The Goal and Mechanics of Pitching

Key Insight

Pitching is fundamentally the process of commercial persuasion aimed at securing a sale. It moves beyond appointment setting's goal of potential help, striving to convince prospects and other stakeholders of a significant business pain, the necessity of solving it, and that the proposed solution will provide substantial value, or 'return on investment.'

Crucially, pitching emphasizes the urgency of addressing this pain now, highlighting the high opportunity cost of delay and prioritizing the solution over other organizational fixes. While a 'one-call close' is rare, especially for complex solutions, the process often involves multiple steps and meetings with various individuals within the target organization. A related objective is to efficiently identify and disengage from deals unlikely to close, conserving resources.

The success of a new-technology sale can be understood by the formula: Potential Value x Value Comprehension x Belief = Likelihood and Magnitude of Sale. Maximizing these terms involves targeting accounts with the greatest need for the solution (Potential Value), ensuring clear communication through effective presentations and materials (Value Comprehension), and building confidence via proof points, product demonstrations, customization, and pilots (Belief). Prospects typically apply a risk discount, but focusing on high business pain and strong comprehension can overcome skepticism, such as realizing a potential savings of $50000 a month, even if only half is achieved.