Pitches and Proposals

This post is about business strategy and the role of "pitching" things versus "making a proposal" about a much larger proposition.  Both play a role.  However, it is important for you to understand the difference between pitching-an-opportunity (whether it be a product, service, or tool) and making a proposal-for-life- transformation and having the sophistication to understand how each fits into your overall business strategy.

So as an analogy, let's talk baseball.  Everyone knows what a pitch is. A pitcher throws a ball to a catcher.  It is a single act, repeated over and over during the game.  It is a single, solitary, isolated "thing" that is just one part of the overall strategy of the game.

A proposal, on the other hand, is more like the game plan.  On offense, what will the batting order be?  Who is best to lead off, and who is best to bat clean-up?  Do you plan to steal bases, or hit and run?  Are there situations where you will bunt?  In the field, where do you position players based on the hitters' tendencies?  You get the idea.  The point here is that everything starts with a pitch, but everything around it is the proposal of how to best win the game.

It is the same in business.  A "pitch" is an offer.  It is something someone can buy or "buy into" conceptually.  It is a 90 mile an hour fastball and the batter will hit it or, they won't.  Some hit foul balls.  The same pitches are thrown at different batters.  In business, we do the same.  The question is, what are you pitching to attract interest or to generate cash flow?  Business is about making money.  You have to pitch.  It is an offer in front of eyeballs.

Then a ball is struck in-play and a million things happen all at the same time.  Nine people react and each has a different role.  This is analogous to the "proposal"... and by extension, this repeats itself for 9 innings.

When we talk about a Home Business Strategy, it inherently has to include both "pitching stuff" and the larger context of how these pitches fit into your overall proposal.  We pitch to gain interest, to gain customers and business partners.  There does not necessarily need to be a relationship at this point.  It is simply transactional.  I have this "thing or idea" and you buy it.

(From baseball to sailing...)  At this juncture, you have someone's attention.  The key is to transition a percentage of these people to the "vision" of a larger proposal.  What do you offer that can serve as an anchor that someone can moor to that is reasonable and safe?  What do you propose as a Business Strategy that is a safe harbor surrounded by land and calm water?  How well-articulated is this strategy?  Is it a part of the brand of who you are and how you represent yourself to the market?

Or conversely, maybe you are completely comfortable with simply being a vendor, no different than selling a candy bar or a pair of blue jeans?  If so, simply acknowledge that this is who you are and let your customers know what they can expect from you.  In my opinion, if this is you, you will not be well-suited as a business partner especially if a part of your business model is to build an organization of interdependent people in a community setting.

So, to bring this full circle, my point in writing this post was to highlight the difference between pitching and proposals, to refine your level of (understanding-and-sophistication) regarding the role of each, and how they are related in conducting your business.