Pitch anything
When it comes to delivering a pitch, Oren Klaff has unparalleled credentials. Over the past 13 years, he has used his one-of-a-kind method to raise more than $400 million--and now, for the first time, he describes his formula to help you deliver a winning pitch in any business situation. Whether you're selling ideas to investors, pitching a client for new business, or even negotiating for a higher salary, Pitch Anything will transform the way you position your ideas. According to Klaff, creating and presenting a great pitch isn't an art--it's a simple science. Applying the latest findings in the field of neuroeconomics, while sharing eye-opening stories of his method in action, Klaff describes how the brain makes decisions and responds to pitches. With this information, you'll remain in complete control of every stage of the pitch process. Pitch Anything introduces the exclusive STRONG method of pitching, which can be put to use immediately: Setting the Frame; Telling the Story; Revealing the Intrigue; Offering the Prize; Nailing the Hookpoint; Getting a Decision. One truly great pitch can improve your career, make you a lot of money--and even change your life. Success is dependent on the method you use, not how hard you try. "Better method, more money," Klaff says. "Much better method, much more money." Klaff is the best in the business because his method is much better than anyone else's. And now it's yours.
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25recommend
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32people
2011–2023years
83% recommend18% neutral
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What Hacker News says
- I suggest buy these gems and read them (roughly) in this order, take it seriously - take notes.
// Mindset (Important)
- Think and Grow Rich https://a.co/d/fMmWnrI (listen to Earn Nightingale's "The Strangest Secret" daily while reading it - https://open.spotify.com/album/0bg1C7BwYZq5vXFpJOhZFM?si=wAB...; listen to everything else he's done: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4gyPmRdEnJ6GVibKuQekoF?si=YD...)
^^ Take this one seriously, take notes, and when he says do something - do it, trust the system.
- Berkshire Hathaway Letters to Shareholders https://a.co/d/8H4AsQg
// Startup & Business
- The Great CEO Within: The Tactical Guide to Company Building https://a.co/d/daElAvL (MUST READ - extremely actionable)
- A Radical Enterprise: Pioneering the Future of High-Performing Organizations https://a.co/d/d7LljeV
// Writing & Speaking
- On Writing Well: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction https://a.co/d/3Sb7vG4
- Talk Like TED: The 9 Public-Speaking Secrets of the World's Top Minds https://a.co/d/gd0LJuU
- The Elements of Style, Fourth Edition https://a.co/d/bFYFQyo
// Sales
- Founding Sales: The Early Stage Go-to-Market Handbook https://a.co/d/gM1yZt7
- The Challenger Sale: Taking Control of the Customer Conversation https://a.co/d/1FPKfmy
- Pitch Anything: An Innovative Method for Presenting, Persuading, and Winning the Deal https://a.co/d/86WRDtR
--
Best of luck of your journey.
- I say this with more shame than pride... I built our company's sales from 0 to $60K MRR but it took me years (way too long to be investable) and I made a lot of mistakes.
I'd suggest selling in person right now before it's done/launched. For a startup to take off big you need some pull from the market and right now is the time to gauge if that pull exists.
Some things that worked for me that may or may not work for you...
- Sell in person if at all possible. Even if you spend $10K worth of time selling a $9/month product you should learn enough to make it worth it. This is like when manufacturing companies manually complete tasks before they automate them. Also, however your clients dress, dress one notch nicer and wear your company name/logo with pride.
- Experiment with wildly different pricing, you'd be surprised what works. We struggled for a long time at $400/month but sell more faster at $999/month. Related, try asking for the most money you can without laughing, it gets people's attention.
- Extend HUGE discounts to buyers who decide fast.
- Get REALLY specific. You want to find the exact niche of people whose reaction to your pitch is basically "shut up and take my money". Most of us are exposed to very general advertising meant for everyone from huge companies, you can't afford that. Find a little pond to dominate.
- Create a buying process, forms, website etc that make you look like a big deal. Get input from others on this because it's hard to see your own materials objectively.
- Treat your customers so good they brag about it to others. Customer acquisition is expensive and if you have to make each sale you're in for a rough time.
- Read A LOT! Sales is like tech in that the best practices change all the time so to remain competitive and relevant you need to work at it constantly. I found the book "Pitch Anything" by Oren Klaff amazingly helpful in understanding how irrational people are. Best nugget from the book IMO is sales pitches enter the brain from the back (animal brain) rather than the front (rational brain). So step 1 of any pitch is putting people's animal brain at ease.
I wish you all the best!
- Book: Pitch Anything by Oren Klaff
Get the audiobook, tone of voice matters.
(Root cause of this dysfunction is the principle agent problem, you can't fix it, everyone tries, everyone fails, accept it and get on with the job.)
- I never thought I'd do sales. For B2B, read: - The Challenger Sale - Value Based Fees - Pitch Anything
- For founders: #1 is Oren Klaff Pitch Anything. Then: Crossing the Chasm, Zero to One, Blitzscaling, Never Split the Difference, Oversubscribed: A Founders Guide to Seed Fundraising, Exactly What To Say: The Magic Words for Influence and Impact, Miracle Morning, 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing.
- First, read "Pitch Anything" by Oren Klaff[1]. No seriously, read that book cover to cover, you can do it in a weekend.
Next do everything @coffeemug said :-)
[1] https://www.amazon.com/Pitch-Anything-Innovative-Presenting-...
