"It's the wind up, and the pitch!
There is a time and a place. I realize that many sales professionals, consultants, and others professionals are in a constant state of hyper-alert opportunity-seeking mode in most situations. Sometimes you have to give it a rest. Make more mental notes or voice memos if you have to. There are times when you should look to set up an opportunity to continue a conversation later. This way both of you can focus and your victim isn't walked by you and your wild-out-of-place pitch.
When you are a PANELIST or in an INTERVIEW:
Guest is invited onto a show. They are not the FEATURED guest, they are a panelist. There is that time of introduction where you get to say how to find you, what you do. And, there is the call to action at the end, "How can we find you?..." Fine. That's it. No more. The rest of the time you should be focused on the guest and making them look the best that you can. This is instead of constantly looking to see how you can jump in and pitch the guest, or the audience, with your greatness. If you speak on the topic well enough, give respect to the guest, that will be your pitch - quiet and effective and long-lasting.
When panelists switch into pitch mode at every opportunity, they begin to be viewed as a loudmouth, rude and the featured guest can be seen as a pawn. And the host can be subconsciously viewed as a pimp for inviting the featured guest and allowing the panelist to pitch to every batter question or topic. You also seem DESPERATE. I'll tell you, for me, let's just say I don't need to save THAT panelist's headshot for future shows, other than compiled bloopers of how NOT to be a panelist.
Consider this, if you wrote an article for another website as a contributing expert, they aren't going to permit you to have a dozen links to your site within the article. They want folks to stay and read and then read more on THEIR site. Same thing here. Your interview may end up in their podcast channel, on their YouTube channel, in a playlist they promote. Be a good panelist and focus on the topic - not your next deal. Be a great panelist and blog about your appearance later, embed the show and THEN expand on your expertise on this topic.
When you ARE the Featured Guest.
It's not an infommercial, you silly goose! It's an INTERVIEW or a DISCUSSION on a topic you are a perceived expert in. Curb your pitching, as well. Beginning, promos ahead of show and call to action at the end. SHINE, SPARKLE - show them that they NEED you. Don't cram it down your throat. It's worse than product placement in a movie.
Let's move on to social situations in real life.
You are familiar with these situations where neighbors get together, perhaps a sporting event for the kids, the community pool, pizza night, church socials. This is also not your pitching mound. Take an interest in OTHERS around you. Use this time to forge REAL relationships and show your interest in THEM and what they do, how their family is, their health, their current projects. Lay the groundwork to connect with them later when it's just the two of you and you can focus the conversation on how you can benefit each other and address THEIR business needs.
Save the pitch for your own mound.
Let's move on to business networking events.
Seems like a natural for the pitch, right? No, put the ball and glove down, open your ears, your smile and engage to develop relationships. This is the time to test the waters, find points of interest on which you can connect with them LATER. Don't use this time to corner an unsuspecting target of your keen "potential client, beneficial resource" sniffing abilities.
I don't think it has to be a man vs. woman thing. I've run into these random pitches everywhere I go from both men and women. I've also been curbed by friends when I'm super excited about a current project or proposal and want to run off at the mouth about it. They gently remind me that they want to hear it and that we can visit the next day, or go for coffee. I appreciate those reminders and those friends. We should all be so lucky. Most of the time, the people being pitched barely know the pitcher and just want to swing to keep the ball from hitting them so they can RUNNNN!
How about online communities and groups?
Are you ticking off the moderators?
If you are involved in someone else's community where people are asking for ideas, help, advice, troubleshooting - don't use this as an opportunity to give a pitch answer and then a link to your own community, website or service. Provide the answer. If you are great at answering, they'll contact you directly to ask you for more info about what you do. I STRONGLY advise against contacting each person individually in these forums, groups and communities where you have answered their question to pitch them. It will drive people from the community, you'll be labeled as a pest at best, a business-stalking-Tin Man at worst. It can also get you blocked from lists, communities and groups if the moderator gets wind of it!
When you do this, you come across as a know-it-all. In essence what you are doing is not only disrespecting the owner/moderator of the group or community by asking people to leave there to soak in your perceived greatness on your own venue. I realize you want people to give you money for your wisdom and greatness, but you lose the focus of the community. Check with the moderators for protocol. How do you feel when you receive a pitch with every answer? Or even worse, are contacted by the person answering so they can pitch you directly? ANNOYING.
Usually the rule applies,
"When in doubt, don't post it or LINK to it."
Goes with my other favorite, "When in doubt, don't delete!" - this is for those who are constantly cleaning things out on websites, in datebases, etc. and is a topic for another day.
If you no longer get that GUT feeling before posting something "inappropro" (my daughter's word) or self-serving in the wrong spot... time for a check in with your mentor, peers or other community members. Hopefully they'll set you straight until you can hear your nagging gut before you hit "POST/REPLY."
Take aways:
As a panelist or on an interview AND as the FEATURED guest
If you speak on the topic well enough, give respect to the guest, the host and your audience by providing information on topic. That will be your pitch - quiet, effective and long-lasting.
In social situations:
Lay the groundwork to connect with them later when it's just the two of you and you can focus the conversation on how you can benefit each other and address THEIR business needs.
In communities, forums and groups:
Usually the rule applies, "When in doubt don't post it LINK to it!"
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About Susan Finch
With a background in public relations and advertising since 1986, she engages those skills as she helps create an online presence that will appeal to existing and future clients and/or investors. All these factors are considered before she constructs a suggested plan for clients. It goes way beyond an online presence.
She is a member of Women with Moxie - Portland, SLMA, Mobile Marketing Association, and the founder of Binky Patrol Comforting Covers for Children, a national 501c3 organization. Susan offers training, custom classes and materials, as well as web design, clean up, complex scoping of database projects and full online solutions to enhance your marketing plans.
Since launching Susan Finch Solutions in 2001 she has never looked back. She continues to train clients in ways to take control of their online presence without being beholden to any web geeks, designers or predecessors, as well as coming up with current content marketing solutions to achieve visibility and credibility including video content and marketing.
Susan can be reached at [email protected] | +SusanFinch
