Perfecting Your Pitch

Ahmed Sagarwala, MDM

@amsagarwala

  • Automating communications
  • In business since 2002
  • MDM / B. Tech
  • Instructor at Ryerson University
    • Communication & Design
    • MBA Program
  • Clients in media production, construction, fashion, logistics, and education

Quick Exercise

1/3 new businesses fail in the first 3-years

– US Department of Labor

Reasons For Failure

  1. Customer research
  2. Differentiation (UVP)
  3. Funding
  4. Presence (on/off-line)
  5. Flexibility

Today's Reasons For Success

  1. Exciting customers
  2. Standing apart
  3. Lean method

What Are You Selling?

Not the pen's features

Sell the solution

Human-Centric Approach

Making the Pitch

Pitching Essentials

  • You: what can you provide?
  • Easy: be easy to work with.
  • Want: what do they want/need?
  • Care: why should they listen?
  • Action: motivate a decision.
  • Natural: be yourself.

YEWCAN DO IT!

Outline the Pitch

  • Keywords, skills, specialization(s)
  • Phrases to describe your offerings
  • Reasons they need you

Roofing, shelter, homes, shingle, repair

Cost-effective, long-term roof repair solutions is our focus. 

Resale value, 10-year warranty, friendly, fast, style, cost

6 Elevator Pitch Tips

  1. Pixar: storytell using an episode
  2. Subject line: a 1-liner
  3. Rhyme: high-level concept
  4. Question: ask the customer why
  5. Twitter: top-of-mind with 1-word equity

It's not a 1-way interaction

Test Your Pitch

1-on-1

Pitch, Get Feedback, Switch

NO.

Knowing Your NOs

  • Soft vs. Hard rejection
  • Soft = Followup?
  • Hard = Ask why

LEAN!

​test feedback improve test feedback improve
​test feedback improve test feedback improve
​test feedback improve test feedback improve
​test feedback improve test feedback improve
​test feedback improve test feedback improve
 test feedback improve test feedback improve
​test feedback improve test feedback improve
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Key
Performance
Indicators

Good KPI's = Good Business

  • Repeat customers
  • Conversions
  • Maintenance calls
  • Word-of-mouth referrals
  • Wasted material
  • Annual growth

Your customers are waiting!!!

VBEC Pitch Training

By Am Sagarwala

Made with Slides.com

VBEC Pitch Training

A 1-hour exercise in perfecting your business pitch

  • 818

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