Professional Documents
Culture Documents
aliases:
tags: [book, notes, speech, charisma, marketing]
---
Making a great and winning pitch in business is not easy. Be it selling your idea
to the investors, or to your clients conveying your thoughts in the best possible
way seems complicated.
With this book, “Pitch Anything” Oren Klaff shares various innovative methods that
will help you make great pitches and win the deal, thereby totally transforming
your career.
Let’s breakthrough the book chapter by chapter and present you a detailed Pitch
Anything Summary:
Table of Contents
When you’re pitching someone, it first goes into their croc brain. Therefore, you
should begin with simple concepts initially.
If you start with complicated stuff, the chances are that the primitive ‘croc
brain’ will ignore the message and you become invisible to the audience’s mind.
Given the limited focus and capacity of the croc brain, up to 90 percent of your
message gets discarded before it’s passed on up to the midbrain and then on to the
neocortex.
If you don’t want the message to get ignored by crocodile brain, then you need to
prepare your pitch with some exciting ideas and concepts.
Oren believes that as far as frame control is concerned, the less you say, the more
effective you will be. “Only one frame will dominate after the exchange, and the
other frames will be subordinate to the winner.”
A frame is a perspective; it is merely giving someone a lens to see what you see.
Everyone uses frames, whether they realize it or not, and every social encounter
brings frames together.
In business and sales, you cannot crack a deal if you have two different
perspectives for the same product or service. It is evident that when people come
together, their frames collide, with one eventually winning over the other.
Stronger frames always absorb weaker frames. In words of Oren, you have to Own the
Frame, to Win the Game.
During an interaction, if you realize that things are not going your way and
whatever the other person is doing sounds ineffective to you, then you are frame-
controlled. Oren says that defiance and humor are the keys to seizing the frame.
He recommends approaching this whole thing with a “playful” mindset. Imagine it’s a
game which you are enjoying. Let’s take a look at the opposing frames you’ll
encounter:
When you deal with customers, who have an ego or are least interested in listening
to you, these are usually people who have big titles or feel some entitlement.
Unfortunately, this kind of people is inevitable in business.
You have to face them in and out. While dealing with such people, you’ll see that
they listen to the first few seconds of what you have to say, then form judgments
on what they’ll do next.
A defiant and humorous approach is the only way to bust a power frame. Make them
realize that they are in the presence of a pro.
Let’s say you are making a pitch, and the other person is busy playing on their
smartphone and not paying attention to your presentation.
An experienced salesman would have tackled it this way, “Hey, dear I would just
hate to have to use my superpowers to take your smartphone from you while I finish
my amazing presentation” While you do this make sure you are smiling big at him.”
He is now going to be super focused for the rest of the duration of your
presentation.
But make sure to be a little defiant or deny them what they want from you while at
the same time being funny and friendly and you will win frame control of the
situation. But, keep your point boldly.
When the target agreed to the meeting with you, what he or she meant was that he is
interested in your product. No one takes a meeting to hear about something they
already know and understand.
You have a solution to one of his problems. You know something that he doesn’t. It
is what will give you the power and a reason for people to hear your pitch.
The moment targets discover that the answer is close to what they had earlier
guessed, they will mentally check out on you. As your pitch moves along, they will
start losing interest.
So what’s the solution? Be the center of the story, or in other words, share your
personal story. People want to know how you have faced obstacles and overcome them.
Now the key here is telling them only a part of the story. Don’t let them feel they
understand it at all!
Keep your story exciting and the subject relevant to your pitch. Let the story be
triggered by various emotions, like risk, fear, tension, uncertainty, etc. Do abide
by the time pressure.
After that, you use the ‘time frame,’ saying, for example, ‘Unfortunately this is a
temporary offer, I will make this decision by the end of the day at the most.’ That
will make the public think they could lose a great opportunity not to move fast.
Buyers make use of this frame at the very beginning of the meeting and make you
feel small.
You: “Thank you for your time. Thanks for fitting me into your busy schedule.”
Now, this is the wrong approach. This way you have handed him all the power to bust
your frame into pieces. Instead, you should burst it like that
You: “Sorry I don’t work like that, we can’t reschedule unless I know we can work
well together and trust each other. I need to know if you’re the kind of person who
can keep an appointment, and stick to a schedule?”
Customer: “yes you’re right; that’s no problem; come in.”
This way you have broken his time frame. Now he will value your time and give you
all the required attention.
**Analyst Frame**
When the target is only worried about hearing analytics, figures, and numbers,
they’re using the analyst frame. If you get trapped, you’ll waste your time
spitting out numbers and projections that most people will not be interested in
listening.
The most effective way to overcome the analyst frame is with an intriguing story.
Tell them a compelling story, a personal narrative that involves you. Keep their
attention by not telling them how it ends.
Just Remember, when you own the frame, you control the agenda, and you can only
determine the rules under which the game is played.
Now this one is an incredibly important frame. Oren says that “Prizing is the sum
of the actions you take to get your target to understand that he is a commodity and
you are the prize.” Never let it go another way around.
People confuse money with the prize. Money is never a prize; it’s a commodity, a
means for getting things done.
Position yourself as the prize and someone who the client would be privileged to
work with you. You make the buyer qualify himself to you. Just remember that if you
do not value yourself, no one else will. Don’t hesitate to walk away if the other
side doesn’t give you what you want.
For example- If the key decision maker isn’t in the room when the meeting starts,
hold your ground. Do not start. Wait 15 minutes and even after that if that person
doesn’t show, get up and politely leave.
And if someone asks you should come across as someone picky about working with
others.
The key here is to protect yourself with a strong moral character. Klaff writes
that “Show the brain something that society values, and you won’t just be hitting
hot buttons, you’ll be stomping on them.”
For example- Klaff discloses how he won a significant investment deal to revive an
older airport in California.
While his competitors were busy focusing on numbers, plans, spreadsheets, peoples’
backgrounds, etc., Klaff focused on the diverse history of the airport and how his
team would respect its heritage and make important contributions to the airport’s
local community”.
In short, tie your sales pitch into a more significant issue that the buyer will
value.
Now once we have understood the frames, let’s talk about another concept called
Plowing.
**Plowing**
Oren says that when you pitch, Always move forward, never stop moving, and do not
show self-doubt. Just because you have frame control doesn’t mean that there will
be no social pressures or discomforts.
People will push back, but you need to stay committed to your frame and keep it
strong. You plow. This sticking is called plowing. Example- As an ox plowing a
field, it is always moving forward. Just do it the same way.
Just because you have frame control doesn’t mean that someone won’t push back. You
stay committed to your frame and keep it strong. You plow.”
Status works in close interrelation to the frames. The person with the highest
status is most likely to hold the most powerful frame. Therefore, fitting in and
having high social status is essential. It enables you to make an easy and strong
pitch.
If you do not have a high status, the other person will dominate, and you will not
get the attention required to make your pitch heard. Frame Control seeks out the
Alpha status in a social group.
But, don’t hold in the Alpha position through aggression, dominance or force. “A
beta trap is a subtle but effective social ritual that puts you in the low-status
position and works to keep you there, beneath the decision maker you have come to
visit, for the entire duration of the social interaction.”
Keep the following points in mind:
Even before you think about explaining your idea, give people your background.
However, there is no point in spending 15 minutes or longer on the background.
Rather than one great, one good and one mediocre thing, stop with one great thing.
Only big things are worth talking about. Get your track record on the table, and do
it fast, clean, and problem-free.
Nobody likes to waste time on old deals. The target is interested in a new idea
that came to life from a pattern of forces that you recognized, seized, and are now
taking advantage of.” An idea introduction pattern for establishing the big idea:
All the essential stuff must fit into the audience’s limits of attention, which for
most people is about 20 minutes. When information novelty is low, the focus will
drift away, so keep information novelty high.
And allow your financial projections to indicate that if plans fail, your company
have enough cash to last a few bad quarters.
**Secret Sauce**
Briefly describe your competitive advantages, the unfair advantage you have over
others. What gives you staying power against the competition.
In clear and simple terms, tell them what they’ll get when they’ll do business with
you. Keep it brief but include all the essential details, so there are no doubts or
questions. Remember, the most critical deliverable in your deal is you.
1. Hot Cognition 1: The intrigue frame- People want to know how you faced
obstacles and overcome them.
2. Hot Cognition 2: The prize frame- The prize frame positions you like the most
crucial party in the deal.
3. Hot Cognition 3: The time frame- The addition of time pressure to a decision-
making event reduces decision quality.
4. Hot Cognition 4: The moral authority frame- To create a desire in the target’s
mind and to go on from the pitch to the hook point, every presenter has to use hot
cognitions to create wanting and desire.
Showing signs of neediness is the worst thing you can do to your pitch. Nobody
wants to work with a needy entrepreneur who is running low on cash. Neediness is a
signal of a threat.
Neediness triggers uncertainty, which causes a person’s croc brain to take over,
not in the right way.
Here are some phrases of Neediness:
3 “We can sign a deal right away if you want us to.”
When we want something that only the target can give us, like money, we set the
stage for neediness. Three main rules of the Tao
Try to eliminate your desires, at least in the eyes of the public. It’s not
necessary to want things. Sometimes you have to let them come to you.
Be excellent in the presence of others. Show people one thing that you are very
good at.
Withdraw. The moment your audience expects you to chase after their money, do not
do it. Just step back a bit. If the situation worsens, walk away saying something
like “I’m not convinced about the deal.”
That will make them chase after you. It will demonstrate your strengths, and
confidence that targets will admire.
Every pitch should tell a story. Eliminate the neediness. The brain is wired to do
things to achieve status, not money. The mind continually calculates how each
social encounter will increase or decrease its status.
1. Step1: Learn to recognize beta traps and how to step around them. It will train
your mind to think in a frame-based way.
2. Step 2: Use four basic frames to avoid beta traps. If you are not able to
master the technique, it will come naturally to you.
3. Step 3: Identify and label social frames. You’ll encounter power frames, time
frames, and analyst frames more often in sales.
4. Step 4: Practice frame collisions with safe targets. Don’t forget to use humor
and a soft touch. Without it, you will appear rude and arrogant and trigger wrong
emotions.
5. Step 5: The small acts of defiance and denial create a certain amount of
conflict and tension. Push and Pull. Delivering these acts with a soft touch
reassures the target’s croc brain that there is no kind of danger. In case you are
struggling at this stage, then pause.
6. Step 6: Frame control can’t be forced because this takes the fun out of it. It
is a fun game that you bring to every target with whom you meet. In case you find
yourself forcing the method, lighten up a little.
7. Step 7: Work with other frame masters. Seek out others who are better than you
and as you advance, teach others. Keep it simple. Stick to a few frames that work
for you. It is a game where you define and can change the rules.
## Conclusion
You might also like to read the [Summary of “The Psychology of Selling” by Brian
Tracy.](https://pitchground.com/blog/psychology-of-selling-summary/)
[![Default
image](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/c974772e619bb06d20878d405743fe23?
s=120&d=mm&r=g)](https://pitchground.com/blog/author/aishwarya/)
[ARTICLES: 15](https://pitchground.com/blog/author/aishwarya/)
[![predictable
revenue](https://pitchground.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/predictable-
revenue-summary-300x169.jpg)](https://pitchground.com/blog/predictable-revenue-
summary/)
- May 9, 2019
- May 7, 2019
- May 7, 2019