The missing part of your pitch — Kelford Labs Daily
The problem with it.
There’s a phrase for a pitch that doesn’t specify a problem:
“Too good to be true.”
What I mean is, when I help our clients with their pitch decks, presentations, and speaking notes, I always include something that would otherwise get missed:
The tradeoff, or the “problem” with the proposed solution.
It’s easy, too easy, to pitch our services or product based purely on its benefits. But if we don’t include the tradeoff we’ve made to be ideal for our best customers, we leave them wondering what the catch is.
When we promise too much, with no downside, our prospects suspect we’re hiding something.
But when we remember to include a specific tradeoff that we’ve made, that our ideal clients agree with, we reassure them that we’ve thought things through. That we’ve made choices that are aligned with their best interests.
“Our product is perfect for everyone” is the exact same as saying, “Our product is perfect for no one.” Because no one believes anything is ideal for everyone.
But by saying, “Our product is perfect for you, because we don’t do what you don’t care about,” we’re instinctively believed.
So don’t forget that your pitch, your proposal, your website, needs to include information about what you don’t do, and why. What you focus on, and why.
Who you focus on, and how.
When I pitch my own services, I might say something like, “We’ll give you the words to attract your very best customers, but we won’t weigh you down with a 100-page strategy document you’ll never read. We’ll just tell you exactly what to say.”
That sounds refreshing to a specific type of client, but notice what I also said: I’m not going to product a long-winded strategy document. For some clients, that’s a straight up dealbreaker.
But for my best clients, it’s exactly what they want to hear.
So the question for you is, What don’t you do for your very best clients, and are you remembering to say that in your pitches, proposals, and presentations?
Or are you saying something that’s too good to be true?
Reply to this email to tell me what you think, or ask any questions!
Kelford Inc. shows experts the way to always knowing what to say.
