westminster university lecture: new business pitches - art or science?

PITCHING: ART OR SCIENCE?Richard Houghton (@rhoughton)

11th March 2014

Who is the guy at the front?

Associate partner, AgencyPeople Management consultancy: ‘We help agencies grow’

PR Week’s – Agency Doctor

25 year PR consultancy track record: Founder specialist agency, Carrot Communications MD – Ketchum London CEO – Shandwick Public relations SVP – Fleishman Hillard Chairman, PRCA President, International Communications Consultants

Organisation

Engage in the next 60 minutes and decide for yourself...

Pitching Art or Science?

Three parts of pitching puzzle

1. Brief & Objectives

2. Insight &

Strategy

3. Presentat

ion

Brief and Objectives

Understanding What the Prospect Wants

Getting the Full Brief

Objectives Audience/

stakeholders Messages Supporting data Timescales Budgets Evaluation criteria

Keep my boss happy

Help my career Win an award Bring some fun to

my work life Help me build my

network

Overt Expectations Covert Expectations

What will have happened in the next12 months for the programme to be a success?

The golden question

Working the brief

Get it in writing Confirm it with the prospect BEFORE

preparing your proposal Share it with ALL the pitch team Check it against your programme and

presentation: EVERY step of the way The prospect will expect you to tick every

box!

Objectives

Develop measurable PR objectives: If not measurable how do we demonstrate value

and success? Can be understood by no PRs in client Lets you charge more or negotiate a fee bonus

Development: Specific Measurable Achievable Relevant Time bound= SMART

Sample objective

Estate agent business objective: Increase the number of house buyers and sellers signing up with them

Communications objective: Action – attract more people to estate agent’s web site to see benefits

of using them Audience – ABC 1, Birmingham and Manchester, £28k+ per

annum Timescale – six months Measurement – 12% increase

Communicate the benefits of using estate agent member in order to increase number of visits of ABC1 in Birmingham and

Manchester by 12% to website in next six months

Insight & Strategy

Insight

Insights help us cut through noise to reach audiences

Can shift ‘stuck behaviour’ Move understanding of trend, client

research or customer behaviour: From – ‘What it is’ To – ‘What it means’

Motivating and provocative way of looking at situation

Wide range of data sources

Forms of Insight

Changes in behaviour Sector trends that fit with or could lead

media agenda Consumer patterns Revisit existing research Why do consumers do what they do? Blockages to change

Using Insights

Output Aha! moment Trigger strategy Basis for brainstorms

Write down – short sharp sentences Specific not general Not hard sell Are emotive - resonate

PR Strategies

Build it around the insight Make sure it runs through the whole

presentation; The ‘red thread’

Make sure it fits with the PR objective Consider:

Does you PR objective and strategy support a client business objective?

Is it simple enough to explain quickly and clearly in the presentation?

Do you believe it will work?

Presentation

Before you present

Match your team to the prospect Ideally you need to meet the prospect BEFORE pitch

Find out: Where you are presenting? How long do you have? How many you are presenting to? What the budget is – no budget no pitch Audio visual and props

If possible: Pre-test your strategy with prospect Get to know as much as you about the client’s personal

needs Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse

Presentation content

Make sure you have a big opening and close! Think like a magician

Consider what you want to be remembered for: There will be a minimum of three agencies

pitching We often look and sound the same!

Make sure every one on your team has a clear role and speaks

Listen hard to the questions you get asked: Agree before hand who will answer what

Final thought...think broadly and creatively

If you want to learn more..

Pitching Art or Science?

PITCHING: ART OR SCIENCE?Richard Houghton (@rhoughton)

11th March 2014