For IT executive sales, a short, effective sales pitch is a powerful tool.
Captive Eight Executive Events connect senior executives with our technology partners to create mutually beneficial business relationships. Each IT executive sales team has eight minutes to present their solutions to each executive. The goal of the 8-minute pitch is to interest the executive in setting up a follow-up meeting. Experienced executives love these meetings because they learn about new and relevant technologies in a short period of time.
As a technology solution provider, you will want to be on top of your game to get your message and value proposition across in 8 minutes. With a strategy and some preparation, you can efficiently and effectively interest the executives in your solution. And…if you master the art of the short pitch meeting, it can become an outstanding tool in your sales arsenal moving forward.
Tips for Perfecting a Short Sales Pitch
Here are some ways to get a follow-up meeting in 8 minutes or less.
- Practice ahead of time: It may seem obvious, but an 8-minute pitch is different than a standard sales meeting. Practice your pitch in advance with a timer and a live person. 8 minutes goes by very fast, so timing your presentation is essential.
- Keep your introduction short: Introductions and small talk should be kept to a minimum. Get right to the point to maximize the quality of the interaction.
- Ask questions upfront: Ask your discovery questions at the beginning to best formulate your pitch. Find out what their needs are and where they are in the purchasing process.
- Have clear value propositions: Be concise and to the point, making sure you get across your most valuable propositions. Since you have already asked your discovery questions, you should be able to tailor these to the prospect’s interests.
- Focus on customer ROI: Remember that everyone wants to save money and time, and to lower risk, so explain how your solution accomplishes these. A clear return on investment can turn a marginally interested executive into a hot lead very quickly.
- Present your competitive advantages: Review your solution’s advantages over their current solution provider or other competition. You may not have time for all of them, so hit the high points.
- Leave time for questions: Save time at the end for the executive’s questions. Closing questions will assist you in getting the follow-up meeting because they will most likely require more time to answer. If you end on a cliffhanger so to speak, the prospect will want to know more.
Once you have crafted and rehearsed your 8-minute pitch, you will more feel confident with the short time frame, and you will start to see the power of leading with your best value propositions to peak a prospect’s interest.
Learn more about Captive Eight Events
After 12 years of connecting executives with solution provider, Captive Eight is an expert at helping salespeople perfect their short sales pitches. If you have questions or are interested in learning more, please contact sales@captiveeight.com or visit our technology partner page.