Ways to Add Value Before a Sales Pitch

The biggest mistake I made in business development? (And the one I see others make every week…) Asking for the business before I gave any value. ❌ I’d pitch. ❌ I’d present. ❌ I’d try to impress. But it rarely worked, and never felt right. What I finally learned was this: You don’t earn trust by selling. You earn it by giving, long before you ever make an ask. So, if you want to become the kind of advisor clients  seek out… ✅ Start with value.  ✅ Lead with generosity.  ✅ Then let trust do the rest. Here are 8 of my favorite ways to offer value before  asking for business: 1. Make a Strategic Introduction → Connect them to someone helpful. Your network  becomes part of your value. 2. Ask for Their Perspective → Curious questions create more respect than pitch  decks ever will. 3. Send a Thoughtful Surprise → A book, a note, a resource. Relevance shows you’re  paying attention and that matters. 4. Share Tailored Insights → Generic = forgettable. A timely idea, just for them, can  open big doors. 5. Invite Them to Something Exclusive → Roundtables or niche events. Scarcity adds value.  Inclusion builds connection. 6. Host a Problem-Solving Session → Brainstorm a real issue together. Let them experience  your thinking in action. 7. Offer a Mini-Diagnostic → Spot something they didn’t know was broken. It  reframes you from seller to solver. 8. Provide a Sample of Your Service → No pressure. Just a preview. Let them feel the value  before the ask. Here’s the shift: Don’t try to close a deal. Try to open a relationship. Give first.  Then give a little more. And I promise the results will take care of themselves. 👉 Which one will you try this week? ♻️ Valuable? Repost to help someone in your network. 📌 Follow Mo Bunnell for client-growth strategies that don’t feel like selling. Want the full cheat sheet? Sign up here: https://lnkd.in/e3qRVJRf 

A better Way to Book Sales Calls You're watching competitors close deals while your pipeline stays empty. The difference isn't effort—it's approach. The broken way: Spray-and-pray outreach. Generic pitches. Pushing for meetings before you've earned attention. This triggers immediate resistance. People can smell a sales pitch from a mile away, and their default response is "no thanks." The better way: Lead with genuine value. Solve a real problem first. Build rapport before asking for anything. This creates curiosity instead of resistance. Your prospect thinks "this person actually gets my challenges" instead of "here we go again." Why this works: People buy from those they trust. Trust comes from demonstrated understanding and helpfulness, not clever closing techniques. When you offer insight or solve a problem upfront, you're proving competence while everyone else is just claiming it. The practical difference: Instead of "I'd love to show you our solution," try sharing a specific observation about their business with a useful resource or insight attached—no strings. Instead of asking for 15 minutes, give value that takes 2 minutes to consume. In a landscape of noise and sameness, being genuinely helpful is your competitive advantage. Start there, and the conversations you want will follow naturally.

Most people aren’t bad at sales. They’re just trained on the wrong playbook. Here’s what to do instead ↓ 1. Talk less, understand more → Ask sharper questions that uncover real problems → Let the buyer speak more and build your pitch from their answers 2. Ditch scripts, think in frameworks → Use flexible structures instead of memorized lines → Adapt your flow based on how the conversation evolves 3. Drop the urge to win arguments → Acknowledge concerns without reacting defensively → Explore the objection to understand what’s actually behind it 4. Stop chasing volume blindly → Prioritize high-quality conversations over quantity → Spend time where conversion probability is higher 5. Lead with impact, not features → Translate what you offer into real outcomes → Tie everything back to the buyer’s goals 6. Build value before talking numbers → Strengthen perceived value early in the conversation → Position pricing within the context of results 7. Stay consistent beyond the first touch → Build a structured and reliable follow-up system → Add value in each touchpoint instead of just checking in 8. Focus on momentum, not pressure → Move the deal forward with small, clear next steps → Let decisions build naturally over time 9. Guide instead of pushing → Help buyers reach their own conclusions → Align your solution with what actually matters to them 10. Say less, make it land → Communicate ideas in fewer, clearer words → Pause and let key points sink in 11. Learn faster from every “no” → Treat rejection as feedback, not a setback → Track patterns and refine your approach Sales improves when your approach evolves. 📌 Save this before your next call Follow for more practical sales thinking

Want to pitch someone on LinkedIn? Read this before you hit “send.” Every week, I get messages that go something like this: “Hi, I’m [Name]. I’ve built this incredible thing. It’s doing amazing work. Here’s why it matters. Can you help me/share it/connect me?” It’s not that I don’t care. I do. But these messages usually miss the mark and here’s why: They center the sender. Not the receiver. Here’s the truth: When you approach someone for the first time, you (and your project, product, or platform) are not the hero of the story. THEY are. If you want someone to care, start by showing that you care about what they do, what they stand for, what they’re building. Read their posts. Watch their interviews. Figure out what they’re trying to solve. Then ask yourself: how does what I’m doing help them win? Make your message less “I need,” and more “Here’s what I see in your work and how I can add value.” Additional tips: 💬 Keep it short. Long-winded intros are overwhelming. You’re not writing your bio, you’re opening a door! Three concise paragraphs is plenty (even less if you can). 🎯 Be specific. Instead of saying, “Let’s collaborate,” say: “I’d love to explore how we could align my youth platform with your mission to build stronger leadership pipelines.” People respond better when they know exactly what you’re asking. What’s your call to action? 🧠 Show you’ve done your homework. A thoughtful compliment goes a long way. “Your post on LinkedIn really made me think.” “I noticed you’ve been working on Y and I’m building something that could support that.” It shows you care enough to listen first. 🤝 Give before you ask. Share a helpful resource. Offer a useful intro. Tell them about an opportunity they might benefit from. Relationships are built on generosity. 📆 Respect their time. Instead of jumping into a call request, consider asking: “Would it be okay if I shared a 1-pager for you to skim in your own time?” People are more open when they don’t feel pressured. Please don’t immediately ask for a call. 💡 Think of it as planting, not picking. Your goal isn’t to “get” something, it’s to begin something. Not all outreach will lead to a project right away, but if done well, it can spark long-term relationships, ideas, and even unexpected opportunities. ✨ Bonus hack: I often ask my clients to count how many times they say “I” vs. “you” when they write to, present to or speak to their stakeholders. If the “I”s win, revise. It’s not listener-centric enough. Connection starts with empathy, not ego. Lead with curiosity. Offer service. That’s how collaborations are born. If these tips are helpful, check out Storytelling and Leadership for more. #Storytelling #AuthenticConnections #LinkedInTips #Leadership #PurposefulWork

Sales calls feel exhausting because you're doing two jobs at once. Building trust AND solving their problem. Only one of those should happen on the call. When someone hears about you for the first time on a sales call, they're not fully listening. They're half-evaluating. "Is this person credible? Do they actually get my problem?" You can feel it too. So you start over-explaining. Listing achievements. Justifying pricing. By the time you get to the actual solution, you're both tired. Here's the T.R.U.S.T framework we use to make sure trust is built before the call even starts. 1. Thought clarity → Share how you actually think.  → Your decision-making process. The frameworks you use.  → People stop questioning if you can help them once they see how you think in public. 2. Relevance signals → Talk about what keeps your buyers awake at 2 AM. → When your content speaks to their active pain, they feel understood before they even meet you. 3. Unforced results  → Don't make proof the hero of your content. make it context. → Example- "Last quarter, while fixing X for a fintech client" 4. Strategic familiarity-  → Be consistent in what you talk about and how you talk about it. 5. Timely entry  → Track when shifts happen in your industry: funding rounds, new hires, product pivots.  → That's when budgets open and problems get prioritized. You can't fix a trust problem during the pitch. You fix it before the call is even booked. #SalesStrategy #TrustBuilding #PreSales #ContentMarketing #SalesTips

The best deals are not won by the best talkers. They are won by the most prepared people in the room. And most people in that room are not prepared. They have a pitch. They have a product. They have a hope that the conversation goes well. The best people have something different entirely. They know who is sitting across from them. Their industry. Their pressures. Their culture. Their language. And they speak it before anyone asks them to. That is what changes everything. Not the pitch. Not the product. The moment the other person realises this is someone who actually did the work to understand me. Nobody does that anymore. Most people show up and perform. The best people show up and connect. The difference between those two things is preparation. And preparation is a choice available to everyone in the room. Most deals are not lost because the product was wrong. They are lost because the person never felt understood enough to say yes. Trust is not built in the meeting. It is built in the hours before it begins. 💡 Try this: ↳ Notice how much time you spend on the pitch versus the person ↳ Research one cultural detail before every important meeting ↳ Find one challenge specific to their industry before you arrive ↳ Watch what happens when someone feels genuinely understood ↳ Track how quickly trust builds when you speak their language first ↳ Ask yourself if you are preparing to sell or preparing to serve Preparation is not extra effort. It is the thing that makes everything else feel effortless. The deal is not closed in the meeting. It is closed in the work nobody sees before it begins. What is one thing you do before an important meeting that most people skip entirely? #Sales #Preparation #BusinessGrowth #CustomerSuccess #Communication #Leadership #KnowYourCustomer #Mindset #ProfessionalDevelopment #Winning

I’ve spent years helping B2B companies build and standardize sales messaging. Here’s my model, in five acts. 1️⃣ Define the problem Your prospect called because they have a problem to solve. Help them tell you. ▶ Reflect domain knowledge about the big issues that trigger buying cycles ▶ Land on a clear, simple, mutually agreed statement getting to the heart of the problem 2️⃣ Frame the decision You’re talking to someone trying to understand their options and choose the right one. Help them make sense of what’s in front of them. ▶ Offer your expert perspective on their options, what makes them different, and where your product sits ▶ Be honest about the advantages and disadvantages 3️⃣ Share your unique value Your company or product solves your buyer’s problem in a certain way, which unlocks value that’s hard to get anywhere else. ▶ Tell them what the unique value is ▶ Make it short, sharp, and simple 4️⃣ Break down product capabilities What new abilities do buyers gain from your product? ▶ Tell them what they will do with it that they couldn’t before ▶ It will probably come down to 3-5 short present-tense action statements ▶ Then, reinforce this narrative with your demo 5️⃣ De-risk the decision Prospects are looking for reasons to say no. Take them off the table. This means speaking directly to things like: ▶ Your bona fides ▶ Relevant case studies  ▶ Value relative to cost (i.e., the price and the business case) ▶ How you support the implementation ▶ How you stand by your product ▶ Support after the sale And anything else you need to say to diffuse concerns. After that, you’ll have your obligatory call-to-action/next steps section. But you know all about that already because you’re smart. That’s pretty much it. PS: I am sharing this as a highly distilled, foundational mental model, not a template. You can use it as a framework for writing a deck, developing a sales elevator pitch, or as a jumping-off point for deeper sales messaging and assets. This framework can support a big, lofty narrative as well or a nitty gritty, in-the-weeds approach. Treat it as a springboard, not a Mad Libs exercise.

BE honest and tell me HOW do you feel when someone at a networking event just tries to sell you something? Lets have an honest conversation about this.. Because WAY TOO MANY PEOPLE ARE PITCHING without context. This does not work... The Problem with Traditional LinkedIn Selling Most professionals have experienced it: the connection request immediately followed by a sales pitch. This approach rarely works because it: +Ignores relationship-building fundamentals +Assumes the recipient is qualified and interested +Creates a negative impression of both you and your brand +Feels transactional rather than relational 7 Value-First Alternatives to Cold Selling 1. Become a Thought Leader in Your Space Share your expertise through thoughtful posts, articles, and comments. When you consistently provide valuable insights, potential clients come to you rather than you chasing them. How to do it right: Post weekly insights about industry trends, challenges, or solutions. Focus on education rather than promotion. 2. Engage Meaningfully with Others' Content Taking time to thoughtfully comment on others' posts shows you're interested in dialogue, not just broadcasting. How to do it right: Set aside 15 minutes daily to leave substantive comments on 3-5 posts from your network or industry leaders. 3. Create and Share Valuable Resources Develop free tools, templates, guides, or research that addresses common pain points in your industry. How to do it right: Create a simple resource that solves a specific problem, then share it with no strings attached. 4. Facilitate Connections Between Others Becoming known as a connector adds tremendous value to your network without any direct selling. How to do it right: When you see a potential synergy between two connections, offer a warm introduction (with permission). 5. Host Virtual Events or Conversations Organize small roundtable discussions, AMAs (Ask Me Anything), or interviews with industry experts. How to do it right: Select narrow topics that address specific pain points and invite a targeted, relevant audience. Im hosting an event on Friday.. see it in the comments! 6. Ask Thoughtful Questions Demonstrate genuine curiosity about others' work, challenges, and perspectives through thoughtful questions. How to do it right: When connecting with someone new, ask about their current professional challenges rather than launching into your pitch. 7. Offer Limited Pro-Bono Help Providing a small sample of your expertise can showcase your value more effectively than any sales pitch. How to do it right: Offer a 15-minute consultation or a quick review of something in your area of expertise. Which one of these resonate with you the most?! #selling #sales #success