pitchman
Sells on TV
A pitchman is someone who sells goods or promotes ideas through persuasive, often aggressive talking—originally the hawkers at carnivals and street corners demonstrating products to crowds.
The term now applies to anyone doing promotional work: He became the pitchman for a reverse mortgage company.
Television infomercial hosts are modern pitchmen.
The word carries a slight suggestion of slickness or overselling.
Persuasive, flattering speaker
- silver-tonguedPersuasively articulate speaker
- charismaMagnetic personal appeal
- eloquencePersuasive verbal grace
- fast-talkPersuade through rapid deception
convincing · compelling · rhetoric · patter · spiel · charm · articulate · enticing
One who sells goods
- hawkerRoving vocal merchant
- peddlerRoving small-goods merchant
- merchantOne who sells wares
- demonstratorOne who protests publicly
seller · retailer · dealer · representative · agent · door-to-door · sidewalk · carnival
Argument against
- scamDishonest money-making scheme
- charlatanFaker claiming false expertise
- snake-oilFraudulent cure-all
- flimflamDeceptive scheme or nonsense
swindle · fraud · sham · huckster · grift · hoax · bamboozle · trickery
Extended TV sales broadcast
- spokespersonAuthorized representative communicator
- endorsementFormal expression of support
- advertisingPaid promotional communication
- marketingPromoting goods to consumers
commercial · testimonial · demonstration · campaign · publicity · branding · jingle · tagline
smooth-talker
Persuasive, flattering speaker
- silver-tonguedPersuasively articulate speaker
- charismaMagnetic personal appeal
- eloquencePersuasive verbal grace
fast-talk · convincing · compelling · rhetoric · patter · spiel · charm · articulate · enticing · engaging
vendor
One who sells goods
demonstrator · seller · retailer · dealer · representative · agent · door-to-door · sidewalk · carnival · boardwalk
con
Argument against
- scamDishonest money-making scheme
- charlatanFaker claiming false expertise
- snake-oilFraudulent cure-all
flimflam · swindle · fraud · sham · huckster · grift · hoax · bamboozle · trickery · cheat
infomercial
Extended TV sales broadcast
- spokespersonAuthorized representative communicator
- endorsementFormal expression of support
- advertisingPaid promotional communication
marketing · commercial · testimonial · demonstration · campaign · publicity · branding · jingle · tagline · sponsor
- persuaderspersuader, orator, orators, public speaker, speechmaker
- salespeoplesalesperson, sales reps, sales associates, sales agents, sales clerk
- spokespersonsspokesperson, spokesman, spokeswoman, brand ambassador, press secretary
- admencopywriter, creative director, art director, account executive, huckster
- Infomercialspaid programming, call now, order now, Billy Mays, ShamWow
- promoterspromoter, music promoter, concert promoter, party promoter, club promoter
pitchmanwatchdog
Guard or monitor
ombudsman · investigative journalist · product reviewer · critic · product tester