Pitching: Get What You (and They) Want

We all pitch. We are all tasked with making a case for what we want in life, whether it’s closing a deal, earning a promotion, garnering a referral, landing a deal on that new car, or in our case at Bolt PR, pitching a journalist on why our client warrants a front-page feature.

It’s important to recognize there are two key obstacles that we all face when it comes to pitching: our fear of rejection and the other person’s fear of making a mistake.

Let’s look at this from a practical standpoint: a car buying transaction. Some individuals are afraid to lowball because they don’t want their offer to be rejected or they don’t want to be embarrassed by what they are able or willing to pay. On the flipside, the car salesman likely fears that he will make an offer that, in the end, is even lower than what an individual may have actually been willing to pay for the car.

The key to a successful pitch to get exactly what you want is to (a) get over any fear of rejection. It happens to everyone. At some point, everyone is rejected in some capacity. But what separates successful pitchers from unsuccessful pitchers is the ability to pick ourselves up and go on to our next pitch. Sounds simple, and if you value who you are and what you have to offer, then it really is that simple. And the other key to a successful pitch is (b) the ability to demonstrate to the other person that they are not making a mistake by accepting your pitch. This is the more challenging part of the equation, but if you just put yourself in the other person’s shoes, this is an obstacle that becomes easier to overcome. Prior to any pitch, think of all of the possible reservations your pitch recipient could have and evaluate how you can accurately, ethically and with the utmost confidence diminish their concerns.

Most importantly, go into every pitch with the absolute best intentions. Integrity isn’t just one thing; it’s everything. Know that the most successful pitch is one that creates mutually beneficial relationships.

- Caroline Callaway, caroline@boltpr.com