changing the way you pitch

One great tip about pitching that I was recently provided to me by that guru of all things sales, my buddy Adam. The passion in your voice when you make a pitch (and note – this is any kind of pitch – sales, funding, business development, etc.) is a huge factor when it comes to communicating excitement and creating a must-be-a-part-of-this feeling on the part of your listener. Passion comes from being genuine, which inherently means that it’s tough to fake, and for most passionate people is something that just shines through naturally.

However, a problem arises when you’ve pitched the same thing over and over and over again (as you most inevitably will). Once you’ve delivered your ‘schpiel’ so many times that it has become automatic, it begins to sound exactly like that – automated. That key element of excitement in your voice can sometimes be lost.

Therefore, when talking, there’s a huge need to be in the present when you’re doing it (rather than being on autopilot). Only by being in the present can you remember how much you love what you do and let that love pour forth in your voice.

Adam has an even better tip – he recommends changing the way that you pitch it. If you change the way you pitch, then the pitch never gets old, and you have no trouble keeping it inspiring every time you do it. Maybe one time you start with a question, and another you kick off with a bold statement. Each time, you focus on driving home the key elements by building up to them, but you focus on changing the building blocks to keep things fresh. Think about this the 100th time you’ve pitched something.