Whether you’re directly marketing, video marketing, or simply trying to convince your peer to change cell phone plans, you will first need to be able to sell your idea or your “pitch”. Even a novice can sell a pitch if he or she is aware of some basic marketing tactics. But to do so, one must first be willing to invest the necessary time and do the appropriate research to make the idea more presentable.
DEVELOPING THE PITCH
Developing your pitch is the first step towards the ultimate sale of your service or product. As you hone in on the benefits your idea, ask yourself the following questions about your target audience.
1) What do you want from them?
2) What do they want from you?
3) What do they expect you to deliver to them?
4) How can this exchange be mutually beneficial?
Addressing each of these questions, in turn, will help you build a convincing argument towards a customer purchase or investment.Establish how your idea can help the client with a problem they might have, and then prepare yourself to communicate that service to your audience and clientele as succinctly and appropriately as possible.
Make sure that you know enough about your idea or service offering to answer follow- up questions; if you’ve done your job correctly and acquired the interest of your target audience, said audience will surely have questions to ask of you, either by way of call, email, or direct contact.
DELIVERING THE PITCH
For the sake of appropriate context, let’s say that you are going to pitch a project to a target audience on kickstarter.
Today’s world is accustomed to instant gratification, so it’s a good policy to assume that select members of your target audience have a relatively short attention span. When you make your pitch, you should keep it short and to the point…as a general rule, you should try to take up no more than 2 or 3 minutes of their time. Open with your most important details, and close by citing them a second time. Grab the attention of your audience right away, and make sure that they take away the most critical information from the time that you have with them by presenting that information first.
You should also be sure that your presentation is engaging and interactive. Your role is to motivate your clientele to take action and invest in your product, service, or idea. Be relatable and memorable in the presentation of your idea.
An example of a great crowdfunding video can be found here, advertising the iSensor HD Home Security camera. In almost exactly two minutes, the marketer establishes all possible uses and functions of the camera, all the advantages it offers, and all of the problems that it solves for the client.
Avoid the following BAD HABITS of Delivery:
1) Insincere Flattery of your Audience Members
2) Presenting the Cost of Purchase Before Securing Interest 3) Informing the Buyer that “They Will Love It”
4) Coming Across as Unenthused with your Product or Service
Depending on where, when, and whom you are pitching to, your target audience might be there exclusively to listen to your campaign, they might have stumbled across your campaign, or they might be enduring your campaign. Be mindful of the varying contexts in which your pitch may be heard, and cater to all possible audiences; not just to the best-case scenario.
Lastly, conclude with a final call to action that leaves people in thought and reflects positively on your product or service. Ex. “Your child’s safety is as important to us as it is to you. That’s why we recommend the __(BRAND)__ car seat…the safest children’s car seat that the market has to offer. Pick yours up today.”
AFTER THE PITCH
A large part of marketing is data analysis. You will want to follow-up with your audience after a lecture, or to keep an eye on digital audience engagement and interaction with video content. Give individuals a chance to connect with you for further information on your product or service, and make sure that you use a platform which allows you to track and identify the level of commitment that your audience is willing to make to your ideals.
Continue to curate and nurture a respectful, professional relationship with your clientele. It is unrealistic to think that everyone who hears your pitch will respond positively to your service offering right away, but if you truly have a great idea or service to offer, have performed exceptionally, and have delivered professionally, your audience will inevitably begin migrate to you.
Be patient, be respectful, be engaging, and be informative. Any audience can be won over with the right pitch.
604 E Joppa Road