Written by: Vickie Sullivan | September 21, 2023
How to Pitch Small Changes—and Get Clients to Act
Making your pitch stand out in a crowded field is a challenge. As pitch and presentation coach Raj Nathan points out, though, you can develop a winning pitch by following 5 key steps. Nathan discussed his 5-step winning pitch process in a recent AllBusiness article. The process works with prospects, as well as current clients.
One of those steps—Set up the emotion—hit home for me. Most times, people use “Cinderella storytelling.” With that type of storytelling, your protagonist has a problem and then they find a solution. Instead, use what Nathan calls “advanced storytelling.” “More complex storytelling leads from emotion rather than problem/solution,” the article says. And more people respond to that style.
Do you use emotional storytelling? If you’re willing to try it, here are some ideas from the article you can apply when you pitch new ideas to clients:
• Set a new standard: Nathan highlights the difference between using emotion and leading with emotion. This takes away the “we already do this” obstacle and makes the case that the change is small yet mighty.
• Drill down on examples: Use specific examples to highlight a different approach. The magic ingredient is specificity. The more granular you are in your pitch, the more folks can discover the difference themselves.
Listen: How Clients Decide What Changes to Make
When your recommendations look the same as your competitors’, your clients assume the change isn’t worth making. By highlighting the big impact of small differences, you position your contribution as surgical strikes that takes advantage of the client’s strengths.
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