One of the most important things a business owner can do is learn how to speak about their business in a way that excites others. It should be a fundamental skill. It is far too important to take casually because it’s one of the most effective methods to reach new clients.
Any portion of you as the business owner that’s unclear or uncertain of your value can become your stumbling block. And until you are able to speak an inspiring 30-second commercial about your value to the world and what you have to offer, why would the world want to buy from you?
Nobody else gets up in the morning to sell you. The only person on earth with that responsibility is you. And until you value yourself, you can’t expect anyone else to.
So, what’s the secret of an effective business pitch, besides practice, practice, practice?
The 9C’s:
- Concise – as few words as possible
- Clear – in a language your grandmother can understand
- Compelling – it explains the problem your business solves
- Credible – it explains why you qualified to see the problem and build a solution
- Conceptual – fairly high level
- Concrete – specific and tangible
- Customised – addresses the specific interests of the audience
- Consistent – every version conveys the same basic message
- Conversational – the goal is to hook, rather than close the deal, to start a conversation.
Let’s look at that in terms of a formula. There are 4 things you need to include in your pitch:
- Your niche
- Their problem
- Your solution
- Your promise/their benefit
Here’s a real life example:
Hi. My name is Robyn Young and my company is Brandheart Marketing and Personal Branding. Here’s the thing about marketing: 50% of it works and 50% doesn’t, (problem) and after 20 years in the marketing trenches, I have a good idea of which is which (credibility). I coach business owners (niche) to find the half that works for them. And I do this through simple, practical, cost-effective lead generation techniques that are tested and measured every step of the way (solution). The result is communication that is clear and confident and compelling, and the ultimate benefit is that it works (benefit).
Your turn.
