7 Steps to Mastering the Art of Persuasion

You might think that the hardest part of selling your product to a client is pitching, but I’ll stop you right there. Currently, my role is to pitch studios and gyms to join ClassPass as a venue partner. The hardest part of making a good pitch is getting people to give you their time so that they can hear you out. Time is the most valuable commodity, so how do you convince someone to give you even five minutes of your time?  Here are some quick tips on how to start a sales pitch, beginning with grabbing your prospective client’s attention:[bctt tweet="7 Steps to Mastering the Art of Persuasion, by @lavidacomolamia"]

1. Praise them:

Do your research on what your prospective client is doing and flatter them by showing that they aren't just a number to you. Give them a peek into how detail-oriented your company is and how you hope to foster that relationship by working with them. Find ways to connect to them on the issues that matter most to them.[bctt tweet="Connect with #sales prospects on the issues that matter most to them, says @lavidacomolamia"]

2. Deliver value:

Before reaching out to any prospective client, make sure you have a clear objective on the future relationship. Figure out their pain points and know what will catch their attention. When I reach out to exercise studios, I know that they care about reaching new clients and fostering a sense of community, but I also know that their major pain point is making sure they stay afloat with a competitive market.

3. Ask questions:

What’s the best way for your prospective client to realize they need you? By answering questions that lead to your product as the answer. That way, when they have any hesitations towards your product, you can quickly pinpoint their own answers that they gave you earlier in the conversation.[bctt tweet="Don't focus on your #pitch—focus on questions, says @lavidacomolamia"]

4. Share industry-wide insights:

The most important aspect of the pitch is to show that you are knowledgeable in their industry. The best way to show this is by sharing industry-wide insights that can help them understand the scale that your product can help them to reach. At the end of the day, you want them to work with you because they know you have similar goals in growing the market.[bctt tweet="In the end, you want a client to work with you because your #goals align - @lavidacomolamia"]

5. Be personable:

I am a huge believer in the power of "why." Not sure what I am talking about? Check out Simon Sinek’s talk on how great leaders inspire action. People buy into ideas and products because of word of mouth verification and trust. So, the most important part of attracting new clients is not sounding like a typical salesperson, but connecting with their main business goals. Be unique and even make fun of the fact that they probably get a million marketers calling them a day. I’ve sent various emails mentioning that I know that I am probably annoying them or spamming their inbox, but mention that this might be worth their time.

6. Be strategic with your asks:

Remember that most people read their emails via their mobile phone, so make sure your ask is short enough for them to want to read the whole email. Give them a peek at what you can offer and ask them if you can schedule a conversation so that they can learn more.[bctt tweet="Most people read emails on mobile—make your ask short + to the point - @lavidacomolamia"]

7. Develop creative touch points:

Take advantage of some amazing sales tools that can help you reach your prospective clients. My absolute favorite is Yesware. Yesware has many functionalities including tracking your emails, creating templates, and most importantly creating time saving mail merges.

Photo credit: Garry Knight via Flickr cc