How to write an effective sales pitch.

Master the art of writing a sales pitch that engages, informs, and inspires action with these tips and examples.

A sales pitch is the first step in forming a new relationship with a potential customer, so it’s essential to get it right. While it may be called a sales pitch — or sometimes a sales proposal — it’s really an opportunity to start a conversation, not sell something. Use the steps outlined in this article and the example sales pitch template as your guide for creating a sales pitch that will resonate with your audience and get you to the next step.

What’s the secret to a great sales pitch?

A good sales pitch clearly states the benefits of what you’re selling and why it’s different or special. A great one connects emotionally with your audience, creating a sense of urgency and desired value. Keep this in mind as you craft each part of your pitch. Now, all you have to do is follow these six steps to craft a great sales pitch.

Step 1. Get to know your audience.

There’s no one-size-fits-all sales pitch. The better you can tailor your pitch to your audience, the more effective it will be. Focus your content on the specific needs, pain points, and goals of the person you’re pitching to. Ask yourself:

• What’s their role?
• What industry are they in?
• What do they care about?
• What are their challenges?
• How can your product or service solve their problems?
• What benefits or outcomes are most important to them?

If you have a lot of pitches coming up, you can save time by creating a sales pitch template and customizing it for each meeting based on your audience.

Step 2. Start with a strong opening.

The first thing you say sets the tone for your entire sales pitch. It needs to grab attention and engage your audience immediately — within the first few seconds. You can do this by asking a relevant question, revealing a powerful statistic, or making a statement that resonates with your audience’s specific pain points. Speak directly to your audience and keep it personal by using words like “you” and your.”

Step 3. Highlight your audience’s problem.

This is how you establish relevance and position your product or service as the solution. Even better if you can relate it to your audience’s industry or specific situation to demonstrate empathy and build trust.

Step 4. Introduce your solution.

Now, clearly state how your solution solves their problem and convey your unique value proposition. Even though you’re introducing your solution, focus on the benefits it offers. Be careful to avoid jargon or technical terms that can distract from your message.

Step 5. Show social proof.

Including how other organizations have benefited from your solution validates that it brings real value. Social proof can be case studies, testimonials, or even statistics and if you can, also include references from customers in similar industries or who might have faced challenges similar to your audience.

Step 6. End with a call to action.

Make it easy for your audience to take the next step with a clear, actionable call to action, such as setting up a demo, a free trial, or a follow-up call.

Example sales pitch template.

Whether you make your own sales pitch template or find one online, it’s important to tailor it for your audience.

Choose a format that works best for you. Because most sales pitches are done as slide presentations, it can be a good idea to convert your presentation to a PDF before sharing it with others so the formatting stays intact. If the template you choose is already in a PDF format, you can easily convert it to a PPT if you want or need to make edits.

It’s OK to add or remove slides as needed but try to keep the presentation as succinct as possible. Here's a comprehensive guideline for a sales pitch slide template.

• Slide 1: Your cover slide should include your company name. It can also be a nice touch to add your audience’s company name.
• Slide 2: This is where you’ll make your introduction with a powerful statement, question, or statistic to grab attention.
• Slide 3: Identify the problem your audience has. Be sure to tailor it to their specific needs, industry, and business.
• Slide 4: Present how your solution solves their problem. Focus on outcomes and benefits, not features.
• Slides 5-7: Showcase the critical ways your solution brings value, broken down into short yet specific outcomes, like time saved or money earned.
• Slide 8: Provide customer testimonials, case studies, or success stories.
• Slide 9: End with a strong call to action and thank your audience for their time and consideration.

Document solutions created specifically for businesses are a must-have — not only for creating polished, personalized sales pitches but also for streamlining, sharing, and signing post-pitch contracts and onboarding materials.

Explore Adobe Acrobat for business and make it easy to go from pitch to profit.

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