How to Pitch Without Pitching

How to Pitch Without Pitching

When my mentor, a gift basket owner, first started her business, she did not have advertising funds. Like many new entrepreneurs, the prospect of borrowing money for your new business, seems like a gamble to most banks and investors. With many other entrepreneurs, the lack of money causes them to feel stuck and defeated before they even get their business off the ground. Not this new entrepreneur. This confident woman used something else; her product and her time.

As a new business owner, your time becomes extremely valuable. If you are not working on your business, you are not making money. So... when my mentor told me she used her time to increase her business, I had to find out what she meant.

Each weekday for a month, she dressed in her power-red business suit and entered a downtown office building with gift basket in hand. Entering the elevator as the day began and again at lunchtime, she rode from floor to floor, exiting frequently to “deliver” the lovely gift.

As she traveled from floor to floor, with this large basket of goodies, someone would ask about it. They admired its contents, the large bow, or even the colors. And many people asked who she was delivering for – or if she herself just received the gift. Who created such a spectacular gift? Armed with her short "elevator speech" and business cards, she took the time to promote her own business. The product promoted themselves by people seeing them in person. It's one thing to see a magazine advertisement; and another completely to see an actual product. This dedication to innovative promotion paid off. She received one client order from that office building, who them referred others, and now her bottom line is far from the red.

Market to Make Money

Well, that’s all well and good for product providers, but what about us service providers? How do we get our businesses out there without overusing our elevator speech, or spending hundreds on ineffective advertising? I have a few suggestions that have worked in my business and with clients in the past. They make work for you to gain new clients and put money in the bank.

1. Present a Workshop
The number one way, next to advertising, to get clients is to show how your services will benefit them. Connect with your local community center, library, or Chamber of Commerce to offer a free workshop on what it is you do. The benefit is new clients get to see your services in action.

With a budding resume service, I gained new clients by providing a “Writing the Perfect Resume” workshop at a local non-profit. For two hours on two separate days, I talked about the benefits of a powerful resume. The non-profit now uses my consulting services for each new employment client they serve.

2. Donate Your Services
Non-profits usually run on a slim-to-none budget. Any services provided to them for no-cost is benefit, not only for your client, but you as well. The non-profit gets services for free, and you get a bonafide client to show potential clients who works with you. And, your business association with the non-profit is a goldmine for potential referrals.

3. Blog It
The new advertising is viral and online. Advertisers say a prospect’s attention is five to eight seconds. It is a must to get their attention and keep them reading. Write a strong blog to seduce your prospects. Get their attention. Peak their interest. Make it short, powerful. Show them the issues your company solves.

4. Give them something for FREE.
There are no definitive numbers to how many people buy from service providers who offer freebies. But what do you have to lose? Does your company have a report showing how your services can benefits clients? If you don’t, what would it take to write one? Building your client list from a free report is gold. Many will tell you it is your list that will make or break your business. Build it with something free.

People love to get something for nothing. They feel like they have won the lottery. It can be a few pages detailing your services. Provide quotes from workshop attendees or your non-profit contacts showing how your services saved them money, increased sales, or reduced redundant processes. Create one, and give it to them.

Do not waste money on high-priced marketing if you are just starting out. There are other resources to get your services or product out there. Use these recommended options to market your company. Your client base will grow, and so will your bottom line. And if you need to wear red, and visit office buildings, do it. Remember, Dillinger wore red… and look what happened to him. He’s infamous.