Winning pitches, the art and the science

            Hello digital people. If you work on an agency or you are planning to do so in the close future, or even if you are interested in marketing or public relations; for a successful career you need to acquire the knowledge and the necessary skills to win business projects. You need to master the art and science of building an effective pitch that grabs the client’s attention to the extent that they will be looking forward to work with you. How do you create that essential chemistry with the firm?

            Before starting with the specific skills and tips that you need to have in order for your pitch to be competitive enough to win a business contract I want you to draw the attention on the personality issue. Being charismatic is a must, and it comes from your personality. Analyse yourself and consider if you have made other people laugh, or sense that when you have the word people pay thorough attention at what you say. Yes I am implying that some individuals by nature are better salesman, who communicate their ideas concisely and they easily build an emotional bond between the clients.  Can you learn and master these skills if you were not born with them? Certainly I think so. I am a fervent believer that hard work, continuous practice and positive thinking will pay off. So don’t lower your head if you consider yourself as a shy person who has difficulties communicating. It may sound cliché but anyone can be prepared for a winning pitch-so let’s plunge on.

Within a pitch you have two important variables the client and the product that you are selling. I want this to be very clear guys; for a successful pitch you have to do your homework and study as much as you can about the product and your client.

Thomas Edison once said: “I don’t invent anything I can’t sell”.

            While Robin Fielder (Management guru) said: “The over-riding objective is to become a valued resource to the customer, rather than someone who sells”.

            You have to be convinced that your creative idea is actually feasible and the best quality. If you really believe, that sense of confidence will be demonstrated in your pitch getting an edge over your competition. And second, very important more than a salesman you must portrayed yourself as a friend. If you create that emotional link between you and your client and build up chemistry between each other I can assure you that your pitch is more than half way through.

            I consider that Alan Gleeson summarized properly the key tips for a successful pitch:

1. Know your audience

All presenters are taught about the importance of knowing their audience and engaging with them on a personal level where possible. The Internet has enabled us to research more effectively than we were able to in previous years, so it is important to use this resource to our advantage.

2. Tell a story

One of the most effective ways to pitch is to place the creative marketing strategy in the context of a story. Ideally, the story will focus on a problem encountered and the fact that the new idea being pitched solves this particular problem. If the clients can relate to the problem, they are more likely to embrace the idea in their business.

3. Prepare to win

Pitching to an investor is not a last-minute afterthought – it is the culmination of weeks, if not months, of planning. All too often, entrepreneurs do not plan accordingly and then find that the preparation of their business pitch suffers. Preparation for the pitch should commence as soon as the business plan process commences.

4. Pay strict attention to the detail

Your typical investor will have a good eye for detail and hence the plan and its pitch need to be mutually reinforcing and containing no inherent contradictions.

5. Avoid death by PowerPoint®

While the average plan is produced in Microsoft® Word and Excel, PowerPoint tends to be the tool of choice for presentations. While it undoubtedly has advantages in terms of aesthetics, it can be misused when utilised at the pitch stage. The number of slides should be kept to the bare minimum, the content must be rigorously analysed to ensure relevance and clarity and time must be managed carefully. It is recommended each investor receives a slide deck, which contains more detail than the presentation itself (with Appendices used extensively). Finally, it is important to manage the subsequent Q&A process carefully as this is the stage where the investor gets to request information about details that they require to convince them that the proposal is indeed worthy of their investment.

6. Get the numbers right

Clients tend to be very focused on numbers, so all facts must be accurate. The numbers should be realistic and defensible and at least one of those pitching the plan needs to be prepared for in-depth questions relating to the projected financials. While it is easy to couch ‘the opportunity’ in technical terms, future growth projections, supporting demographic trends, etc., clients will focus on hard evidence. Remember that clients have options – it is a competition, so you need to sell your idea as the best option for their business.

7. Practise the presentation

By producing a credible business plan and presenting your case persuasively, you will significantly enhance your ability to win.

8. Excite them

Entrepreneurs pitch to clients to sell them an idea. There must be something unique about the idea, and it must be pitched with conviction, so as to grab the attention of clients who deal with dozens of marketing strategies every month. This was summed up by former Dragons’ Den investor Simon Woodroffe in a BBC2 show, when he said,

“You gotta make me feel like I’m going to miss out”.

9. Learn the lessons

Do not get too downhearted if a pitch is unsuccessful. The clients are likely to give clear reasons for their lack of interest, and this feedback must be considered carefully as it may shape improvements in subsequent pitches. The presenter should segment the various feedback points into groups.

10. Remember the purpose of the pitch

Finally, while the emphasis may well be on an idea, it is important to remember that the pitch has a very specific purpose. This must not get lost in all the details. If the purpose is to win the business project, the presenter needs to ask questions after the presentation to ensure the audience has gained sufficient information with which to make a decision. So as to maintain credibility, the presenter needs to consider all the various eventualities before undertaking the pitch so that the pitch does not go flat at the end when the issues of substance need to be agreed.

            Above all these tips remember:

            In your presentation manage your time. Client’s time is valuable and you don’t want to over extend your presentation and make your clients stare at the clock. As well be relevant, clear and colourful. Try to be creative in your presentation, your objective is to amaze the clients with your marketing idea and much of it has to do the way you present it.

            If you have done well you will see a smile on the face of the client at the end of your pitch; and that I will call it a success my friends.

            The video below is an example of the necessary skills needed for a presentation. Without going out of the topic and starting making judgmental statements about the video, the following is Obama’s speech towards the world about the reasons for attacking Lybia. During his speech Obama was confident, concise, focus and even charismatic.

             Analyse yourself, understand your flaws and your strengths. Making a successful pitch is a learning process; don’t get discouraged if you didn’t win the first time; understand your mistakes and don’t repeat them. Be positive and realistic and never give up. Master the skills above and winning pitches will come every day. Best!