Why pitching (and elevator pitches) hurts you and your expertise:
- Because you’re presenting instead of having open, honest conversations.
- Because you’re operating without diagnosing.
- Because you go in convince-mode.
- Because you’re not listening to understand, but to reply.
- Because you’re shoving down their throats what you think you know, without considering context.
- Because you’re not considering walking away and recommend others to do that work.
- Because you’re focusing on implementation.
- Because you’re focusing on “what they need” instead of “what they want”.
- Because you’re customized —and that’s great.
- Because it’s scripted.
- Because you’re thinking how to change their mind and bend your expertise.
- Because you’ll do mental (and offering) gymnastics to “what they need” so you get the gig, even when you see red flags.
- Because that’s what we’ve been taught.
- Because they know you’ll sell them something.
- Because it reeks of desperation.
Your expertise is so natural to you, you don’t even notice it. And because you think everyone has the same ability, you give it away.
Reality is, your clients don’t do your thinking.
If they did, they wouldn’t need you —and you wouldn’t need them.