Tips for winning new business

This is a presentation about winning new business pitches
It’s by Matthew Gain
@matthewgainormatthewgain.com

A few things I know
Winning business is one of the most important aspects of working in an agency, but it isn’t always easy to do
The best agency doesn’t always win
There can be many factors that can determine who the client selects that are not included in the brief
Relationships matter – sometimes more than you can imagine
The decision process does not commence when the presentations begin
The decision process does not end when the presentations end

But there is something else…

Your presentation is a performance

Your desired client is the audience

The client will often buy the best performance. Not always the best agency…

How to make a great performance
Know what the audience wants and treat them with respect
Know the genre well
Feature star performers
Ensure the performance is error free
Engage your audience
Build anticipation and climaxes
Remember it’s not over till the fat lady sings

Let me break it down for you

Know what the audience wants
What the clients states in the brief may not be the real problem
Do your research on the company, competitors and sector
Know strengths, weaknesses opportunities and threats
Speak with as many people within the organisation as possible – push hard if necessary for this access
Ask them what they want/don’t want in your response
Read media coverage, analyst reports, review conversations online
Build a relationship

Know the genre well
Don’t wear suits if you’re speaking to Nike
Don’t wear Nike if you’re speaking to Adidas
Match your team to their team
Grey hairs like grey hairs
Hipsters like people who ride fixies
Speak the right language
Even better speak their language
I know that COI has worked in EMEA, but here in APAC we still think a BMU and OSG split is best
That is actually a real conversation I had
Know what their competitors have done and don’t copy

Feature star performers
Give the starring roles to your best performers
If the client knows your agency because of a certain individual ensure they are involved
Play to strengths
Not everyone is right for the spotlight, some people are better operating the spotlight
If a performer is not cutting it drop them, it is for the good of the performance
Know which stars are right for which audience

Make sure it is error free
Rehearse
Rehearse
Rehearse
Rehearse
Rehearse
Rehearse

Make sure it is error free
Know the room where the performance will be given
Know where you want the client to sit
Take your own IT and have a back up
Workshop potential questions and know who will answer them
Rehearse again

Generate engagement
Make it a conversation, not a pitch
State the problem and get the client to agree - this will make them feel like part of the solution
Invite feedback and adjust your suggestions on the fly

Build anticipation and climaxes
Dress the room, this should be no ordinary meeting
Do something memorable and unexpected
Use props
Wear a costume
Maybe not use PPT?
Don’t simply unveil the ‘solution’ take the audience on a journey
Pause for effect

It’s not over till the fat lady sings
The end of your presentation is not the end of the performance
Follow up anything you felt was not strong and clarify anything you missed
Even a no is not even the end of the performance, it is merely signifies an extended performance

Credits
I learnt this stuff from either reading the words or learning from these people:
Chris Savage (CEO STW)
Michelle Hutton (CEO Edelman Aus)
Samantha Allen (MD Global Consumer Marketing Ogilvy PR)
Marty Kellard & Ian Elliot (Authors of Stop Bitching Start Pitching)

Thank you@matthewgainmatthewgain.com

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Tips for winning new business

by Matthew Gain on Sep 25, 2011

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Tips for winning new business — Presentation Transcript