This Isn't Baseball - Stop Playing Fast Pitch

I grew up playing baseball, like a lot of kids who grow up in America. I played various positions, but my favorite role was pitching. I dreamed of firing a 100-mile-per-hour fastball across the plate, hoping to hear it snap into the catcher’s glove.

There are some great sports metaphors that can be leveraged in business conversations. However, when I think about sales messaging, one phrase that I hate to see is a fast pitch. As meaningful as that phrase is in America's greatest past-time, a fast pitch is very alienating in the world of selling.

In fact, if your first message to a new contact is a "sales pitch" or offer, you’re throwing heat at someone who didn’t even step up to the plate.

LinkedIn Pitchers Take A Loss

We’ve all experienced it: you accept a new connection, and within minutes your inbox lights up. The words vary, but the sentiment is the same: ‘Here’s what I sell… do you want it?’

That’s the sales equivalent of hurling a 90 mph fastball at someone before they’ve even gotten ready in the batters box. It doesn’t build trust and it doesn’t open conversation.  Quite frankly, it just leaves the other person ducking for cover. 

When you fast pitch in sales, you’re not starting a relationship. You’re starting a transaction, and often ending the relationship before it begins. Is this the way you want to be seen?

Sales is a Team Sport

The truth is, good sales looks less like a solo pitcher trying to strike someone out and more like a team game. It’s about working together, moving around the bases, and helping the other person feel like they’re playing too, not just standing there hoping not to get hit.

When you take time to warm up, toss the ball back and forth, and build rapport, you’re creating a rhythm of trust. And when the timing is right, the conversation naturally moves to opportunities.

How to Ditch the Fast Pitch

Winning in sales means we don't strike out with prospects and clients before they trust that we're playing fair. Let's focus upon trust and relationships. Instead of the fast pitch, let's slow down and enjoy the game:

• Warm up first. Start with genuine curiosity. Do you know your prospect's goals? Do you understand their pain points and needs? We're selling to their emotional needs, so it's time to focus upon relationship development.

• Play catch. Askology's goal is to get our contacts engaged. Good questions get them talking and can create real back-and-forth conversation. Show you’re listening, not just waiting for your turn to throw another pitch.

• Wait for the right pitch. Earn the right to make your offer once you’ve established trust. Timing matters and so does respect for the process. Closing is not pitching. It's about asking for the sale, when their needs are addressed by your offering and they trust you able to help them.

• Play for the long game. I don't want a transaction. Give me a double-header or even a World Series, where I can become a trusted teammate. A single sale is nice, but why not look for a longer and deeper relationship, where you have the home-team advantage. I want the relationship, not a single sale.

The Home Run of Trust

Fast pitching is always a losing strategy. The real wins in sales come from establishing strong connections, building trust, exercising patience, and operating with integrity. If you feel like you're striking out, step back and reevaluate your own game plan. Soon you'll be knocking it out of the park.

So next time you’re tempted to open with a sales pitch, remember: this isn’t baseball. Step back, slow down, and focus on the relationship. Because in sales, trust is the real home run.

So the next time you’re tempted to throw a fast pitch, remember, the real home run comes from trust. And if you want to sharpen your sales game, start by playing the long one. Ready to play ball? Schedule with Paul Kirch to get started on a better game plan.