An essential part of life as an entrepreneur is to convince others of your own product or service. That means: being able to move people. Daniel H. Pink, author of “To Sell is Human“, is certain that anyone can do this. Here are a few tips from his book for your next pitch
A pitch is no longer a monologue of the seller about the infinite advantages of his product. It is rather the beginning of a bilateral conversation between the seller and the potential buyer, which – hopefully! – leads to a successful sale. In his book “To Sell is Human” Daniel H. Pink examines the different types of pitches that can be used to win customers. Here are 4 at a glance.
The 1-word pitch
The 1-word pitch is about getting your entire message across in a single word. The aim is to make this word so inseparable from your company that the customer can no longer say it without thinking of you or your product.
Perfect for these times of social media, where people are no longer willing to read or analyse long explanations. Information today is best received when it is presented in a short and crisp way.
The question
Making a question the core of the sales conversation can be very effective. Potential buyers are often easier to convince if they are not presented with a ready-made argument why they should set action X or buy product Y, but have to find reasons for it themselves.
Attention: this tactic only works if you have strong, even undeniable arguments. Asking a question that cannot be answered clearly or that is controversial undermines the effect of your pitch.
The catchy tune
Rhyming increases the ability of our brain to process and store information. Just think of the advertisement or slogan for Mc Donalds. Whenever you hear these words and the advertising melody, you know exactly what company it’s about.
If you manage to think up a little rhyme for your product, you increase the chance that your product will stick in the customer’s memory. This could even give you a decisive advantage over your competitors.
The subject line
When was the last time you opened an email advertisement instead of clicking “Delete” immediately? The reason you opened this email was probably because it promised to be useful or because it aroused your curiosity.
In both cases, the content of the subject line was crucial to your decision. It is therefore advisable to summarise your offer clearly and concisely in the subject line (“35% discount on all overnight stays until 31.12!”) or to create an incentive for the reader to continue reading (“The best holiday bargains – book now!”).
Further links
Buch: „To Sell is Human“ von Daniel H. Pink
Photo: afunkydamsel
