One of the primary responsibilities of a sales representative is making sales pitches. Whether it be in person or over the phone, a good sales pitch is critical to the ongoing success of a sales rep’s career.

Like in many professions, there are a lot of people who are able to fly by the seat of their pants when it comes to giving their sales pitch. However, there are also a lot of people who need to plan out their sales pitch and make sure everything is prepared before they go in and possibly make a fool of themselves.

If you are more of a planner than a pantser, then one of the best ways for you to prepare for your sales pitch is to outline it. There are many benefits to outlining your sales pitch, from detailing what topics you wish to cover to knowing how to answer certain questions. While it is also important to know how to go off script when certain scenarios, having a good outline can make it far easier to make a deal. Read on to learn how to outline a killer sales pitch.

Know the Context

The first thing you need to do before writing your sales pitch is to know as much as you can about your product or service and the client you are pitching to. Going in blind or making your pitch generic will make it seem like you are uninterested in the needs of your client and/or that you do not know what you are talking about. Doing your research and having the proper context for your sales pitch will allow your pitch to be more accurate and precise. This in turn, makes you seem more knowledgeable and interested, therefore trustworthy, boosting the likelihood of your client accepting your pitch.

The first thing to do – for your current outline and for all outlines to come – is to have a deep understanding of your product or service. You should know more than the surface level of elements of what you are selling, something that most people can figure out from a quick internet search. Rather, you should know things the layperson would not easily know.

You should know how it works, what the benefits are, what the potential cons are, what scenarios it would and would not be applicable to, anything that your client may want to know. If you are presenting them with your service, they will expect you to know better than a layperson. Ensuring you understand your product/service will boost your credibility and make it more likely for your client to listen.

The rest of the context you should know has to do with the client themselves. You should do as much research on them as you can before you go in to pitch them your services. You should know what the company does, what their needs are, what problems they are currently facing, what kind of people are working there, who you may be speaking to, as much as you can.

This applies to both pantsers and planners, but for the latter it allows you to create a more detailed and tailored sales pitch. Doing so will make your clients feel heard and confident that you may be able to provide them the solution to their problem.

Get to the Point

Now that you have done your research, the first step to writing the outline is to plan out what you are planning to discuss. While most would start with the beginning of the outline, knowing what the body of the outline is going to contain can inform what the opening will contain. There is nothing wrong with starting with an opening if you would prefer, in fact in some circumstances it is actually more efficient that way, but in either case, be prepared to edit your outline after you’re down drafting it.

In the body of your outline, it is good to know the specific topics you plan to discuss. One of the best ways to present yourself in a sales pitch is through addressing the problem directly, describing how your product or service can solve that problem, and providing a couple of examples as to how it has solved that problem. Within this framework, you are able to get to the heart of why your client wants to invest and it allows you to fill in the details.

That said you do not want to give them everything all at once, rather you only want to give enough to pique their interest. The best piece of advice for a sales pitch is to be concise and get to the point. You’re not writing an article or an essay, you’re trying to convince someone to buy something, and most clients don’t like their time being wasted. So do not go on tangents, don’t rely on cliches or faulty metaphors. All of that just wastes time and muddies the waters with superfluous detail, just get to the point.

However, there is more than just details about the product that you want to provide. There are other aspects of a sales pitch that you should consider adding. You may want to appeal to their emotions, whether that be showing how your service has helped someone or by impressing them with the capabilities of your product. Being able to provide evidence and context are also critical, especially if someone is skeptical. If applicable, you could even apply a storytelling structure to your pitch. Doing so will keep your client engaged and may keep their interest. However, that may be reliant on how you choose to start your outline.

Start Strong

Next, or first if depending on how you want to do it, you work on the introduction of your outline. The primary information you want to provide in your introduction is the problem, the stakes of the problem and how it may affect your client, and whether your service may be able to solve that problem. It is especially effective if you are able to tailor it to your client by bringing up a problem they have or are currently facing.

If you want to get right into the thick of it, perhaps you should consider addressing the problem directly. Perhaps you could do it in the form of a question or of a statistic. Doing so may pique the client’s interest and provide them with the context from which they can follow your pitch.

You also may want to consider starting the pitch with an anecdote, whether it be personally, from someone you know, or even an example from a significantly well-known person. Doing so will provide a storytelling structure from which the client can get engaged. Though it is also critical to keep it clear and concise, otherwise you may ramble, and the client may lose interest. The stories you tell in your pitch should always be relevant.

The way you set up your introduction may inform how the rest of your pitch goes or it may only be there to get the ball rolling. What matters is that in either case, prepare to edit and make sure everything connects to the primary goal of your outline and pitch.

Be Ready for Anything

Once you have what you want to say ready, you should be prepared to answer whatever questions they may have. This could be something as simple as details about the product or something as complicated as how your service may apply to certain scenarios. However, you cannot predict everything that’s going to happen. When it comes to sales pitch, what the client has to say is just as important, if not more so.

As said by Mark Roberge, who served as Hubspot’s SVP of Worldwide Sales and Services and its CRO in the sales division: “It’s no longer about interrupting, pitching and closing. It is about listening, diagnosing and prescribing.”

In a sales pitch, you should be listening to just as much as you are speaking, if not more so. So be sure to practice and ensure that you are able to adapt when something is not on your outline.

One of the most brilliant individuals from history is Leonardo Da Vinci, Best described as the archetypal Renaissance person, he had passion, drive, and a boundless curiosity that led to his many incredible works of art and an endless array of ahead-of-his-time inventions.

Throughout his lifetime, he developed a sense of wisdom greater than most and he has inspired artists, scientists, and inventors throughout the years with his determination to discover and create.

Many of the life lessons he espoused are still being taught today, with a few of them even being applicable to sales. Now, it may sound like a stretch to try and apply the teachings of one of history’s greatest minds to sales, but that is only if you think of sales from the corporate level.

For many people, entrepreneurship and trading are about sharing what you’ve discovered with others. That sense of discovery, creation, and connection is sales in its purest form. Here are the Top 10 sales lessons you can learn from Leonardo:

1. Be Curious

One of Da Vinci’s most famous qualities was his relentless curiosity. His insatiable desire to know as much as he could about our world led to him study and excel in multiple fields including art, science, engineering and architecture.

That desire to understand how everything works bled into his art and design work, causing him to garner a lot of support from fascinated clients. This level of curiosity helps drive a salesperson in their work, pursuing information and learning more about the industry, their clients, and how to be the best salesperson they can be.

2. Seek Knowledge

Much like Da Vinci exploring fields that interested him, a salesperson should look to better understand their product and seek out information that may benefit their pitch. Da Vinci was a man who constantly sought information to know as much as he could and put what he knew into his work, developing a strong understanding from which he could communicate its value.

In his paintings, he developed a strong eye for the human form and understood how well his art was able to replicate it. A salesperson should constantly seek to understand their industry and their field, so they can have a better understanding of what they are trying to sell and better communicate its value.

3. Be Observant

Da Vinci’s strong observation skills were critical to his success in both his art and when he collaborated with his patrons. He paid attention to the complex ways his clients interacted and developed an understanding of what their preferences were so that he could better cater to them.

These skills are a vital part of every salesperson’s toolkit. They are necessary for understanding what a customer may be trying to communicate without directly saying anything and so the salesperson can better connect with the customer.

4. Pay Attention to Detail

In both his art and his sketches of his invention and of human anatomy, Da Vinci’s attention to detail was a cut above. His detailed studies and his willingness to go far greater in depth than most is what allowed him to create his artist masterpieces, with their complex integration of human anatomy, and the discoveries and ideas he was able to conjure in his scientific and inventory sketches.

These qualities are what attracted patrons to him, thus being able to be detail-oriented in your own sales approach can help build a loyal clientele. This includes knowing the details of your product or service, the various ways they can help certain clients, and even what deals may correspond with them.

5. Be Creative

Da Vinci’s creativity and inventiveness goes without saying, along with how they changed the landscape of both art and science. His ability to come up with unconventional ideas and groundbreaking concepts were able to redefine what was possible and cultivation of that level of creativity, or even just half of that level, can be a strong push as a sales person.

This does not mean making things up to try and convince someone to buy, rather it means finding new ways to sell your product and even pitching ideas that may improve your product if you’re in a position to do so.

6. Be Honest and Accurate

One reason Da Vinci’s legacy is so well respected is because of his dedication to intellectual integrity. He sought the truth in his scientific endeavors and did not allow himself to fudge results to come to the conclusions he wanted, nor did he try to trick anyone else.

Honesty and accuracy should be the cornerstone of any good salesperson. Many of the greats became great because they were honest about their work, thus it is important for a salesperson to be honest about their product and be accurate about what it can and cannot do.

7. Integrate Multiple Disciplines

Da Vinci is one of history’s most famous polymaths i.e., someone who studies and excels in multiple fields. He was deeply curious and eventually became an expert in multiple areas, from which he was able to cross-integrate them into his work. For example, his love of human anatomy was integrated into his art.

Thus, being able to integrate other disciplines into your sales career is something that can give you an edge over others who may not be as well rounded as people. It also provides the added benefit of preventing your work from becoming rigid and boring.

8. Think Outside The Box

Da Vinci was an unconventional thinker leading to an unorthodox approach that helped him solve issues in ways foreign to most people. He sought answers beyond what was given to him, and that ability allowed him to see boundless possibilities when it came to his art and inventions.

Thinking outside the box and developing a mindset of going beyond conventional means allows salespeople to come up with innovative solutions to common problems.

9. Work With Others

Da Vinci did not just work by himself. Over the course of his life, he had many proteges, students and collaborators with whom he shared his ideas and work. The ability to collaborate is essential for success, both back in his day and especially nowadays.

Working with other sales professionals can help leverage the strengths of each team member to provide solutions to a variety of problems while providing the best service possible to your clientele.

10. Take Notes

Finally, Da Vinci is well known for the copious amount of notes he took. In fact, they are probably the greatest remnant of his genius as they are filled with sketches, observations, and ideas.

They allowed him to channel his thoughts ore effectively and the act of writing them down helped him remember them. Effective note taking can allow a salesperson to do the same which is particularly valuable when creating a sales plan.

Conclusion: The life of Leonardo Da Vinci has influenced thousands of leaders across a myriad of different fields. By following his example, many of Da Vinci’s lessons can be incorporated into your sales career to help you become more successful.

On April 23, 1910, the 26th president of the United States, Teddy Roosevelt, gave one of the most influential speeches in history at the Sorbonne in Paris.

His speech – Citizenship in a Republic – contained an extremely influential passage many refer to as The Man In The Arena. It has been referenced by many world leaders, celebrities, and scholars, and mandatorily memorized by every recruit as the US Naval Academy. Here is that portion of Roosevelt’s speech:

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”

This passage has inspired many by telling us where the true value of a civilization lies. It states there are many who sit and watch from the sidelines, complaining about everything that is going on, without actually adding any real value.

True value lies in the courageous, the creative, and the tenacious, those who are out there trying to make a difference. And in the fast-paced, brutal world of sales, this is increasingly important.

More and more people have grown cynical about sales and our current market economy, especially due to many businesses falling into shady business practices. During this time, this mindset as a salesperson has become essential to be both successful while still holding onto their integrity. Read on to see how to become a fighter as Roosevelt described in his famous speech:

Taking the First Step

The first step is to actually step into the arena. Taking that first step, even if you are inexperienced, should be taken just as seriously as any other step and with the same tenacity as the others. Not only will it jumpstart your sales career but will also set the tone for the level of determination and excellence you will carry for the rest of it. But for each sales venture, that first step can be widely different.

For those who are just getting into sales, this involves finding a place to work and learning how to do your new job. In our modern business environment, it has become increasingly difficult for new hires to find an entry level position, even in the field you studied for.

But this is why it is important to keep hunting for the job you want. If you are willing to keep moving past the rejections and you keep looking for a place you can start your sales career, even if you need to think outside the box or it’s something less glamorous, then you will be able to take that first step.

Once you have entered the ring and been given your first job, you’re now faced with the challenge of understanding how your job works. If you have some level of experience from an internship or a part time job, or you’ve studied in your chosen field then you’ll have a leg up, but you will still need to undergo further training to do your job effectively.

As you get further into your new sales job, you’ll not only learn the basics, but you’ll start learning the more advanced responsibilities of being a sales rep. When you’re first starting out, it can feel like nothing you’re doing is going right. Even if you’re struggling at first, it is important to not give up and to keep fighting. You will get better and eventually, you will become a fighter in the arena, one worthy of respect.

Say you’ve already taken the first step into your sales career, but you want to do something different. Maybe you want to work in another field, you want to strive for a new position, or maybe you want to become an entrepreneur. This also involves taking another first step, just onto another path, as you’re going to be entering unfamiliar territory from that point.

In any of these situations, you’re going to face many challenges you had never faced before, like a boxer trying to learn karate. However, taking the same mindset of applying yourself and pushing yourself through the struggles, learning from your mistakes, will allow you to adapt to your new path and to keep moving forward.

Commit to Being the Best You Can Be
Once you’ve entered the ring and established yourself as a worthy fighter, keep moving forward. Now it is time to commit to your sales career and strive to become the best you can be. This involves developing a better understanding of the current sales world, honing your pre-existing techniques, learning new sales techniques, and ironing out the flaws in your approach.

This can involve a variety of approaches, depending on the field and the individual salesperson. However, the most important factor isn’t necessarily being the most successful, rather it is pushing yourself to be the best version of yourself and to do the best work you can. It can become easy to become complacent in one’s current success, which can keep them from reaching their full potential.

Alternatively, some are willing to forgo their integrity by engaging in less than ethical business practices. That is why the drive to be better than you are now is so important, so that we won’t fall into the same traps that many do now.

Keep Moving Forward After Failure
Finally, even in the most successful sales careers, sales people constantly face failure. The most important step of fighting in the arena is to keep moving forward even after you fail. There are many who are too afraid of failure to get out of their comfort zone, which is why many don’t even take that first step.

But facing that fear of failure, understanding that it is a part of the journey, an important part that you should be allowed to learn from, will be what pushes you into becoming a successful sales person. Even after a catastrophic failure that could cost you everything, it is important to stand up, dust yourself off and keep moving forward. While it may be easier to stay down, continuing to get up will eventually get you to the place where you want to be.

Why Pressure is Important in Sales

Billie Jean King is a former world No. 1 tennis player who won 39 grand slam titles including 12 in singles, 16 in doubles, and 11 in mixed doubles. She is also a pioneer for women’s professional sports and an advocate for gender equality and social justice.

Billie Jean knows a thing or two about pressure!

Once asked how she coped with all the pressure, King answered with one of the best quotes in sports history: “Pressure is a privilege. It only comes to those who earn it.”

She understood that the only reason she was under so much pressure was because she was so successful. She found a way to make the pressure into something that gave her confidence and inspired her to keep working hard.

The same mindset can also be applied to sales. The best salespeople are usually under the most pressure because they are the ones making the most sales and the biggest deals for their companies.

Finding a way to use that pressure in a positive way – as King did – is critical if you hope to reach your full potential and maintain it for a long period of time.

Pressure Maintains Engagement to the Sales Process

The need for pressure in sales is immediately apparent when you step into the office of an unmotivated sales team. What you will likely see is people doing the bare minimum, not striving to boost their numbers or go after any whales.

For a sales team to be successful, there has to be some level of pressure to keep it engaged in the sales process. They should have something compelling them to get their work done as well as they can to boost productivity.

If you are a team leader, you need to be careful though because engineering pressure for pressure’s sake can lead to high levels of burnout and low employee retention rates. If pressure is not inherent to your sales process, try ratcheting things up a notch with competitions to get your team members competing against each other.

This can also make mundane tasks feel more rewarding as there is a reason to get them done. This will eventually have a compounding effect where the sales team becomes better at their job as competition breeds more competition. Additionally, individual team members will feel more confident and more motivated because of their success in the contests.

Side Note: You do not have to get too crazy with the rewards for these contests. You would be surprised the lengths people will go to just to get a free lunch once a month!

Separating the Best from the Mediocre

As the team environment becomes more competitive and the pressure mounts, unmotivated and mediocre members will start to fall away while high performers will continue to shine.

One thing that should be noted is that the worst members of a team might not necessarily need to be removed from the lineup. Their abilities may be better suited to sales support or marketing efforts, or they may just need a little more time to develop their skills.

The bad team members are the ones that fold under the pressure because they are unwilling to change and grow. In cases where this happens, you might want to consider cutting them loose. This also applies to people who cheat and use unscrupulous methods to be competitive.

Pressure is a great tool for promoting growth and those who are willing to grow will be the ones that persevere and enjoy success.

Ensures Critical Successes

Pressure is important in sales because it pushes salespeople to be best they can be. It increases conversion rates, boosts morale and improves companies’ bottom lines. Remember, not every team warrants the same level of pressure, and it can be a tricky thing to get it exactly right. Ask any jeweler and they will tell you; nothing produces a higher quality diamond than the right amount of pressure, so it is definitely something worth working on.

Working in sales can sometimes leave you feeling like you’re lost in space. It’s a griding and daunting endeavor with no clear end in sight. The little light you do see at the end of the tunnel seems so close but always just out of reach.

If you’re selling something niche, or even if you’re just new to the business, you need to be prepared for the general public to be wary of your efforts as selling today is harder than it has ever been, especially when it comes to face-to-face interactions. In fact, there is a high chance that most of your sales pitches will be met with a lot of skepticism.

When faced with such resistance, it can become difficult to maintain trust with your customers and close deals regularly. It’s not uncommon in sales to run into a slump or a roadblock which can make you question whether it was the right career choice for you.

However, all salespeople experience doubts about their abilities at some point in their careers, even the very best of the best. To overcome this temporary setback, you must learn how to change your perception of yourself. If you’re feeling lost, these four tips will help you ground yourself and move forward as a confident salesperson:

1. Sell to Yourself First

Most salespeople try to either craft a pitch in their head right before they meet with a prospect or come up with something on the fly during the meeting. While a rare few can pull this off, most salespeople who go in without a plan will stumble.

Once face-to-face, many forget what they had hoped to say, lose the flow of the conversation, say things that don’t sound as good as they thought, and seem come across as completely unprepared. This will often confuse, annoy, or even anger potential customers and make you seem like you have no idea what you’re doing.

It is important to properly plan your pitch. Write down any points you know you need to cover and anticipate questions the prospect might ask you. Then, find someone to practice with and go over it until it is succinct and engaging.

When practicing, try selling your pitch to yourself first by recording yourself with your phone and then watching it back. If your pitch doesn’t sound appealing to you, it likely won’t appeal to anyone else. Recording yourself allows you to watch your performance closely afterwards, thus allowing you to make necessary adjustments before you go toe-to-toe with a prospect.

You should also consider the flow of the conversation as well as how natural it sounds. While you don’t want to be too formal and rigid – as it would show a lack of passion – you don’t want to be too casual either.

Don’t use words – fancy or slang – that you otherwise wouldn’t use in a regular conversation. Don’t ever use any words that you’re not 100% sure of the meaning of. Remember, nobody likes jargon or cringey buzzwords so relax, stay within yourself, and keep the conversation flowing and easy to understand.

Finally, come up with ways to convince yourself that your services are worth it. If your product sounds like something you’d be interested in, it’s more likely to be of interest to others.

2. Really Know Your Product

If you don’t understand your product, you won’t be able to convince anyone of why they would want it. Research your product thoroughly and be prepared for any question your customers might throw at you.

There’s a very good chance your customers have already done their own research and are looking to see what sets you apart from your competitors. So, during your research, make a note of information and details the typical buyer does not have access to. If they have a specific problem, you must be able to demonstrate why your product or service is the solution.

3. Make It About the Customer

While it may sound harsh, customers don’t care about you, they care about what you’re selling. When crafting your pitch, keep the focus on why your customer may want your product.

If you can, do your homework on your customer and their business and tailor your pitch to their specific needs. Avoid generic pitches and always have a sincere desire to help the customer, answer their questions and show them proof your goods or services will do what they need them to do.

4. Quit Overthinking It

Finally, relax. You don’t have to know everything and not everything has to be perfect. Overthinking things may result in more mistakes and might make your pitch messy. Stay in the moment and show that you’re interested in helping them. If you’re well prepared, you’ll be able to stay more relaxed which will also help your prospect to relax. Without their guard up, you may just find it a lot easier to sell them on your product or service and seal the deal.