How To Get Comfortable Pitching Yourself
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Even when you know in your gut that you’re the best person for the job, that you will kill it if given a major opportunity, and that you genuinely add value, when it comes to portraying that to somebody else…all your confidence can go out the window. It’s easy to get caught up in insecurities and all the ways others might perceive us when pitching ourselves. You have no trouble convincing yourself that you’ve got this. That’s because you’ve been with you, every step of the way. You have an inherent knowledge of just what a master you are at something and what you can bring to the table. You know your mind and your intentions. You know what you’ll do if given the opportunity. But then, when you try to explain that to someone else, you know you have to overcome all of their doubts and reservations.
That’s why some of the most brilliant individuals choke up when it’s time to give a speech or a presentation. All the knowledge and skillsets in the world can’t crush general shyness or insecurity. But, if you have a brilliant idea or offer a valuable service, there will come a time when pitching yourself is just part of the process of taking that next step. It’s how your knowledge and skills go to market. To learn more about how one can get comfortable pitching themselves, we turned to career coach and consultant Deirdre Orr. Orr told us all about how she overcomes insecurities around self-pitching and how others can, too. You can get more of her tips in her job search accelerator bundle.
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How to get pumped before a meeting
“When I’m pitching to a new potential client or collaborator I pump myself up with positive self-talk. Sometimes we get uncomfortable and unconfident about our abilities and talents, and allow negative thoughts and talk to take over,” says Orr. “I’m the biggest fan of affirmations. I have a sticky note with my favorite five affirmations that get me pumped!”
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What does that negative self-talk look like?
We asked Orr what some of the negative thoughts are that pop up so you can see that they even happen to successful entrepreneurs and career coaches. too. “A common feeling I have when I’m about to pitch myself is ‘Why me, why now?’ Which goes back to my original thought around mindset. I am very confident in my expertise and what I bring to the table/partnership, but that little voice still tells me I may not be enough,” she says. “Definitely serious imposter syndrome going on here. I snap out of it by saying to myself the opposite of the original thought: ‘Why not me, why not NOW?’”
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How to “fake it ‘til…” you know
Even if your inside thoughts aren’t doing you much good, there are things you can do externally that project confidence. The way others respond to you when you do these might build real internal confidence. Orr listed these tips as follows: “1. Speak clearly and confidently 2. Don’t use slang or nonspecific jargon 3. Dress and show up professionally 4. Have great posture and poise.”
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Detail your accomplishments
Don’t forget that you have already had accomplishments – tangible ones that you can talk about in detail. While confidence is very important, says Orr, the facts matter, too. “Show the passion you have for what you do, provide examples of your success, and most of all YOU BE PROUD of yourself. People can spot a confident person a mile away, ” she says. “When pitching my services I stand out because of my real passion for what I do. A lot of career coaches/strategists and/or resume writers don’t have the real-life education and current work experience that is very helpful to understand how to help people navigate their careers and job search.”
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Think of it as a relationship, not a one-time thing
Remember, you really are selling you. Orr reminds us that when considering who to hire or go with, clients also ask themselves simply if they like the person behind the service because they’ll be working with you a lot.
“Included with most of my services I also provide personalized support and access to ME, as I am the professional and expert. I’ve learned that the extra support and guidance while attaining their career goals helps them to be more successful. I am very vested in my clients’ success. That is what makes me different. I see every client relationship as a partnership.”
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How to be prepared
We asked Orr what to do before a pitch meeting to be as prepared as possible. “When preparing for your pitch, I always recommend rehearsing prior to your pitch meeting,” she says. “When rehearsing, it’s always wise to anticipate the possible objections and questions so you are equipped to answer and provide insight.”
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What about when you’re stumped?
Sometimes, you’ll be asked a question you didn’t see coming. When that happens, Orr says, be open and truthful.
“In the event I’m asked a question that I didn’t prepare for, I’m always honest. I never ramble on as if I know the answer,” she says. “I say, ‘You know what, I don’t quite have the answer for that question but I will be sure to do some research and circle back with you if that’s okay.’ People always respect honesty. Also, my personal values won’t allow me to fluff through a question or concern.”
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How do you recover from a flop?
How you respond to setbacks is just as important as how you respond to wins.
“When things don’t go my way I know that that opportunity/partnership wasn’t for me. So, I work on redirecting my attention to what went well and think about ways I could improve and do better next time,” Orr says. “As a part of this assessment, when things don’t go my way I ask for feedback so I am targeted on what areas I need to improve.”
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Maybe a closed door is an open one
Orr’s mindset surrounding opportunities that don’t work out is that life was making room for something better.
“I’m a very realistic person and I know I won’t land every opportunity,” she says. “Does rejection sting? Yes. However, I know that if I am declined an opportunity that means that partnership was not for me, and something better and better aligned is coming. So, I get excited knowing that.”
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What are some objections you might face?
We asked Orr about some common challenges that come up in pitch meetings, and possible mistakes one might make.
“One of the most common challenges Black women face with pitching their business/service is being really specific about what their business is and who they serve,” she says. “When you don’t understand your audience and who/why you serve, it’s harder to confidently pitch your services to anyone.”
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Stand by your rates
“Another common challenge is being afraid of objections. When I’m asked what my rates are and what services I provide I am confident in my pricing, services, and the value I provide. When faced with objections when it comes to the investment of my services I provide them with the payment plan options I’ve implemented and reiterate the value they receive,” Orr says. “Again, anticipating the objections and providing a solution — not an excuse or lowering my price to fit that client.”
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Narrow down your niche
“Finally, Black women service providers usually wear a number of hats. It’s perfectly fine to wear a lot of hats, but when it comes to pitching your business it’s helpful for us to be seen as the expert — an expert that has the confidence and ability to position themselves as the sought-after expert,” Orr says. “In my experience, it’s not very beneficial to be a ‘jack of all trades, master of none’ as a business owner. Plus, you don’t want to get burnt out wearing all those hats.”
