Elevator pitch sales training

Objective
Capture attention from the very first seconds. The simplest approach is often to find the primary interest of your conversation partner. Being disruptive, friendly, or intriguing are all ways to achieve this. No two situations are ever the same.

Example
“What do you think of this item?”
“You seem more energized than ever!”
“Hello, my name is John, we’ve never met. Nice to meet you!”
“Producing is important, but it’s essential to know what you’re talking about!

Objective
Identify a problem or need that your company, person, product, or service solves. Whether it’s a professional challenge, a skill to be acquired, or an issue, your goal for this part of the pitch is to get your counterpart to acknowledge the existence of the problem.

IGOR
Here is a framework that can help you seek validation of the problem: IGOR

1. Identify
2. Get it bigger and Oppress
3. Resolve

Example
“Have you noticed that this production system can be complicated and costly?”
“Don’t you feel that something is wrong and we could take it further?”

The most important thing is that you have correctly identified the problem/need of your prospects. The next step is to get your counterpart to validate the issue. It’s not a science, but an art that requires tact. If the person validates and admits the problem, it often means it’s just the tip of the iceberg!

• Objective
  Identify the exact problem that your counterpart needs to solve.

  Contextual questioning
  Contextual questions are similar to natural conversation. They make your client feel at ease and should not give the impression of a police interrogation.

  Example
  “Have you noticed that this production system can be complicated and costly?”
  “Are you the Industrial Director for this project?”
  “Who will approve your approach internally?”
  “What is your exact role in the project?”
  “How has your experience with our company been so far?”

  Latent need/problem questioning
  These questions are more difficult to ask because they will push the buyer out of their comfort zone. It is common for buyers to share their issues with some reluctance.
  Here, the goal is to give the impression that the salesperson is working in the client’s best interest. The salesperson is thinking for them and inviting them to go further, to open up.
  These questions naturally use words like “problem,” “concern,” “disadvantage,” “dysfunction,” or “dissatisfaction.”

  Example:
  “Do you have trouble producing such small items?”
  “What concrete problems are you encountering?”

• Objective
  Make your counterpart aware of the full extent of a “simple” problem. The goal is to stop once you have identified all the affected links in the chain.
• Expansion questions
  You can base these on the information gathered while understanding the problem. The aim is to exaggerate the issue as much as possible.
• Example
  “Are production delays causing disorganization?”
  “Does the disorganization affect packaging and shipping?”
  “Have you ever missed a delivery due to these issues?”
• Impact questions
  Based on the information collected, try to understand how much your client could save and gain. These levers will make it easier for them to make a decision and demonstrate the added value.
• Example
  “Do you have an idea of how many late deliveries you’ve had?”
  “What impact does this have on your specific revenue?”

• Objective
  The goal is to get your client to validate that a solution should be considered.
• Acceptance questions
  These are a reformulation of what has been highlighted.
• Example
  “Do we agree on the consequences of the delays?”
  “Is a solution that ensures delivery deadlines worth considering?”
  “Securing your existing clients is a priority, isn’t it?

• Objective
  Present your product, service, person, or company as the solution to the problem discussed. Be clear and confident. Successful past examples are a great lever to strengthen your credibility.
• Example
  “Our company, service, or product helps you achieve production gains through practical methods tailored to your specific situation.”

• Objective
  Highlight the results your counterpart can achieve through you. The goal is to show what the learner can concretely obtain and to think about the business the way your client envisions it. Be empathetic and treat their business as if it were your own.

  Example
  “Once you have implemented this product or service, you will be able to reduce your production costs. You will be able to catch up with your competition and even surpass them in the long term.”

• Objective
  Agree on the next step to take together, such as scheduling a meeting, consulting information on the website, addressing the solution to the problem discussed, or sending a first version of the contract.
  If you find yourself without a call-to-action, it might be because your counterpart hasn’t had a true point of engagement regarding their specific issue.
  Also, set a time limit for the action to create a reason to follow up in case you don’t hear back.
• Example
  “I’ll send you some meeting proposals for next week.”
  “Take a look at the information on the website and get back to me next week.”
  “I’ll let you review this version of the contract, and you can get back to me next week if you have any questions.”