How to make an effective pitch to attract Paysalia visitors
The first seconds of contact are vital for creating commercial opportunities and making the most of a trade show. Learn how to get ready!
First impressions count and never more so than at Paysalia where visitors are confronted with hundreds of stands in one day. The first seconds of contact are vital for creating commercial opportunities and making the most of the trade show. To get ready, check out the pitches used by some start-ups!
What do Paysalia visitors expect from your professional pitch?
Paysalia hosts around 30,000 visitors to meet 1,400 suppliers and brands. So it is quite unlikely that a visitor to your stand has only come to the show to see you. This is why you have to make your stand stand out then be reactive by using your pitch to keep their attention.
Unless exceptionally curious, visitors do not want to know all the steps which led to the position of your company today – or your latest innovation. What interests them is knowing:
- What problems you can solve.
- How you can solve them.
- In what ways you are better than your competitors.
Remember that the Paysalia innovations are now directly on show on your stand to ensure you attract more visitors. Mastering your pitch perfectly will make all the difference in capturing visitors’ attention… and making the most of your trade show!
How long should a good pitch last?
Paysalia crowds come and go. You must be able to vary your pitch lengths to match the opportunities in the more or less crowded periods!
30 seconds: this is the elevator pitch, initially designed to convince your boss who is very busy when you, purely by accident of course, get in the same elevator car. Very useful when you cross paths with a prospect outside your stand, for example when queuing at a food counter.
90 seconds to 3 minutes: this format was found to be the best in pitch competitions which you should use when the show is very busy to ensure a maximum number of contacts.
18 minutes: Neuroscientists have shown that this is the ideal pitch length to maximize the memorization of data. Reserve this pitch for periods when there are few people or when you have set up meetings at the show.
How to put together an effective and professional pitch?
You can easily find several models of pitches on the web to help you. However all share several points we need to remember.
Work hard on the basis of your pitch
- Make sure your introduction is motivational: this is essential to capture and keep the attention of Paysalia visitors so that they stay on your stand instead of moving on to your neighbor’s. It is also a good moment to try to find out why the person you are talking to has come to Paysalia so you can match your pitch to his or her needs.
- Back up your pitch with figures and cases: help your prospect to memorize your information better with real life examples, key figures and a product demonstration, etc.
- Anticipate questions: you will inevitably have visitors who criticize your products or services. Take the initiative by preparing answers to the most frequently asked questions in advance so you can reply immediately and dispel any doubts.
- Use storytelling: get your visitors to identify with the everyday problems you can solve. Ask them how their business is doing to personalize your chat.
Shape your presentation pitch carefully
- Rehearse your pitch before the show: unless you have an innate talent for oratory and to ensure flowing speech in a confident voice, you must rehearse as often as necessary – until you fully assimilate your sales arguments and eliminate useless “ums and aws”! You can train with your staff or record your pitch to determine the points to be improved.
- Use body language: did you know that 55% of your communication pass by the body (facial expressions, postures, gestures and movements), 38% by the voice (intonation and sound) and only 7% by the words you choose? So uncross the arms, smile, and work on your self-confidence!
After your pitch, keep in contact
When you have delivered a convincing pitch and brilliantly answered any objections, do not forget to “finalize” the bond you have created. This is a key phase in making the most of your trade show! The least you can do is exchange your calling cards and your advertising brochure, press kit or catalog. You can send an e-mail of thanks after the show and invite your new contact to follow your current events on your social networks for cultivating long term relationships.
7 hints on how to create a convincing press kit
If your prospective customer seems really interested, set up a meeting at or after Paysalia. If you did not convince him or her, it is a good idea to ask why not to focus your subsequent communications better.
To make your pitch even more effective, develop it with your marketing and sales departments to define the key points and best arguments to propose. If that is not feasible, use the services of a consultant to help you describe what you do best with the right words!
© Photo credit: tomertu / Adobe Stock
