winning new business
TRANSCRIPT
Understanding the pitch process – winning new
business
The 4 crucial aspects of creating winning pitches
Content Audience Delivery Logistics
Ideas and Drama
Profiling and Chemistry
Structure and Preparation
Environment and Setting
Delivering Winning Pitches
• Understand the pitch process • Write a compelling proposal/presentation • Understand winning behaviours • Get the chemistry right • Deliver it convincingly!
Writing Compelling Proposals and Presentations
• Clearly understand what you are being invited to submit…
• Then question it politely • Remember people don’t know what they don’t know • So they are incapable of articulating it with any
conviction • You may be asked to submit a proposal …but the client/
commissioner may not know what they really want or need
Understanding The Pitch Process
• What do we mean by the pitch process? • What factors come into play? • The importance of chemistry and
understanding who you are pitching to • The development your proposals – logical
argument to brilliant ideas
Hierarchy of Desirable Pitching Behaviour
Soft
Hard
Hierarchy of Desirable Pitching Behaviour
Soft
Hard Hygiene
Hygiene – just getting the basics right
• Answering the brief! • Managing time! • Attention to detail • Client Names/Spellings/Client Structure
Losing Tactics – snatching defeat from the jaws of victory
• Ignore the hang–ups – drink, smoke etc. • Bore them to death – particularly with their own research • Tell them about your company when they already know
you • Abuse time mercilessly • Ignore budget constraints • Rude • Insensitive • P…
Hierarchy of Desirable Pitching Behaviour
Hygiene
Resource and effort
Soft
Hard
Resource and Effort
• Quality of the team • Preparation • Obvious rehearsal • Importance to you • Wanting the business
Hierarchy of Desirable Pitching Behaviour
Soft
Hard
Hygiene
Resource and effort
Team
Hard
The Team
• People you want to do business with • Working together to a common cause • Will actually work on the client’s business • Can easily ‘lose’ won pitches
Hierarchy of Desirable Pitching Behaviour
Soft
Hard Hygiene
Resource and effort
Team
Argument
Argument
• Have one… • Clear cohesive strategy • Cutting through the … • Customer understanding • Realistic and pragmatic reason to be there
Hierarchy of Desirable Pitching Behaviour
Soft
Hard Hygiene
Resource and effort
Team
Argument
Ideas
Ideas and Creativity
• Always a good idea to have some • Your audience see themselves as creative – even if they
don’t admit to it • ‘Commercial’ idea built upon genuine understanding and
a genuine argument • Dramatising the breadth, length and depth of the idea is
seductive • Be integrated think holistically across platforms…
Hierarchy of Desirable Pitching Behaviour
Soft
Hard
Chemistry
Chemistry is crucial and cannot be left to chance
Chemistry
• That soft yucky stuff! • The X Factor • Remember we work in a relationship industry • Doesn't sound professional – so seldom given
as a reason to buy or not as the case may be • #1 Reason……………………….. always
Is Chemistry Important?
• Seldom talked about • A wimpy reason • Fact: People buy more from people they get on
with • Fact: They buy even more from those people
they like… • Personality profiling helps get it right
Hierarchy of Desirable Pitching Behaviour
Soft
Hard Hygiene
Resource and effort
Team
Argument
Ideas
Chemistry
Under standing
Massive Understanding of..
• The audience • The platforms • The brief or commissioning need • The culture • But above all the individual you are pitching to • What they love and what keeps them up at night! • The ultimate in database marketing
So what impresses clients?
• Each pitch is different • Each set of needs is different • However…
Winning Pitches
• Resource - effort, people, will • Rifle - specific target • Research - understanding market and
prospect • Rationale - argument • Razzle - (not really!) creativity • Rapport - chemistry plus teamwork
Winning Pitches
Say Thank You
Writing and delivering a compelling presentation
• Pure effective communication • Neither a speech nor a discussion • A presentation planned, organized, uses visual
aids and is most importantly “tailored” for the specific audience
• Effective communication is an exchange of ideas, energy and actions, with understanding and purpose between two people are aware of each other
How do you define a presentation?
Organizing your presentation Opening Remarks
Creative Opening Bridge
Subject
Agenda 1 Agenda 2
Summary 3
Body 1 Body 2 Body 3
Conclusion
Summary 1 Summary 2
Agenda 3
Step 6
Step 7
Step 1
Step 3
Step 4
Step 5
Step 2
• Subject/Topic/Recommendation • Conclusion/Main Idea/Recommendation • Agenda • Body • Summary • Creative Opening and Bridge (optional) • Opening Remarks • Transitions (Including Lead-Ins and Mini-Conclusions)
Order of Preparation
• Assign a team “Captain” • Hold an initial meeting • Set up planning and preparation schedules • Hold second meeting • Undertake a read through and/or rehearsal • Conduct a dress rehearsal • Conduct the presentation • Review the presentation
Team Presentations
Delivering your presentation with conviction
Audience Analysis
Set an Objective
Select Persuasive Information
Choose A Structure
Create Visual Aids
Read Through
DO IT
Review
Top 10 tips – winning pitches made easy
• Is the pitch real? • Uncover the budget and timescale • Do your research • Build a relationship early • Be positive – want the gig! • Think about what your wearing • Encourage engagement – don’t talk incessantly • Read the audience • Create rapport with the client • Remember clients are people too! Pamper them...
And Finally…
• Please remember….
‘Everything has a beginning, middle and an end’
Aristotle 384BC
• Thank you