Leading a sales or marketing pitch can be a daunting prospect, but it can also prove to be hugely rewarding by giving employees a sense of responsibility and enabling them to have a genuine impact on the success of their company.
A successful pitch is often the difference between winning and losing the contracts that supply businesses with vital revenue streams. Being able to lead the pitch process, not only helps your own personal career development but could prove crucial for your employer.
3 top tips for leading a marketing pitch.
To understand whether you are ready to lead a sales or marketing pitch, it is important to first understand the kind of skills required for the task. Across both sales and marketing roles, the following skills and personal traits are required for success:
1. be confident.
It is normal to feel uncomfortable in front of a group of people, and even the most seasoned presenters will feel a little nervous. Being able to deliver the presentation clearly and bring a sense of authority to your speech is critical.
2. communicate clearly.
You may understand your pitch, but will others be able to by listening to you? Make your speech clear and concise, but provide the necessary depth to your presentation to ensure key points are taken in by your audience.
3. preparation is key.
Delivering a pitch is not just about the information in your presentation. You also need to be able to respond confidently to any questions from your audience. It is also important that you appear knowledgeable about your pitch, not just deliver it by writing.
how to successfully lead a pitch.
Your level of experience and individual strengths are likely to influence how involved you are with any particular sales or marketing pitch. At first, you may be asked to assist with creating the pitch, before helping deliver it and then ultimately leading it.
Research is the first step to a successful pitch, starting with understanding the target client’s business and current needs. When writing the pitch formally, you need to consider structure and pacing and should place a strong emphasis on your opening.
First impressions count and while you cannot win a pitch with your opening sentence, you can lose it. Holding the attention of your audience from the get-go is vital.
The rest of your pitch needs to be clear and concise, demonstrating to your audience that you understand their business problem and you can provide the solution. Although they may be stressful, delivering a successful pitch and securing the business can be one of the most rewarding aspects of any sales or marketing job.
Before you can demonstrate your skills as the leader of a sales or marketing pitch, you first need to convince employers in the industry of your individual talents. At Randstad, we can help you pitch to prospective employers and secure the sales or marketing role that you have been dreaming of.