Pitch. Close. Mic Drop. – How to Shape & Deliver Pitches that Seal the Deal

You’re super talented and have an amazing offering (nailed it!). It should sell itself, right? Wouldn’t that be great? Unfortunately, it’s not that simple. There’s an art to crafting a pitch that will close the sale. Once you know that formula, you can use it again and again to wow clients and win business. So, let’s get to it.

First, let’s talk about what not to do: lead with the WHAT (features of your offering). It’s a common misstep to rattle off all the things you can provide. The problem with doing that is your WHAT probably sounds a lot like everyone else’s WHAT. It’s tough to differentiate yourself that way.

Instead, lead with the WHY—the client’s WHY (as in, why they need you) and why you’re recommending your WHAT. That’s what’ll make your pitch unique. Here’s the trick: figuring out what their WHY is, which you do by asking 11 to 14 strategic questions during the discovery/initial strategy cal. Once you have a clearer understanding of their situation, mirror it back to them as part of the pitch. That might sound something like this:

• During our discovery/strategy call, you said (x, y, z). Here’s the problem you want to solve (their WHY). You’ve already tried this a bunch of times without the results you were looking for. The solution I recommend is (your WHAT) because (WHY you picked that solution. For example: This program/package is designed for people like you who want …)

What makes this approach effective? It creates a connection that lets the client feel seen, heard, and understood—the trifecta for getting a yes.

Now, a quick note on presenting your WHAT. Please, please—one more time, because it’s that important—please stop listing features with no benefit statements attached. Your WHAT should be backed up by WHY always. Otherwise, it’s pretty frickin’ meaningless to the client. So, don’t just tell them you’ll do a 30-minute follow-up call in 30 days. Tell them you’ll do a 30-minute follow-up call in 30 days so you can assess how things are going and if adjustments need to be made. Details matter. And again, you’re showing that you care about a successful result for them.

Ok, so you’ve covered their WHY and your WHAT—and the WHY behind it. Now it’s time for the HOW. Be specific about how you’ll achieve what you’re promising. What happens in month 1, phase 1, phase 2, etc. You know how much less anxious you are while driving when you know the way? The same thing applies here. Explain the high-level roadmap for each step in your process. Leaving nothing to interpretation sets a clear expectation. And that’s good for everyone.

After you outline how you’ll solve the problem, give an example (proof) of how you’ve done it for someone else, what that client’s experience was, and what results they got. This could be in the form of a compelling case study or testimonial. It’s a bump-set situation for the investment reveal. In other words, here’s what it’ll cost you to get great results like these. Then you follow up with another example (more proof). Think of it as a proof sandwich.

Hot tip: If you don’t have case studies or testimonials just yet, you can also use general data points (e.g., stats) to validate the value for the service.

The last piece of the pitch is the “just in case” stuff: terms and conditions/legalese. CYA, if you will. That’s really all there is to say about that.

Hear this: If your proposed fee has a comma in it, you’d better be prepared to pitch live. This is not a toss-it-over-the-fence situation. Focus on genuinely connecting with the person you’re talking to. Pay attention to what you hear and see, and respond accordingly. Are they holding their breath? Did their voice change pitch? Micro expressions will tell you whether you’re hitting the mark or not, and that doesn’t come across in an email. 

If a client asks you send your rates via email, say something like this: 

• I could send that to you, but it would be useless in helping you to decide whether we’re a fit. I have packages that range from x all the way to z, but I don’t know what you need. Usually, what you think you need isn’t what you actually need. So, I want to have a conversation with you to recommend the right solution.

Streamline your pitch process with ease! Using proposal software like our preferred tool, Better Proposals, helps you speed things up by offering ready-to-go templates for everything—packages, testimonials, case studies, you name it. It’s a total game changer for crafting polished, professional proposals without the stress. And if you need a hand refining your pitch or closing the deal, book an initial strategy session with Nikkie or jump into a focused laser session. We’re here to help you nail it every time!