This week’s Entrepreneur comes courtesy of John Brennan. John is President of Interpersonal Development, LLC, a training and development firm. Interpersonal Development has provided sales training and coaching to more than 3,000 sales reps from over 100 companies. John shares with us his advice on how to avoid the most common mistakes made when pitching an idea or project:

1. Don’t try to sell someone on an idea. Instead give them information to help them come to their own conclusion. Use phrases like, “Here is an idea,” “What do you think,” or “Here is something to consider and why,” in order to avoid coming on too strong.

2. Don’t be too self-deprecating. Being too humble and modest in your body language or voice tone destroys credibility. Aim to strike a balance between openness and credibility.

3. Don’t tell your story before you hear the other person’s story. Their story governs their behavior. Find out what they are telling themselves about you and your idea ahead of time so you can determine their values and predict any objections.

4. Don’t start trying to convince before you connect with your listeners. Talk first about what you know is important, the problem your idea will solve, and why it is important.

5. Don’t rely on Power Point to convince your audience to say yes.Build your case using a mixture of Power Point, story, examples, and even live demonstration if possible.

If You Blow It, Can You Pitch Your Idea Again?

Surprisingly, the answer is often yes. Don’t assume the topic is closed because of a setback. How you proceed depends on the specific situation. For example, Charvet advocates, “Phone the decision maker after a few days and leave a message like, “You know what we discussed the other day? Well, I’ve been thinking and I have another idea,” as a way to reopen the topic. You create curiosity about the issue. But don’t tip your hand in the phone call by giving the listener something to resist.

What if you choked because of nerves? Use a coach to help you examine self-sabotaging behaviors and figure out how to maintain your equilibrium. “I talk to my coach three times a month. When my life is in balance and I’ve had a good night’s sleep, I can gracefully hear a “No” from a decision maker. I can then proceed to ask good, non-defensive questions to satisfy my curiosity that “No” was the best answer,” says Simmons.

A coach will also emphasize the importance of getting a good night’s sleep. Anxiety may tell you that you should go over the data and figures one more time, but anxiety is not your best friend when it comes to maintaining equilibrium. Getting a good night’s sleep is a legitimate way to prepare for an important presentation. People will trust you when you are relaxed and calm.

At its essence, avoiding resistance is a matter of finding out what objections are likely to block your path, and what story the decision makers are telling themselves about you and your idea. With that information in mind, you are well equipped to position your presentation in a way that is meaningful to the values and concerns of the key decision makers. After all, “It’s not about you, it’s about them!”

Evan Carmichael
YoungEntrepreneur.com Blog Manager

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