Pitch Perfect

I’ve just read ‘How Not to Come Second’ by David Kean and it’s confirmed some long held views I have about pitching: the winner really does take all!

Typically there is only one winner from a pitch. And lots of seconds – think about it, how many pitches have you lost where the client has said that you’ve come third, fourth or fifth? In a pitch you either win or you come second and there are no silver medals to console you either. Face it, if you don’t win, you’ve lost. Loser!

A pitch is often won, or lost, before the pitch. I know of no business theory, management consultant or guru who recommends holding back your ideas for as long as possible and then, at the last moment, surprising your client, magician-like, as a regularly effective strategy. And yet so many pitches are conducted that way. The client gives you a brief… you (and a pitch team) invest hundreds of hours often with no contact with the client… then, on the day of the pitch, you wade through reams of theory and research until finally, often with just minutes remaining, you reveal your ideas and solutions. Then, and with a self satisfied or slightly nervous smile, you sit back and ask if there are any questions! Let’s be honest, not really ideal is it?

Now I accept that sometimes this approach works (I suspect when all the other competitors are acting similarly and your ideas are clearly stronger), however how many times have you followed this approach and lost? Too many? Then read on!

What can you do to come first more often? Here are the top ten tips:

1. Remember, above all else, that the only objective is to win the pitch – nothing else.  The ideas you present might never see the light of day after the pitch and I guarantee they won’t if you lose.
   
2. Meet the client as often as possible before the pitch and try and meet everyone who will be on the client’s selection panel.  The key to winning pitches is to demonstrate winning relationships.
   
3. Involve the client in your research and discuss your initial ideas with them before the pitch. Ask for feedback and get them involved – make your ideas their ideas.
   
4. Only have your very best team pitch. Fred might be an excellent account manager who the client will grow to love and depend on but if he looks and sounds like Freddy “Parrot Face” Davies then leave him at the office.  You have an hour to impress, you can’t afford to give poor presenters the floor – they will have lots of opportunity to show how good they are once you’ve won.
   
5. Rehearse your pitch as if your life depended on it. You should be word perfect. Also, rehearse your adlibs and sudden insights even more thoroughly.  Your confidence will soar if everyone knows what they’re going to say and when – and make sure you’ve rehearsed all the difficult questions too and particularly the really nasty ones that you just pray they won’t ask – they will!
   
6. Keep visual aids to a minimum and make sure they have impact, are immediately understandable and reinforce the points you’re making.
   
7. Only use PowerPoint if you absolutely have to. And then think again about using it and find something else. PowerPoint hinders far more presentations than it helps. Why on earth would you want your audience to be staring at a screen when they could be observing you, oozing enthusiasm, instead?  If you really can’t live without it, then please make sure that the slides are interesting and actually enhance what you’re saying.  And remember; only losers read off their PowerPoint slides. 
   
8. The 80/20 rule applies to pitches as well as many other aspects of life.  80% of the client’s selection criteria will be about you, your team and the future relationship. 20% will be about your ideas and solutions.  Allocate the presentation time accordingly.
   
9. ‘Leave behind’ documents appeal to the left brainers but the rest of us file them – often in a round place! Invest your effort instead on a document that you deliver before the pitch. Think of it as warming up your audience and extending the pitch time.
   
10. Never, ever, overrun. However, always allow for the client to want to spend an extra hour or more with you. In other words, make all your points clearly and concisely and then have prepared further examples, case studies etc., if the client is showing interest.

Losing a pitch is just about the worst experience in business… and winning a pitch is one of the best. Read ‘How Not to Come Second’ by David Kean and follow the top ten tips above to really tune up your new business drive.

Peter Knight is chairman of Phoenix, a communications agency, and author of the best-selling ‘HEMP: Highly Effective Marketing Plans’. If you run a real business and have come up with a stunning marketing plan, or you want help to create one, Peter would love to hear from you at pk@phoenixplc.com