Pitch Anything

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Chapter 1: The Method The process using the acronym STRONG: 

Setting the frame

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Telling the story

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Revealing the intrigue

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Offering the prize

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Nailing the hookpoint

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Getting a decision

Chapter 2: Frame Own the Frame, Win the Game A frame is the instrument you use to package your power, authority, strength, information, and status. 1. Everyone uses frames whether they realize it or not. 2. Every social encounter brings different frames together. 3. Frames do not coexist in the same time and place for long. 4. They crash into each other, and one or the other gains control. 5. Only one frame survives. The others break and are absorbed. Stronger frames always absorb weaker frames. 6. The winning frame governs the social interaction. It is said to have frame control When you are responding ineffectively to things the other person is saying and doing, that person owns the frame, and you are being frame-controlled. If you have to explain your authority, power, position, leverage, and advantage, you do not hold the stronger frame.

The Power Frame Defiance and light humor are the keys to seizing power and frame. When you are defiant and funny at the same time, he is pleasantly challenged by you and instinctively knows that he is in the presence of a pro.

The Time Frame The mistake most people make when they see their audience becoming fatigued is to talk faster, to try to force their way through the rest of the pitch. Instead of imparting more valuable information faster, however, they only succeed in helping the audience retain less of their message. Here is another example of an opposing time frame and how to respond to it. If you visit customers’ offices, you will recognize this situation: 

CUSTOMER: ―Hi, yes, um, well, I only have about 10 minutes to meet with you, but come on in.‖

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SALESPERSON: ―I really appreciate your time. Thanks for fitting me into your busy schedule.‖ This is a common dialogue and form of business etiquette—and it is exactly the wrong thing to do. You are reinforcing your target’s power over you and confirming your target’s higher status. You are essentially handing your target your frame and saying, ―Here, please, crush my frame, control me, and waste my time.‖

When you encounter a time frame like this, quickly break it with a stronger prize frame of your own. Qualify your target on the spot. 

YOU: ―No. I don’t work like that. There’s no sense in rescheduling unless we like each other and trust each other. I need to know, are you good to work with, can you keep appointments, and stick to a schedule?‖

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YOUR TARGET: ―Okay, you’re right about that. Yeah, sure I can. Let’s do this now. I have 30 minutes. That’s no problem. Come on in.‖ You have just broken your target’s time frame, established that your time is important, and he is now giving you focused attention instead of treating your visit like an annoyance

The Intrigue Frame In financial deals, I respond with something like this: ―The revenue is $80 million, expenses are $62 million, the net is $18 million. These and other facts you can verify later, but right now, what we need to focus on is this: Are we a good fit? Should we be doing business together? This is what I come here to work on.‖ If you’re pitching a product and the drill-down is on price, don’t chase this conversation thread. Do answer fast, answer directly with high-level details only, and go straight back to the relationship question. What this tells the audience is that (1) I’m trying to decide if you are right for me; (2) if I decide to work with you, the numbers will back up what I’m telling you, so let’s not worry about that

now; and (3) I care about who I work with. Keep the target focused on the business relationship at all times. Analysis comes later. This is the best and mos