The Anatomy of a Killer Pitch

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The Who, Why, What, How and When of Successful Pitching

Unlike some run of the mill white label SEO services, Agency Stack is committed to assisting our partners in growing their businesses. What better place to start than with tips on how to deliver a killer pitch?

So, how do you hit all the notes that will ensure your pitch resonates with your prospect?

Follow these steps and you are well on your way.

Step 1 – Establishing Passion and Credibility: The Who

Your pitch is your opportunity to drive home the things your agency stands for and what you’re passionate about. Tying this passion to the key concerns that drive your client’s decision-making process is a great way to establish a rapport and cement you in their mind as the right fit for their requirements.

A true pitch aficionado can exhibit this passion by punctuating their presentation with points of interest that bring the story to life. These anecdotal elements serve to highlight your message and establish memory touchpoints that will be recalled when your prospect is reviewing your offering.

Whilst your passion will ignite your prospect’s imagination, it is evidence of your capabilities that will convince them that your agency is The Who they are seeking.

Credibility comes from proof of your subject matter expertise and professional experience. Examples of positive outcomes achieved for organisations in similar situations to your prospect will further reinforce your pitch.

Step 2 – Identify the Problem: The Why

Referring to the issues that confront your client is a great way to demonstrate an understanding of their business.

You: “So because you are in Industry X, you are often confronted by situation Y, am I right?”

Your Client: “Yes that’s correct, situation Y is one of our biggest concerns”.

Adding these dialogues into your pitch is a big part of establishing “Why” your prospect should choose you and your agency.

It should also be noted that asking questions you know will prompt a yes answer, sets up a mindset of agreement in your prospect that will be useful when it comes to proposing your solution, and ultimately when closing the deal.

Step 3 – Propose the solution: The What

The What is the combination of products and services you’ll propose to achieve your client’s desired outcome.

Whilst it’s important that your client understands the elements of your solution and the roles they will play, most clients will be focussed on outcomes as opposed to the intricacies of Advanced SEO or PPC bidding strategies.

Read your audience and be patient. Give your prospect the chance to ask questions or contribute some of their knowledge. Never forget that appearing condescending, or baffling your client with jargon, are two ways to alienate them and lose you the pitch.

Step 4 – Your implementation plan: The How

Whilst it is important that you explain to your client how you plan to fulfil all of their requirements, a pitch is no place for excruciating detail.

Imagine you are teaching someone to drive a car and you want them to understand how the brakes work. You do not spend hours explaining momentum, acceleration and drag coefficients. You point to the brake pedal and say… “When you want to stop, press that.”

Applying the KISS principle is a good way to ensure that your prospect will not become overwhelmed with detail.

When it comes to establishing The How, think like a driving instructor.

Step 5 – Closing the deal: The When

You have engaged, intrigued, and entertained your prospect through your presentation.

It is time for the four most important words in your pitch.

“When can we start?”

If you have done your job well, there should be nothing to prevent your client from pulling the trigger. You will be surprised how many clients sign up if you simply ask them to.

If they do not, then ask them if there was some part of your proposal that was unclear.

Getting the contract could be as simple as clearing up some small matter of ambiguity.

If your prospect is still non-committal or is asking for time to review your proposal, then put a time limit on it by asking “When can I contact you for an answer?”.

This may seem harsh but if they are not going to sign then, they are already gone. You’re better off spending time finding a prospect who is a good fit for your agency rather than chasing one who is not.

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