All businesses will likely have to pitch to clients at some point, whether this is in person or via a web conference call. The creation and delivery of a successful client pitch can do wonders for the company and who knows what further success could lie ahead.
With that in mind, there are some essential elements that are worth implementing into your own client pitches to make them even more impressive. Whether this is your first client pitch or you’re at the point where you’ve lost count, here are several pointers that might be helpful in creating the best client pitch possible.
1. Create a dynamic cover slide
Appearances matter and when it comes to a client pitch, it’s all in the visuals. You may wish to use a presentation template if you’re giving a slideshow presentation in person or if you’re sending it to a potential lead for consideration.
The cover slide is one that is often forgotten about because it’s only really seen at the very start. However, it’s still just as relevant as every other slide that you have in your pitch. A dynamic cover slide is one that’s eye-catching and that will be enticing for your target audience or whoever you’re pitching to.
When creating your cover slide, remember what your objective is and try to convey that somewhat within this first slide. You want to capture their attention from the get-go, rather than it be something that fails to keep them engaged with your pitch.
If you’re wanting some creative assistance in your design of the cover slide and the rest of the pitch, then using a platform like Canva can prove quite useful. It’s also a great tool for those with limited design experience under their belt, if any.
It’s also worth noting that 89% of people still use Powerpoint for their presentations. Find a medium that works well for you and start your pitch off with a bang.
2. Tell a story
Storytelling can do a lot when it comes to client pitching. The more you can do to keep the client engaged and interested in what you have to say, the better your chances of securing whatever work you’re after.
Presenting a story provides a journey that your client can go on when it comes to your pitch. By doing so, it becomes more than just information, data and imagery on a page. As a company providing services, it’s good to share your progress and what has motivated your workforce to achieve what it’s done so far.
There will likely be anecdotes and references that are relatable in some way or other to those you’re pitching to. By telling a story, you create something that’s more personal, even if it’s a cold pitch.
Not great with storytelling or creative writing? Well there’s always plenty of courses or training that your teams can do in order to have those skills. Alternatively, it might be worth outsourcing this to a writing agency who can provide the narrative you need when presenting to potential leads.
It’s good practice to incorporate a story into every pitch you give, even if it’s the same one you roll out to every client. Storytelling provides a smart solution to illustrate the message you’re trying to get across.
3. Know who you’re pitching to
There’s no denying that knowing who you’re pitching to is critical. Many businesses may have many leads that come in but nurturing them is essential to generating sales. In fact, companies that excel at lead nurturing generate 50% more sales as a result.
With lead nurturing, you’re learning more about that particular client in question. So when it comes to a client pitch, you’ll have a lot of intel on the client that you can utilize when creating your pitch. As opposed to not doing any nurturing at all and potentially losing out on a paying client.
Consider who the pitch is for and whether it’s being given to one client or blanketed to multiple clients. Try to tailor it where you can so that it becomes more personable if it’s going out to so many at once.
Ask yourself through the creation of your pitch, whether you are targeting that client directly and if not, what can you change? A successful client pitch is going to be one where the client feels you’ve put in the time and effort to get to know their company and what they’re about as a business.
4. Focus on solutions and benefits
When creating a client pitch, you should focus on the solutions that you can provide for them and benefits that they receive by picking your business. Identifying their problems and showing possible resolutions is like doing the work for them.
There may be certain concerns that your client has, whether that be a common problem within their industry or something they’re lacking. By pinpointing the problem areas for the client and providing realistic solutions, it makes their decision a lot easier on whether they choose to use your services or not.
Solutions are not just part of the pitch, there’s also the added benefits that the client receives through their collaboration with you. Don’t forget to touch on those unique selling points that make you the right choice for investment.
Include a value proposition within the benefits you offer. Summarize your promises to the client and why they should choose you over any other competitor on the market.
This should be a substantial part of your pitch and one that you spend time on when it comes to understanding what each of your potential clients need from you. After all, you want them to say yes, rather than to say no and look elsewhere.
5. Show previous examples of work
Evidence speaks volumes and when it comes to pitching to new leads, you want to have previous examples of your work. After all, as the saying goes, the proof is in the pudding!
There are lots of proofs that you can provide when it comes to the client questioning your ability to provide said solutions. These could be any of the following:
Testimonials
Testimonials are a great way to provide evidence of you previously delivering the goods. Whether they provide a testimonial directly or they’ve left reviews on other sites, gather these up and showcase them within your pitch.
It doesn’t need to be overkill but just a few good words from previous clients can be the confirmation that these new leads need to make that decision.
Share the data
Data can speak for itself but if the client isn’t aware of the product or services you offer, how are they to know? From expert quotes to research done on what you’re offering and how it can be effective, it’s all valuable knowledge that’s worth including.
Provide extras
We all love extras, especially when they offer extra value to our experience as a customer. For your client, a money-back guarantee or a free trial of your services or product could be the tipping point needed to get them onboard.
6. Provide comparisons
Competitor analysis for most businesses can be handy in providing data. This data can be leveraged to your advantage when presenting it in a client pitch. We all have competition, even the clients themselves, so provide some comparisons to look at.
Again, it’s all about doing the work on their behalf and allowing them to focus on what’s presented to them. With 94% of businesses investing in competitive intelligence, there’s a benefit to keeping an eye on your competition.
By providing comparisons, you shift the attention back onto your business and as such, there may be a quicker decision process made by the client. You cut down the work needed on their part, so it’s useful to include these comparables within your client’s pitch.
Yes, you may be giving your competition a share of the spotlight, but it’s a comparison that you can tweak to work in your favour. Don’t be afraid of your competitors because in this scenario, they can be a valuable asset to refer to when convincing clients to partner up with your business.
7. Welcome questions from the client
And finally, with any client pitch, you want to keep the conversation open. By closing off a pitch without any call-to-action, it may cause you to fall at the final hurdle.
A call-to-action is a simple command that can help your client take action, whether that’s agreeing to your pitch or inquiring further into what you can offer. Think about what you can provide in return to keep the conversation moving forward and hopefully guiding that lead further down the sales funnel.
Perfecting a client pitch is a process that will need refining until the right elements are in place and the perfect formula is created. At that point, you can tailor it and then recycle the pitch to the next client, and the next one after that. Spend time on your client pitches and they’ll end up providing much success for your business.
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