It’s no news to any recruiter that our job involves being high-performing salespeople – whether it’s about ourselves and our services, or new roles for candidates, we need to know how to create a pitch that speaks to our target audience and convinces them we can give them exactly what they need (even if they don’t know they need it yet).
As an ex-recruiter, I understand how hard it can be – especially since you need to adjust your pitch depending on a thousand different variables. From the type of client or candidate you’re dealing with to the niche you’re working within, you need to be flexible and know your market extremely well.
I’ve put together a guide to nailing a niche sales pitch, so you’re ahead of your competitors every single time!
It’s obvious but… Research the market
Knowing your industry inside and out is one thing but being aware of what’s currently happening in the market (which changes very quickly these days) is key to being viewed as an expert. When you are acknowledged as an expert in your field, clients will seek you out and it makes selling to them a lot easier.
There are loads of recruiters out there that work within the same niche as you – so you need to make sure you’re prepared. The worst thing that could happen is a client asking you a question about a recent market shift that you’ve not even heard of.
Make sure that any content you are posting reflects the current market and news that is relevant to your niche so that candidates and clients see you know what you you’re talking about. Signing up for newsletters, following influential leaders, or listening to podcasts within your niche will help to keep you up to date.
Surveying your clients is also worthwhile so that you can identify areas they may be struggling in. You can also collate the data in an anonymous report, that can then be used to add value to your clients and give you an excuse to contact them!
It pays to keep an eye on what your competitors are up to as well – otherwise, you won’t know how to sell against them.
Choose one top USP – and sell everything out of it
We’re all aware of our unique selling points but the key to getting ahead of your competitors is to have something they can’t offer. The market is saturated right now, and you need to be able to stand out to get ahead.
The key here is to choose one USP that you know makes you truly exceptional instead of listing 20 different benefits – trust me, your client won’t remember half of them.
Make sure your USP ties to a widely known issue/topic within your niche, something that the market is currently loud about. This will show you’re not only knowledgeable but also reactive to any market changes.
Use data to back up your USP, for example, you could analyse the statistics within your CRM. It will allow you to create data stories you can share with your client in a sales pitch. Most clients and business owners respond to data above anything else, so make sure you don’t overlook it!
Identify a problem – and solve it like nobody else
One of the top challenges we face as recruiters is ‘making a case for change’. Selling isn’t just about showcasing your services and benefits - you need your clients to see that they have a problem that you (and nobody else) can solve!
It’s a conversation, not a presentation, so make sure you are listening to what your client is telling you. They will easily notice if you aren’t, and not addressing their problem will just make them run a mile… straight into your competitors’ arms.
More often than not, they will let you know straight away what their main issue is – and that’s where you can use your USPs to solve it for them. Clients are looking for solutions, so if you can’t provide any and make their life easier, they don’t need you (as harsh as it sounds).
Quick example: If your client explains they are really struggling with a talent shortage, you could let them know about your amazing talent pools full of candidates. Explain to them that with your talent pools you have warm and engaged candidates within your niche ready for you to contact and sell the job to.
Another top-selling thing to do is using real life examples of other clients you have worked with as case studies. It not only shows your expertise but – most importantly – that their issues aren’t unsolvable and you have helped with them before!
Use the 3 why’s method
Sakichi Toyoda, the Founder of Toyota, breaks down his sales pitch into answering 3 main questions:
Why should I talk to you?
This is where you talk about your top USP and tie it to current issues within your niche. Make sure to create links between your work and the current market to show you’re an expert in the field.
Why should I bother?
Here you identify their problem for them and show how you can provide a solution. Show them how the market shifts can affect them and why you’re the best person to help. That’s also where your case studies can come in handy – making the client understand you’ve already solved problems like theirs before will build trust in your skills.
Why does this matter?
Now is the time to talk about everything that the client will GAIN from solving this problem and handle any objections. Which brings me to my next point…
Handle objections like a pro
The key to handling objections is to be ready for them and expect them - they are all part of the process! By combining all of the above - knowledge of the market, understanding of your client’s problem, and your USP’s - you’ll find it easy to overcome your clients’ objections. As I mentioned before, business owners respond to statistics, so use them, too.
The key ones that everybody cares about are:
- Productivity gains – how much does your service help increase client’s productivity?
- Cost savings – how you can help save them money?
- Time savings – how much time can they save (and what could they use it for instead) if they hire you?
Include those when answering client’s doubts.
Always follow up….and close!
After you’ve made your sales pitch, whether it was on the phone, face-to-face or video, always follow up to thank your client for their time. Time is key here, too - you have to ask for the sale quickly whilst your amazing pitch is still fresh in your client’s mind. If you’ve covered any objections this should be nice and simple!
To learn more about a strategy of a great sales pitch – and really nail it – have a read of your eBook below! It will give you a step-by-step guide to creating a bullet-proof pitch.
