Time is Money: My Policy on Charging for Unsolicited Sales Pitches

Here’s the deal, we're drowning in a sea of half-baked sales pitches with zero personality. It's a problem, and frankly, disheartening to witness. Everywhere you turn, someone has something to sell with little regard for the value exchange involved and no interest in letting their personal brand show. That’s why I’ve adopted my bold approach aimed at elevating the standard of pitches I receive. Let me tell you why.

First things first, this isn’t about greed. It’s about respect for my time, and more importantly, respect for the effort I’ve put into honing my craft. I’ve spent years coaching business owners, entrepreneurs, and salespeople on how to pitch their value effectively and use their personal brand as a tool, emphasizing the importance of preparation, relevance, and respect for the recipient's time. Every week I’m getting 10-15 pitches that are missing all of these.?

Have you ever been on the receiving end of a pitch that felt more like an afterthought than an opportunity? What was your reaction?

The epidemic of lackluster pitches is more than just an annoyance, I think it’s a sign of a larger issue. It reflects a shift away from valuing genuine connections and toward a numbers game, where quantity is more important than quality. This approach not only undermines the efforts of those who do take the time to craft meaningful proposals, it also saturates the market with noise, making it harder for genuine opportunities to stand out.

Let me show you what I mean with a quick story. Meet Lisa, a sales associate, known for her passion for technology but whose pitches have been falling flat and underperforming. After some encouragement, she started personalizing her pitches with her love for technology, presenting herself as both a capable sales rep and tech enthusiast committed to innovation and customer success. This shift to combining her personal brand - passion for technology -? with her product pitch led to a 30% increase in client engagement.

While this is a hypothetical story, I’ve seen this scenario successfully play out many times. Most people would agree that personalizing a pitch would make it perform better, but I’m still seeing most unsolicited pitches ignore this opportunity.?

My Journey Through Sales Cultures

You might be asking yourself at this point if I know what I’m talking about. This isn’t just a whim, it’s a perspective shaped by my journey. My exposure to sales isn't theoretical, it's personal and comes from a place of both respect and frustration with the industry.

An Entrepreneur’s Sales Journey

I’ve been an entrepreneur for 23 years, mostly as a solopreneur, and I've come to develop a deep respect for the art of selling. You can't thrive in this space without understanding the value of a well-crafted pitch and the importance of respect in every transaction. Selling isn’t just a skill, it's a lifeline. It's about creating connections, solving problems, and delivering value. This background has made me keenly aware of the difference between a pitch with substance and one that's just going through the motions.

Tales from the Sales Front

I worked at a tech company who had a very clear sales-first culture. One of those places where the sales people were idolized and everyone drank the Kool-Aid. The Kool-Aid wasn’t for me, but I did get a front-row seat to the highs and lows of hardcore sales culture. I saw the brilliance of some truly talented salespeople who cold called their way to success. Their dedication and skill were inspiring.

Can you recall a time when a truly thoughtful pitch caught your attention? What set it apart from the rest?

I also saw the other side of the coin, the mediocrity that comes from complacency and laziness. This was when I started noticing the early signs of what I now see as an epidemic of half-assed pitches. It was all very eye opening because it showed me how a lack of genuine effort can snowball into a broader industry problem.

Ultimately, that company wasn’t a right fit for my journey, but it drove home the importance of authenticity and genuine connection over sheer volume and spectacle.

Connecting the Dots

These experiences have reinforced what I already knew, that our time is valuable and it takes tremendous effort to be good at pitching.?

This underscores my commitment to nurturing a culture where each pitch is given the thought and effort it deserves. It’s not about creating barriers, it’s about encouraging a widespread return to thoughtful, respectful, and genuinely valuable sales interactions.

This stance might ruffle feathers, but it’s one I’m willing to take. One major reason why: it filters out the noise. Those who are serious about their proposals are more likely to engage, knowing that their pitch will be received with attention. It also sets the understanding that my time, like everyone’s, has value. We wouldn’t (or shouldn’t) expect any professional to provide their services for free, so why should spending my time on unsolicited sales pitches be any different?

Why I Choose to Charge

Beyond the Transaction

My door remains open for meaningful engagements. The value of those interactions is what matters most to me, not the transaction.

These interactions come after having a mutual understanding of value or with relationships that I’ve built over time. I know going into those meetings that everyone is going to be respected and valued.?

Building Better Pitches

My structured approach is designed to encourage preparation and meaningful engagement, setting the stage for pitches that stand out. It’s a filter, not a barrier. It ensures that when we do meet, it’s productive and respectful of everyone’s time.

One of my goals is to help people get better at pitching, which is why I also have feedback sessions and workshops. This is where I can provide the most value to sales managers and professionals by offering strategy and insights on refining pitches and leveraging personal brands effectively. It’s not only about filtering out the noise, it’s about fostering growth and improving the quality of sales pitches across the board.?

Did you know that organizations that champion the personal brands of their staff witness transformational changes in pitch delivery and client relations? Employee-shared content is reshared 24x more often than when shared by the company itself, highlighting personal branding's role in amplifying messages.

That statistic isn’t just impressive, it points to a truth in today’s world: personal branding should be your secret sauce in sales. Pitches should do more than just get your message out there, they should stick. If we weave our unique stories into our pitches, we can find ways to resonate with our target audience. Investing in personal branding workshops can help teams develop pitches that align with the product, company’s vision, and tell a compelling story. It’s not just about being heard, it’s about being unforgettable.

The Currency of Respect

This strategy reinforces the value of our time and expertise, and fosters more impactful and respectful exchanges. It’s a way to make sure that engagements are taken seriously and that I can offer meaningful value in return. It’s about creating a culture of respect, preparation, and mutual benefit, not just for the sake of business, but for the benefit of professional relationships and practices.

The Unconventional Path

I get it. This approach isn’t for everyone. Some may see it as an unnecessary barrier, but I argue it’s about mutual respect. It’s an acknowledgment that while my time and expertise are valuable, I’m equally committed to contributing positively to the ecosystem. My journey has taught me heaps about the value combining a pitch with personal branding. Sure, it’s unconventional response to unsolicited pitches. But it's already sparking new ways to engage, pushing both sides to think differently about how we connect and communicate.

Have you ever taken a stance that wasn't widely accepted at first but ultimately led to greater understanding or success?

What we need is better communication, not less. Maybe it’s time we all took a hard look at how we handle our own pitches and professional interactions in general. Are we just going through the motions, or are we genuinely interested in trying to connect and add value? I’m hoping for the latter.

Parting Thoughts

So, what’s next? if you're tired of pitches that just don't cut it or if you're looking to step up your own game, I’m here for it. Have thoughts or want some advice on making your pitch really hit home? Shoot me a message or comment here. Let's get into the nitty-gritty of making genuine pitches and personal brands that get noticed and connect. Ready to change the game?

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