Michelle Weinstein, podcaster and founder of The Pitch Queen, joins Neva Lee Recla to share her secrets on how to pitch like a woman. Michelle has over twenty years of sales experience. She is a sales strategist, entrepreneur, and innovator. Her achievements include raising over $1 million for her last company and pitching her way onto ABC’s Shark Tank. With The Pitch Queen, she helps entrepreneurs learn to love selling. Listen in as Neva Lee Recla and Michelle Weinstein talk about how to pitch like a woman.

I know, right?

One of my super powers that I’ve developed when I got older is learning how to listen, and really learning how to listen to people.

But I think one of my super powers that I’ve developed when I got older is learning how to listen, and really learning how to listen to people. Because I feel like when you’re younger it might not, well I’m sure you’ve hung around a lot of us. People aren’t ever heard, you know?

Exactly.

And I think if we could all listen just a little bit more, everyone would be in a happier place. So for me, I feel like my super power in this day and age is definitely how to listen more and how to listen really well, and listen to what’s important to the other person, because what’s important to me and what’s important to you are different. And I remember, I think you have a similar super power because you heard I like cookies and that one day when we met you got me cookies. But I had to leave that weekend. So, you listen pretty well too.

I do. Especially when it comes to desserts. People don’t get their dessert, not gonna be a good day.

I agree. I definitely like my sweets too.

How did you get the idea for Pitch Queen?

So, the Pitch Queen was born because when I was about your age I thought I wanted to do lemonade stands and I sold candy in high school, and I was always trying to make money. And what I learned over the years was that I had another super power, it’s a more broad one, where I’m really good at sales and I don’t really let other people affect me. And I don’t allow other people to determine if I’d said something wrong or right, or whatever it may be. And I think a lot of times in sales, or like with you in raising money for your book, we get told no and we get rejected all the time. But I just see it as another opportunity. So, I’m on a mission to help entrepreneurs that sell higher dollar services, so something of maybe $5000, 10, 20, 30 thousand dollars of value, have a lot of confidence in their sales conversations. Because the number one reason I think people don’t do a great job at sales is because they’re not really good listeners and they just wanna get to the chase, right? They wanna do their business.

Get to the money.

Yeah, get to the money. Where really, if you just help more people and do what you’re really great at, the money will just follow.

And they want the money, but they don’t wanna work for the money.

Yeah. Exactly. So I teach through the podcast that I actually had you on, Success Unfiltered. So we talk about no’s and rejections and how do you break through them and get past them, and how did other really successful entrepreneurs get past those nos and rejections to get to where they’re at.

Yeah. So, why do a lot of entrepreneurs have a fear of selling? Like, they don’t want to sell.

Yeah. I think that people don’t like that word, right? I don’t know if you’ve ever been to the mall, but if you go to the mall and they have all those kiosks and then people are like, “Oh, can I curl your hair?” “Oh, do you wanna try this lotion?” Or, “Oh, this.” Or, “Oh, that.” You know? And it’s just like no, no, no don’t bother me. Or when you go to the car dealership.

‘Cause they’re afraid to get said no. That’s not a word.

Well, I think people just find sales really pushy. Really kinda sleazy.

Maybe call it making business, instead of sales.

I just call it helping people.

Yeah, exactly. I just call it helping people. But as entrepreneurs, I met a girl and she’s a baker, right? And a baker doesn’t wanna work for a bakery, she wants to start her own bakery. Well when she starts her own bakery, she forgot and didn’t even know that she signed up for a 24/7 sales career. Because every time someone comes in your bakery, you actually have to present your products in a way where-

You have to be like, “Do you wanna try these muffins? Do you wanna try this bread? Do you wanna try this cake?” You know?

Yeah. “Oh, and do you wanna buy a loaf of bread and by the way you’ll get two muffins free and a cookie from me and a cookie from Neva.” That’s an upsell. Like, bakers weren’t taught that in baking school.

They have to learn it.

They have to learn it. Right. And that’s the point, is that there is no one really teaching in MBA programs and business school and undergrad. I never learned sales in college. I learned it at having sales jobs, and going to trainings and having different sales training. And I worked at a company called Nordstrom, and they did training. So you know all of these experiences, I bundled up and took my 20 years of experience to help entrepreneurs really get over the nose and get over the rejection.

That’s awesome. So I have, as you said before I’m writing a book. It’s called “When Pigs Fly: The Parents Guide to Inspire Young Entrepreneurs.” And I’ve been getting sponsors. What advice do you have for me on how I can get more and more sponsors?

Well, it seems like you’ve already been to sales school. No, I’m just kidding. I think the best way to do it honestly is for you to ask for referrals, because I know you go to a lot of events right? And at all the events, the best way is to maybe tighten up what you just said. So you have your book and what it’s for, and maybe like one or two sentences about how it will help the parents of the kids, right? And then say, “Do you know somebody, or have a referral of someone that might wanna sponsor this book that would help change a lot of lives of the parent and the kid relationship?” Right?

That’s awesome. Yeah.

So, the kids. So, there is a certain way that you can practice it and do that. But think about it, if you ask for a referral sometimes that person might just say, “You know what? I wanna sponsor you.” But you’re not asking them directly, you’re actually just asking them if they know someone else that they could introduce you to. And then once they build the connection and know that you’re not asking for anything from them, they’re like, “Oh, I can do that.” Exactly.

That’s awesome. Something my parents taught me to say is, what card would you like to use?

Oh, what credit card?

Yeah.

So, there’s a better way to ask that. It’s, which credit card would you like to use? Visa or American Express? So, you actually give them a choice. ‘Cause if you ask what credit card do you wanna use, then it’s an open ended. Well on that question, maybe you actually wanna give them a this or a that option. Do you wanna use this Visa or do you wanna use that American Express?

And something, my dad and I went to a business event and he said, “What’s your favorite question to ask?” I said, “What card would you like to use?”

That’s so awesome. Yeah, if you get used to asking people what’s their favorite credit card to use. Or, which would you prefer? Would you like to use your American Express card or your Visa card? ‘Cause then it gets it a little more specific.

Well, we actually need to take a quick break. But really fast, where

can people go to find out more about you?

The best place to go is thepitchqueen.com.

Thepitchqueen.com. Go check it out, she’s awesome.

Awesome. So, we’ve been talking with Michelle Weinstein about Pitch Like a Woman. We’ll be right back.

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