What makes a good sales pitch? If you're selling to the corporate market, let me be frank with you. Nothing in the whole wide world makes a good sales pitch.

Corporate decision makers despise pitches. Everyone who meets with them spouts out platitudes about how wonderful their companies are, how incredible their technology is or how passionate they are about customer service. Or, they babble on and on about their unique methodology and amazing credentials.

When you have the opportunity to meet with a corporate decision maker, remember that a pitch is like the plague. They'll run from you as fast as they can.

So what do you when you're together? How about sharing a real-life example of how you've helped a similar customer address their challenges or achieve their goals? How about talking about how key industry trends are impacting their business?

Have a conversation, not a presentation. Talk about what's important to them. Come prepared with provocative questions. Bring them ideas, insights and information that make meeting with you worthwhile.

But whatever you do -- don't do a pitch.