Write and Practice Your Pitch

At www.dictionary.com, you will find 27 meanings for the word “pitch.” You’re probably most familiar with the way it’s used in baseball, “to throw, fling, hurl or toss” an object.

When we talk about “the pitch” in business, we mean what you say about what you can do for a customer or a client when you want “to sell or win approval for something or someone by advertising, promotion, etc.” It’s “a line of talk designed to persuade.”

You may use your pitch wherever it is appropriate to talk business—perhaps in an elevator, standing in line at the bank, at a meeting of a business group, waiting at your child’s school with other parents, or even “cold-calling” or stopping by to talk with the manager of a business who could use your help.

“Customer” is usually used to describe someone who buys a product or service that is the same for nearly every purchaser. Shoppers, diners and users of dry cleaning services, for example, are customers. Target has lots of customers. The company hires market researchers to study what they want to buy according to their ages and locations.

“Client” is sometimes just a fancy way of saying “customer.” But there is a difference: it usually describes those who receive personalized services from lawyers, accountants, hairdressers, real estate salespeople, caterers, wedding planners, contractors, architects, consultants and anyone who has a small business that tailors a product or service to individuals.

If you own a small business, you must identify and understand the needs of each client. You can learn about your client’s type of business by reading about it, but you must also conduct careful interviews, listen well to your client and take notes.

Whether you have customers or clients, continually improve your service to fully satisfy their particular desires--or someone else will.

But first, you must get their attention.

To do that, you need to have a pitch.

On this page, you will find out how to pitch your services or products in a way that will quickly tell anyone who you are, what you have to offer and how to reach you.

Writing your pitch helps you clarify your goal. Two other definitions of pitch are “a specific plan of action” and “to begin to work in earnest and vigorously” (as in “pitch in and get the job done”). Answer these questions in your pitch:

• Who are you?
• What have you got that people want to buy?
• Why are you better than the competition?
• How does your listener get in touch with you?

Branding: Having a pitch reinforces the image of your business. Use it on the back of your business card, on a flyer, in an ad, when you meet people and in many creative ways. Use it on the phone and in a job interview. Say it to your mirror.

So how do you do it? Here is a sample format for your pitch:

• “Hi! I’m Maria Martinez.”

• “I’m an expert in eco-friendly cleaning services for homes and businesses. I’ve been doing this for four years and have many delighted clients.”

• “We can help you find economical solutions to keep your premises in a condition that adds value by making you and your visitors glad to walk in your door. And because we want you to know that reliability and satisfaction are guaranteed, we are bonded and insured.”

• “Here’s my card with a coupon on the back. I will give you a free on-site analysis of how to make your property sparkle. Please give me a call or send me an e-mail 24/7 and I’ll get right back to you. We are the best when it comes to cleaning your environment responsibly.”

Remember: Most people make up their minds about you in a very short time, so PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE! Time yourself.

Ask people for feedback. Keep notes on the reactions of your listeners and which ones hire you and why.

Leave your pitch on your voice-mail and listen to it critically. Over and over again.

Don’t worry about making mistakes—just keep improving!

Caution: If you’re attending a social event, giving your pitch might be considered rude. Nevertheless, in the U.S., as soon as people know your name they often ask, “What do you do?” So you need a short, memorable pitch that is no more than 15-30 seconds.

Create an opportunity to let people know what you do at a social event by first asking them what they do. They will probably then ask you what you do. Keep it short. Use all your senses to read their body language to know if you’ve gone too far in talking about yourself and, if so, quickly change the subject. It’s a balancing act—you don’t want to miss a chance to help someone if you can do so inoffensively.

THE IDEAL SOLUTION

Isn’t this what you want your customers or clients to think of your service?