I was recently reading an article by Nick Wreden of the Harvard Business Review and found it inspiring. (Click here to read the article) Most people don’t think of a marketing company when composing a 30 second pitch, but wouldn’t it make sense? The 30 second sales pitch is one of the most powerful marketing tools available to you and your sales people. You have a small window of opportunity to grab someone before you lose their attention and possibly the sale, so whatever you present in that 30 seconds counts.
- Presentation Just as your logo and colors are important in your marketing materials, how you dress and speak have just as much if not more impact when making your 30 second pitch. Make sure your look is professional and appropriate to the venue. Make sure to speak clearly, carry breath mints or gum, and interact with your audience.
- Message One of the most common mistakes a salesperson makes is providing the potential customer with too much information. In most cases there are key words or points that a customer needs to hear and the rest will be forgotten. Your pitch should have 3 key parts: who you are, what you do, and why they should do business with you. That’s it, keep it simple. Remember a customer is looking for what value you bring them, not what value they bring to you.
- Audience You should be able to modify your 30 second pitch to meet the needs of different audiences. The benefits you present are dramatically different for a fortune 500 company, the mom and pop store on the corner, and a local plumber. Understanding to whom you are directing your message keeps you from wasting time presenting the wrong message to an audience, allowing you to spend more time developing leads.
- Structure – There are 3 key elements in the structure of your presentation – who, what, and why.
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Who you are is important in making a personal connection and building a rapport with your audience. Following your pitch with your business card forms a tangible connection so your customer associates you and your message with your contact information and brand. Connect the dots from your face, to your name, to the company you represent.
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What you do and its benefit your audience. How you explain what you do to an audience determines if they truly understand what you do. Leave out the details of how you do something and focus on the results. For example: Knowing that a company provides full service IT means nothing until the customer understands how it relates to them. The 30 second needs to provide them with triggers of when to call the IT company. This is how to teach an audience to do business with you.
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Why is demonstrating the value of how your product or service meets a customer’s needs or wants. If you have existing clients it’s often helpful to ask them what they found most valuable in doing business with you. Consider car maintenance or repairs, how do you choose your mechanic? Changing shops often means there was no value in being loyal. Had someone explained that as a valued customer your records were always on file and therefore you got faster service you would recognize the benefit of saving time and money.
Once you have composed a proper 30 second pitch the next challenge to overcome is delivery. You may not always be at ease in front of a group of people but not remembering or being uncomfortable with your pitch will only compound the problem. Once you have mastered your message practice presenting it. If you have a great message but deliver it in a monotone voice it will lose most of its impact; however, delivering your message confidently and with enthusiasm engages and excites your audience.
Understanding that your 30 second pitch should be just as much part of you marketing plan and budget as your website, business cards, and other materials will lead to a more uniform presentation. Consistency, repetition, and presentation are the key principles to an effective 30 second pitch. This brief speech is your audience’s introduction to your company. If your pitch and delivery is effective and other marketing tools such as business cards and website reinforce your message then all you need is to follow through on what you promise your customers to build a loyal customer base and a trusted brand in the marketplace.
