Writing a Sales Pitch the Modern Way

In the old days, writing a sales pitch was like hammering a nail in cement. You pounded and pounded with sweat and tears and hoped that something would sink in. Old advertising interrupted people. It had massive, general appeal. And it was written with the needs of the company in mind--it wanted to sell.

Now selling has changed.

Now there is a relationship between customer and company, which means that both parties must win when money exchanges hands.

The new sales pitch is invited by the customer, information rich, focused on the customer's needs, and very specific to what the customer wants.

The new sales pitch is cooperative, not manipulative.

No one wants to sound like a used car salesman and these days, that sales pitch wouldn't work anyway. So what are the parts of a modern, cooperative, well-formed sales pitch?

The old sales pitch interrupted people as they went through their day.  You would watch TV and a commercial would interrupt you in your favorite part.  A billboard would interrupt your view of the landscape.  Ads would interrupt a magazine article.

Of course these still exist, but with the internet, the idea of interrupting your customers has changed.

If you interrupt someone on the internet, they simply click away.

And they click quickly.

Now, writing a sales pitch must be permission based--you must have your clients permission to sell to them.  In fact, you must be invited by them.

The new sales letter is often delivered via email where your client has had to opt-in to your mailing list.  They give you permission to sell to them.

If you write a sales letter for PPC, you have your clients permission to sell to them because they have clicked on your link.

The internet makes it possible to market to people who tell you they want your information. They want to know what you have to sell.  They would like your solutions.

When writing a sales pitch, you must get into your customer's head and find out what they are needing when they said you could sell to them. What are they aching for? What problem are they solving?

For example, if you sell weight loss products, you know they want to loose weight. But are they worried about their health? Or are they uncomfortable because their clothes are too tight? Are they embarrassed at the swimming pool? Or do they just want to be less tired?

By knowing exactly what your customer is feeling, you can offer solutions to them. You will become their friend and advisor. You will not have to sell your products, but only recommend them.  This is the heart of relationship marketing.

Even if you have a very scientific product you are selling, and you need to point out the data about why your product is better than the other ones, never forget that you are still offering a solution to your client's problem. Writing your sales pitch must have the voice of someone who understands your client's dilemma and wants to help.

When writing a sales pitch, focus on the benefits to your customer more than the features.

Your product may be the most nutritionally sound one on the market.  It may have all the vitamins that you need for a week.  It may come in 3 flavors and easily dissolve in milk.

But what the customer really cares about is whether she will fit in her swim suit.  Or whether his diabetes will get worse.  Or whether he will have a heart attack in his 50's like his brother did.

Your customer wants to know that your product will be of benefit, not the fancy data about your product.

The new sales pitch is information rich.  The information doesn't have to be facts, although it can be.  The information is solutions and solutions are emotional.

Write to the heart of your client's needs.

Old sales pitches used to be broad and general. You would build an advertising campaign which would show to many, many people who may or may not be interested in what you have.  It didn't matter.  They had to listen.

Now the internet allows people to find exactly what they want.  And the new sales pitch must be geared for the little tiny micro-needs of every small niche.

One group of people want to look good in a swim suit.  The other wants to walk up a flight of stairs without gasping for air.  The third group wants to be able to run next to their grandchild and teach them to ride a bike.

Each group has their own need to want to loose weight, and they look for solutions that speak to them.

The internet allows many tiny groups with shared interest to form.  Each group has one small commonality.  The most successful sales pitches write to these little sub-groups, not the whole.  The sub-groups hear their name called and respond by taking interest in your sales letter.  You have spoken to them and their needs.  They feel understood.

A well written sales letter has to be helpful, pleasant and welcome. Your sales letter must show that you are on the side of your client, looking for solutions which benefit both of you. No longer do you become the victor by making a sale. You are an ally. The best sales writers understand this.

These are the basic ideas behind the modern sales pitch. But how do you put it into practice? How do you write compelling copy which urges your customer to take action, without being hypey and without yelling at them? Too soft and your client never opens their wallet. Too hard and they click away.

Learning the art of copywriting is the next step in learning to write a sales pitch. I invite you to contact me to learn masterful copywriting which builds your relationship with your clients, sells your products and lets you sleep at night.