Improve Your Sales Message: Start Strong with New Prospects

Written by Rachel Clapp Miller | Mar 25, 2014 12:00:00 PM

Effective value-based selling starts with a sales conversation focused on solution value and differentiation in a way that ties back to the customer’s required capabilities. Remember, you don’t have to wait for a big sales presentation to get those points across to a prospect. Start with your next meeting or call with a customer. Whether it’s a cold call, a LinkedIn message or a brief email your initial sales contact should be succinct and impactful.

Structure your pitch with these 4 guidelines:

1. What’s the Context?

Make sure to establish context for the call or meeting. Consider your audience. Who are you sending the pitch to and what do they care about? Chances are you know what their major value drivers are. Make sure your communication is value driver focused.

2. What’s the Outcome?

Why should the prospect take time out of his/her busy day to have a conversation with you? First, hit on their pain points. What problem are you trying to solve? Then, briefly contrast that “Before-Scenario” with the “After-Scenario” and the positive business outcomes achieved when clients implement your solution.

3. What’s the Proof?

Proof points and customer testimonials are an asset to any sales conversation. Explaining the payoff, or giving a reference on how your solution provides the results you promise, will help you earn trust with your buyer. Throwing in a short metric that shows the tangible benefits might be the one thing that makes the prospect take notice.

4. What’s Next?

Close the pitch with the easy step you want the prospect to take.

Purpose, Process, Payoff

Getting that initial meeting isn’t easy, but a succinct initial point-of-contact will get you more results than a long-winded drawn out voice mail or email. Remember, your prospects are busy and they’re likely getting tons of calls from vendors just like you. The 3 Ps are another good reminder for any pitch.

1. Demonstrate your purpose
2. Explain the process of what you’d like to do
3. Show the payoff for the prospect

Here’s one example:

"The purpose of my message/email/phone call is to follow up on a conversation that I had with (name of referral) who suggested that I contact you to discuss how (your company name) is working with companies like yours to address (key market challenges your product addresses)."

“I’d like to take (10/15) minutes to ask you (3 or 4) questions about some of the challenges you may be experiencing with (pain points that your client companies are experiencing)."

“There may be an opportunity for your company to benefit in ways similar to (another relevant client). (Your company name) was able to work with them to (tell a relevant success story.)”

Improve your sales message by starting strong with new prospects. By focusing your initial pitch on customer value, you’ll confirm more appointments and eventually close more opportunities.

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