Moments Later: The Marketing Pitch

How do you describe it in a quick and easy to repeat phrase. Call it an elevator pitch if you like but it is a quintessential marketing need for both individuals and businesses.

Recently I spoke with several small to mid-sized business owners. As I asked each one to tell me what they do, most of them were unable in a clear and crisp statement to describe their business. They went on and on and on about stuff that led them down a rabbit hole. Why aren’t they better prepared?

A marketing pitch is a way of positioning your small business or yourself to others. It enables the person you are speaking to for 30 seconds to know something distinctive about what you do.

No you are not an electrician.

You are the leading electrician for people who live in apartment

and you have a reputation for shockingly great service so that your customers can safely unplug when you come home at night.

you provide a safe place for people to unplug

This is not a trivial marketing exercise. It allows you in a clever and quick way to explain something special about what you do, who you do it for and in a way that shows you have a personality.

Why is a pitch important?

Whether you are looking for a new job or meeting prospective clients for your small business, you don’t get a lot of time to explain your reason for being. A marketing pitch is a well-thought out way of handing someone a high-definition image of who you are and what you do. It gives clarity of purpose and helps someone understand how you differ from the other 32 electricians whose name shows up in the yellow pages.

Here are three tips for creating a pitch:

BENEFIT NOT FEATURES: It isn’t about the thing you do (electrical work) as much as it is about the benefit you provide (peace of mind). If you are a caterer maybe you describe it as nourishing the soul during important family celebrations. If you are a photographer, maybe you are a memory keeper. Start with the benefit you provide. You can hand out a business card with the list of specific services but give everyone a easy phrase to remember.

PERSONALITY: Don’t be afraid to show a little of yourself in your pitch. Have some personality. A pun or a bit of humor is fine. Or, maybe you want to be very serious and have a professional tone. Just remember people buy from people (they don’t buy from businesses). So be a human being and let a little of your personality shine. If you have trouble finding just the right phrase or words, ask your friends and family to help describe how they feel after you do work for them. Emotional connections are strongest. Think of special words to separate you from all others in your field.

SHORT, SWEET AND REPEATABLE: Remember that you may be asking these people to recommend you to someone else so the easier you can find a great phrase that works, the easier it is for word to spread. Word of mouth happens when you help it along. A short and simple phrase is like a label that fixes an image of your story in the mind of prospective customers.

The best pitches are clever combinations of things from other areas. So don’t be afraid to be a Plumbing Ninja, a Food Artist or a Jewelry Jedi. If you are an older woman teaching Yoga, maybe you are the Yoga Yenta.

The goal is something easy to remember, repeatable and something that others will have fun sharing for you.

The whole point of marketing is to get noticed. How do you describe your work in a quick phrase?

So here is the ball, let me see you pitch.

Note: When I am not pitching ideas to marketers, I am writing blogs that try to unravel the mysteries of marketing. Won't you share my posts with your friends on social media? Its easy. Just use one of the tools below. Thanks.