clients’ desires.
2. Listening Lets You Learn Their Expectations
Our last article talked about knowing your audience’s expectations to help you give a more understandable pitch. While it’s good to know these beforehand, nothing beats getting these firsthand when you need to address their questions on the spot.
This lets you come up with better responses, whether it’s clarifying your previous statements in the pitch, or suggesting alternatives to the options you offered them. Listening also helps you get a better handle on what your clients expect from business partners.
For example, they may have objections to the pricing of your mobile service provider package, but if you let them explain why, you might have the advantage of using that information for either justifying the package or offering them something that fits their budget.
3. You Control the Argument
Learning to say no is another important skill in the Q&A. As the presenter, you need to be clear on what you can and cannot offer to remain in control of the deal. Let’s go back to that example of the mobile service provider: Your package may only be offered at a certain range, but a client might want to lower it further.
If your company knows that the proposed discount is unacceptable due to cost reasons, it might be better for you to refuse and suggest another package. While it’s true that you need to think about your client’s expectations, your company will most likely have their own standards to uphold, making an ultimatum necessary.
By dictating the terms of the offer, you make the deal profitable for both sides. It also boosts their perception of you as a reliable seller.
4. You Project Yourself as a Partner
In every pitch, the objective is all about offering solutions to a problem. This is why every seasoned sales executive takes time to know their clients as much as they can in order to solve their difficulties.
Getting clients to talk about what they need is always a good starting point. Keynote speaker Sherrie Campbell lists presenting yourself as a partner who’s willing to listen among her strategies for mastering sales negotiations. .
If your client can’t agree with your offer, you can always ask why, or replace your offer with a better one. This leaves a better impression than using a “take it, or leave it” approach because you involve clients in coming up with a solution.
The Lesson: Listening Always Helps
Handling the pitch’s Q&A is just as important as giving it. This lets you know your target market and what will convince them to invest in you. Listening to their concerns lets you adjust your offers as needed.
Instead of simply handing out a limited set of options, you give them more possibilities that can sweeten the deal for both sides. At the same time, you have to make it clear that there are things that you can’t compromise on, like a lower price for quality goods.
At your pitch’s last stage, you can impress your clients with your delivery. If you can give them that last nudge to bite into your offer by hearing them out, jumping that final hurdle will be easier for you. Handling this step needs every advantage you can get.
To sharpen your selling edge, take a few minutes to get in touch with a professional pitch deck designer and spice up your pitch deck.
Gymnastics is not solely about learning split leaps, jumps, and handstands. It’s about harnessing an individual’s physical strength, agility, and determination to execute astounding physical feats. In an article on FloGymnastics, Keri Monstrola shows us that the sport transcends its craft and manages to relate itself to other parts of our life as well.
The skills gymnasts learn in training are perfect building blocks for presentations. Here are some more gymnastics skills you need to learn to become a well-rounded speaker:
Overcoming Fear
Gymnasts work through their fears to undertake difficult routines on uneven bars, springboards, and balance beams. It’s impossible for them to pull off perfect tens on each activity without mastering the first step: overcoming fear. Likewise, presenters must set aside and face their personal public speaking fears.
If you’re afraid of being the center of attention, making mistakes, or feeling dissatisfied with your presentation skills, consider the hardships of gymnasts. The tumbling passes at different heights are more terrifying – and have greater physical consequences – than speaking in front of a crowd.
Your life isn’t put at risk, but your business reputation or sales deals are.
Social Interaction
All professionals pass through the beginning stages. Aspiring gymnasts are also given the chance to develop their social skills like listening, taking turns, and following directions. In turn, the senior students learn to become role models to foster a good learning environment for the newbies.
The same goes for keynotes or pitch decks. Your discussion is a two-way street, breaking the wall between you and your audience. Establish a successful and productive dialogue by asking questions, responding to feedback, and allowing participants to speak up to develop an engaging, audience-centered discussion.
Balance and Control
Balance and control are two of the most important skills to succeed in the sport of gymnastics. The perfect combination and understanding of the two must be incorporated for a seamless execution of every routine.
In public speaking, a harmonious combination of verbal and non-verbal cues demonstrates an interactive speech delivery. Your emotion is what connects you to your audience. Keep them under control so that you appear genuine, but not threatening or insincere.
Conclusion
Gymnastics doesn’t only teach sports enthusiasts positive lessons learned through daily training, but it can also inspire people who make presentations for a living.
Before you can start presenting, you have to overcome your fears to begin your public speaking journey. Presenting isn’t a solo effort. After all, you’re presenting to an audience, so you must make it a conversation by involving the crowd.
Lastly, master a balance of verbal and non-verbal cues to engage different types of audiences in the ways they best learn.
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Your pitching style, delivery techniques, and body language are other important elements in getting your message across.
Craft your message’s content in an engaging and powerful way to convince your clients when starting your business proposal. This gives them an idea that you’re interested and you know your subject matter well.
Pitch like Paul
In his book, “The Pitching Bible,” Paul Boross revealed seven secrets of a successful business pitch. With over twenty-five years of experience in business, psychology, and performing arts, Boross has been recognized as the Pitch Doctor, having trained politicians and business professionals to deliver effective messages.
Develop your business pitch with his seven secrets:
Secret 1: It’s All About Them
Your audience is your pitch’s main focus. They’re the reason why you’re presenting.
Know what they need and propose a strategy to convince them to buy your ideas. This is to show that you care about them and their concerns.
Secret 2: By the Time You Start, It’s Already Too Late
Your pitch begins when your audience decides to attend, not when you introduce yourself and show your first slide.
Meet their expectations before your performance starts by coming in well-prepared. If they can see that you’ve spent time doing your research and practicing your speech, they’ll decide that listening to you is a good use of their time.
Secret 3: Steady, Ready, Pitch!
Before you speak, breathe deeply to ease your anxiety. Establish a good relationship with them before you even begin by showing you’re comfortable with your audience.
Engage them by telling a story or by asking questions that require their participation.
Secret 4: Dream the Dream
Since your goal is to connect with your audience, your idea should appeal to their emotions.
While you present your facts and figures, incorporate stories that build an emotional connection. Though business pitches should be professional, having a genuine connection will help them remember your message.
Secret 5: Mind Your Language
Your business pitch’s content is as important as your body language. Though nonverbal communication greatly influences your message, your verbal language also plays a vital role in motivating your audience.
Since they look for things that benefit them, apply “benefit because feature” to generate interest. This helps you connect with their needs and address their concerns.
Secret 6: Say It Again, Sam
Repetition is significant when talking about your main points. It helps your audience recall your message by reiterating it in different ways.
More than words, tell your message by means of how you dress, how you interact with them and give them a good impression.
Secret 7: The End… Or Is It?
Your pitch isn’t limited inside the boardroom and doesn’t end after you’re done speaking.
Motivate your audience by making them feel that they want more. Distribute handouts or other forms of white paper to help them remember your message.
Doing a follow-up is vital especially when you want to give updates. You can also listen to your client’s side and get to know them better by networking.
Conclusion
Write a more powerful pitch that benefits both you and your audience by mastering these seven secrets.
Your pitch begins before the actual date you’ll be speaking. Being prepared lets you draw your audience to your message because they understand that you care about meeting their needs. This increases your chances of winning more of your clients’ business the next time you present.
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