Tag Archives: selling tips

Elevator pitch

Elevator pitch Elevator speech Opening business statement No Comments

It seemed strange to find the term "elevator pitch" used by the New York Times in an article "Billionaires with big ideas are privatizing American science," but there it was.  Beyond that, the Times had found the distinguished science magazine Nature had also used it in an article on how to "sell science".

In any case, the Times defined "elevator pitch" as ". . . a digest of research so compelling that it would seize a potential donor's attention in the time between floors."  And, "Practice in front of the mirror and 'with anyone who will listen. [and] "when the pitch is smooth enough, 'aim high.'"

Couldn't have been said better.  In another posting on this blog a while back I added that it should flow smoothly and run not more than 30 seconds.  

By the way, sometimes it's termed "elevator pitch", other times "elevator speech" or "opening Business Statement"–the term I use in my book SALES TRAINING TUTORIALS (second edition) especially  in . . . 

Tutorial 1, especially section 5: How will I introduce myself and my product or service? What's my "Opening Business Statement or "Elevator Speech"?

Tutorial 6:  How to get past the "gate-keeper" or "screen";

and Tutorial 7: How to ask the prospect for an appointment

Sales Training Tutorials is available in both E-book and paper-book formats.

You'll also find more related how-to in my SELLING 101 Third edition available in both paper and E-book versions.  See especially . . . 

Section 4: Getting past the Decision Maker's Screen;

Section 6: Convincing the Decision Maker to meet with you;

Section 8: Opening the face-to-face meeting with the Decision Maker

 

Handling “easy” objections and questions

Consultative selling--developing prospect's awareness of need Free sales training articles Handling sales objections & questions Sales closing skills Sales tips & techniques -- how to sell Sales training Selling skills for new business start-ups No Comments

Some questions and objections are so easy that you can safely respond to them
quickly and directly, and move on.

For our meaning here, that kind of "easy" question or objection is in an area
in which your product or service is strong, or that raise issues that you can
handle quickly without raising secondary concerns.

For example, if the objection relates to a misunderstanding on price that you
can set right by pointing to a catalog, do that and move on:

"The answer is yes, we do guarantee our installations for three years, the
longest in the industry, according to this survey in Industry Times which I'll
leave with you. Now, moving on to the issue of . . ."

But if the objection or question is more complex, then use the Four-Step process for responding to objections. Go to that Four-Step Process for handling objections and questions

Responding to more difficult objections and questions

Consultative selling--developing prospect's awareness of need Handling sales objections & questions Sales closing skills Sales tips & techniques -- how to sell Sales training Selling skills for new business start-ups No Comments

Responding to an "easy" sales objection or  question? Then handle it directly, get it out of the way quickly, and move on. See the section on handling easy questions and objections. 

When you encounter more difficult objections and questions, it's best to work systematically through this Four-Step Process:


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