A sales pitch is a planned presentation of a product or service designed to initiate and close a sale of the same product or service. It is essentially designed to be either an introduction of a product or service to an audience who knows nothing about it, or a descriptive expansion of a product or service that an audience has already expressed interest in. Sales professionals prepare and give a sales pitch, which can be either formal or informal, and might be delivered in any number of ways.
Many sales professionals follow a specific format or guideline when developing a sales pitch. The pitch must accomplish several things in a short amount of time. It must present the product or service’s features, accessibility, and benefits. There are often several different people involved in its preparation and presentation.
For a sales pitch to be effective, the presenter must know their product well. Though a good one will leave few questions unanswered, the presenter must be able to answer any questions that arise as a result of piqued interest. Even if the pitch is delivered effectively, the presenter must be prepared to overcome any obstacles that might prevent the close of the sale.
Though the typical sales pitch is most closely associated with consumer sales, there are many corporate examples as well. Advertising firms, movie-makers, architecture firms, and many other corporate businesses make pitches in the corporate world every day. These are generally the best examples of pitching a service rather than a product, even though the end result yields a tangible product.
Sales is an extremely cutthroat business but has high earnings potential. A good sales person can not only present a quality sales pitch, but they can overcome all resistance to a poorly prepared pitch as well. It is usually a combined effort of both sales and marketing departments within larger companies, but any successful sales person must have an effective sales pitch to grow their business.
Preparing a sales pitch requires both eloquence and confidence. A entrepreneur developing his or her first pitch should study the audience and put forth the time and effort that the product or service deserves. An effective and well-prepared presentation will help the salesperson deliver it successfully whether by phone or in person, and will help grow the business.