How to Craft Engaging Opening Lines for Business Pitches

Ready to make your prospects the star of the show? Let me put you on to a play I used to run as a rep that still hits hard in trainings today “The Heros Trailer” video play Picture this Your prospect is the hero facing their big challenge (cue the dramatic music) Your job? Help them see how your product is the missing piece they need to overcome it Heres how you can run it 1. Highlight their journey In your video don’t make it all about you—make it all about them. Show that you understand their current struggle - “Here’s the challenge you’re likely dealing with and heres how we help heroes like you solve it” 2. Tease the solution Like any good movie trailer you’ve got to keep it intriguing. Don’t spill all the beans. Give just enough so they’re curious to see how it all plays out. This isn’t the full demo. it’s a teaser. “Imagine if you had a tool that does [X] you’d be able to achieve [Y]” 3. Back it up with credibility Drop in “reviews” from other heroes (aka testimonials) “Sara and Mike were in the same boat but after using [our product] they saw XYZ results” now you’ve got their attention and you’ve built trust without sounding pushy 4. The big CTA End with a cliffhanger “Let’s schedule a time for you to see the full picture” make it feel like a VIP screening they can’t miss 5. Get creative with distribution It’s not just about the video—it’s how you deliver it. Send it via email, LinkedIn DM or even a voice note follow up. Your goal is to cut through the noise and give them something different—something that makes them feel like you really get their journey The reason this works? You’re not just pitching you’re positioning yourself as the guide that helps them shine It’s all about their success story When SDRs in recent trainings tested this play they started landing meetings they’d been chasing for weeks The feedback? “This feels more like a conversation than a sales pitch—it’s engaging” So next time you’re setting up your outreach ask yourself How can you help your prospect see themselves as the hero in their story—and position your product as the tool that helps them get there? Give this play a shot and let me know how it goes 🤘

Your first 60 seconds on a sales call can make or break the close. Most reps open calls like this: “How’s your day going?” “Crazy weather lately, huh?” Harmless? Sure. But it wastes valuable time and sets the wrong tone. Your prospect didn’t book a call to talk about the weather. They booked because they’re curious if you can solve their problem. The best reps know this and they build trust from the get go. Here are 3 call openers I’ve used to instantly establish authority & connection on sales calls 👇 1. “Just so I understand where you’re coming from—what made you take the call today?” This one flips the dynamic. You’re not chasing. You’re curious. It invites the prospect to open up and gives you gold: context, motivation, and urgency all in one question. No small talk. Straight to the signal. 2. “Out of curiosity—why now?” Timing is everything in sales. If someone booked a call, something triggered it. Your job is to find out what. This question helps surface pain points fast, without sounding pushy or scripted. You’ll learn what’s happening in their world right now—and that’s where the real sale lives. 3. “Before we dive in—mind giving me the 60-second recap of where you’re at?” This one does 2 things at once: ✅ Puts the prospect in the driver’s seat ✅ Shows them you value their time and context It feels casual, but it gives you everything you need to tailor the rest of the conversation. These 3 openers have shortened my sales cycles, reduced objections, and made calls feel more like collaborations than interrogations. In remote sales, trust isn’t built at the end of the call. It’s built in the first few minutes. Set the tone. Lead with intention. Ask better questions.

Here are three different ways I’ve opened a talk at a Sales Kickoff: Intro 1: “Hi, I’m Josh Braun, a sales trainer from Boca Raton, Florida.” Intro 2: “I once cold emailed 27 people at the same company and got blacklisted. Today I’m going to show you how to avoid my mistakes and what to do instead.” Intro 3: “I want to start by offering you a sales superpower. And all it requires is this: that you change your intent when selling. But before I give it away, I want you to audit your mind. Here’s the scenario…” What do you notice? Same speaker. Different intros. Different impact. The first introduces. The second builds curiosity. The third creates tension and pulls you in. How you start sets the tone for everything that follows. How do you like to start a talk?

Small tweaks in your sales script can turn “no thanks” into qualified sales calls. We reviewed a client’s outbound calls, made five key adjustments, and saw a 20% boost in engagement. Here’s what worked: 1. Start with a Permission-Based Opener Jumping straight into the pitch made prospects feel cornered, often leading to resistance. What We Changed: We switched to a permission-based opener like, “Hey, this is (name) from (company), we haven’t spoken before, I’m calling you out of the blue, but it'll take me 30 seconds to tell you why I called and then you can tell me if you even want to keep talking after that, does that sound fair” This gave prospects control and set a respectful tone. Prospects felt more comfortable and engaged when they had the option to continue, leading to smoother, more productive conversations. 2. Use “You” Instead of “We” The scripts were too brand-focused with “we” and “our” statements, making it sound impersonal. Shifting to “you” language made a huge difference. Instead of “We offer the best solution,” we said, “You deserve a solution that actually fits.” Prospects felt the call was about them, not us. 3. Add Specific Social Proof Generic claims weren’t cutting it. Instead of “We’ve helped hundreds,” we got specific: “Last quarter, we helped [X industry] achieve [result].” Specifics boosted credibility and helped prospects see the potential value for themselves. 4. Ask Open-Ended Questions Closed questions led to dead-ends. We replaced “Do you struggle with [problem]?” with “What challenges are you facing with [problem]?” This invited prospects to share more, making the conversation richer and helping us respond better. 5. Frame Price with Value Mentioning price early often scared people off. Instead, we tied price to benefits: “With an investment of $X, you can achieve [result].” Positioning price in correlation to perceived value kept the conversation moving forward. These small changes led to big improvements in qualified booked appointments. ___________________________________ Follow Dylan Rich for more tips on scaling your sales team

Funny how often my favorite movies come up as reference anchors as I advise founders about pitching investors. Today was Gladiator. Specifically, we talked about the opening set piece. If it's been a while since you've watched this masterpiece, Roman General Maximus (Russel Crowe) stands alongside his army as they take on a mass of barbarian hordes in Germania. What follows is one of the most epic, masterfully choreographed battle sequences put to film, even as we sit here almost 25 years later. It's energetic, frantic, violent, surprising, visceral, and humbling. As the Romans rout their adversaries and you collect your jaw off the floor, you're ready to watch Gladiator. Fully invested in Maximus, his survival, and his story. Ridley Scott's direction establishes what kind of visual journey you're going to take. THAT is the power of a great opening hook. Ask yourself, when you hop on Zoom to pitch a VC, is your opening sequence THAT good? Does your story give people literal goosebumps every time they hear it? Odds are it isn't. So how do you fix that? 1. Hold off on The Slides (to Start): Before you open the screen share, take a few minutes to set the stage for the epic story you're about to tell. Talk about the problem. Talk about the customer. Talk about your enthusiasm for this business you're building. Put your audience in the right headspace for the movie (pitch) they are about to put out. 2. Script Your Intro: Until you can do it in your sleep, forward and background, write down what you want to say in this intro *exactly* the way you want to say it. Choose each word carefully. Evoke emotions with your description of the customer problem. Put your audience in the shoes, pants, and/or hard hats of your customers. Make them *feel* the frustration your customer feels before pitching them on your solution. 3. Rehearse Your Intro: This may sound obvious, but just because you wrote the script doesn't mean you know how to perform it. That's why screenwriters sit behind the camera. Lucky for you, you're both David Franzoni and Russell Crowe in this scenario. Add inflections, intonations, and dramatic pauses. Create space for emphasis. Then... Practice. Practice. Practice. 4. Record Your Intro: What do acting students, aspiring stand-ups, and the best athletes all have in common? They watch and listen to game tapes. Record yourself performing your pitch, but especially your intro, both individually AND when you perform it for investors. Listen to how confidently you answer questions and think about how you might improve. Scott's use of the opening battle sequence is genius not only because it sets the tone for the rest of the film but also because it immediately invests the audience in the success of the main character. When pitching a VC, the main character is YOU. And in nailing your opening, you exhibit two of the essential qualities both Maximus and your investors will look for in their collaborators: Strength and Honor.

Reading ‘𝗛𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗼 [𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗡𝗮𝗺𝗲], 𝗜 𝘀𝗲𝗲 𝘄𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝘁𝗵 𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝘅𝘆𝗴𝗲𝗻’ feels like walking into a party wearing a wet sock. 🧦💦 Let’s not do that, okay? 👌 Personalization is the MVP of social selling—and trust me, I’ve seen what happens when people skip it. Nothing kills a conversation faster than a cookie-cutter pitch slap. 🍪 But guess what’s just as important as personalization? 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀. If you’re referencing something from two months ago that’s no longer relevant—or bringing up an event that already happened—your pitch can go stale before it even lands. 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗜 𝗸𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗶𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹 (𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲), 𝘄𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘁 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗜’𝗺 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝘂𝘁: 📖 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗶𝗹𝗲 If you notice they love CrossFit or just got promoted, mention it. Show genuine interest in what matters to them—but make sure it’s recent. Bringing up a marathon they ran three years ago might not have the same spark as congratulating them on a new role they started last week. Tie it back to how your solution or outreach can help them in this next chapter. 💡 𝗧𝘂𝗿𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗴𝘂𝗲 Instead of “Hey, saw you’re in marketing,” try: “Hey Taylor, I loved your LinkedIn post on brand voice—especially how you handled that coffee machine fiasco!” 𝗕𝗼𝗻𝘂𝘀: If they just published that post yesterday, you’re showing them you’re not only personalizing—but also paying attention in real time. Highlight how your offering relates to the topic they’re discussing or the challenge they overcame. ❤️ 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘆 𝗵𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻 (𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗽𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗳𝘂𝗹) At the end of the day, it’s a conversation. Make it sound like one. Keep your outreach friendly, relevant, and timely—if you see they just shared something about an upcoming conference, wish them luck or ask if they’ll be on a panel. Show you’re up-to-date with their world. A bit of random chit chat can help break the ice—just make sure you eventually guide it toward the reason you reached out (e.g., “By the way, I’d love to discuss how our platform can streamline your process.”). If you approach someone like you already know a bit about them (and not in a creepy way), you’ll be leagues ahead of the “mass-blast” crowd. Tailor your message to what’s fresh in their life, and then smoothly pivot to how you can support or collaborate with them. That’s the difference between a conversation that fizzles and one that leads to “Sure, let’s book a meeting!” What’s the funniest personalized pitch you’ve ever received—or sent? - ♻️ Like + Repost if you found this helpful. Follow me, Evan Patterson, for more! P.S. I'm taking on new clients for fractional marketing support, leadership, and consulting. DM me!

Begin your presentation like a pro. Try these openers. Well, not these 3. “I wanted to apologize ahead of time, I just get so nervous when I speak” “Uhmmm, give me a second, gotta love technical difficulties” *Tap Tap Tap* “This working? Ok, few, just making sure.” These 3 signal the same thing to the audience. A lack of preparation A lack of confidence A lack of interest And lead to the same thing. Your audience’s attention waning. Something we’re keen to avoid on the big day. Instead, let’s own the stage. How? Try these instead. A concise story A personal favorite, though tough to master. A simple framework to remember. Time period & place. How things were different. How they have changed. I.e. When we began XYZ Inc. in my garage 3 years ago, there were times where every fiber of me wanted to quit. Entrepreneurship is a beast. Had I not had all of your support, I surely would have caved. Having just crossed $2 million in annual revenue has allowed me a moment to reflect. To recognize how far we've come, and simultaneously, envision where we will go. But, as you know, there are obstacles to overcome. Here are the three main challenges I anticipate in 2024, and a plan for attacking each of them. *Tip* make it personal. Don’t tell someone else’s story, tell your own. No one can argue with what you’ve done. Ask thoughtful questions If you're doing so, try asking multiple in sequence. I.e. If you could unplug from the modern stressors of society, where would you go? Who would be with you? And what would you be doing there together? Create a vivid visual Another storytelling technique. (Can also be done with questions) The goal is to paint a dream outcome. My favorite words to begin with are: Imagine… Picture… An engaging introduction doesn't have to be complicated. It just needs your intention. P.S. What openers have you had success with in your presentations?

"Habituation" is killing your presentations and speaking. My top tip for speaking in 2025 is simple but takes a little courage What is "habituation?" Habituation is a neurological phenomenon where our brains stop paying attention to something that’s repetitive or predictable over time. It’s like a built-in filter to help us focus on what’s new or important. For example, if you live near a train track, the sound of trains might be annoying at first, but over time, your brain tunes it out. That’s habituation in action - your brain decides, “This isn’t a threat or new information, so I’ll save my energy.” In presentations, starting with the expected “Hi, my name is… and I work for...” triggers the same response. The audience’s brain thinks, “Oh, I’ve heard this a thousand times,” and tunes out. In other words - you fit the pattern of every other boring presentation they have ever seen. They mentally check out before you’ve even said anything meaningful. So instead - decide to break the pattern and shake things up.  Start with a story, a joke, or a stat—something that surprises the brain and sparks curiosity. Hook them from the get-go, and save your name and company for slide 3. (They’ll remember you if your opening is memorable.) Personally, I always start with a story about my four daughters. I typically use some funny story (and I have many!) that is a bit self-deprecating. I personally love humor as an opener. I walk on stage and start my story.  No good morning. No hello. No "my name is." I just go right in - something like: "A few weeks ago, I went to the store with my daughter..." "My daughter said something hilarious to me a few weeks ago..." "I received this text from my first daughter a few weeks ago..." If you want to be extra (Gen Z slang there) - most of the time I never say who I am or where I work.  I use my words, stories, content and my knowledge to engage - not my title or resume. This small tweak taps into neuroscience and keeps your audience engaged from the start. How do you usually start your presentations? Let’s hear your tips in the comments. Interested in your thoughts too...Nick Pericle Jason Hein Jason Greenwood Ian Heller Liz S.