2. Answer the fracking question
It's not about the right answer
Share early
Brutal simplicity
Mirror
Posture
Organise
Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse
If you can’t tweet it don’t pitch it
6. Answer the fracking question
It's not about the right answer
Share early
Brutal simplicity
Mirror
Posture
Organise
Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse
If you can’t tweet it don’t pitch it
8. Answer the fracking question
It's not about the right answer
Share early
Brutal simplicity
Mirror
Posture
Organise
Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse
If you can’t tweet it don’t pitch it
9. DECISION
CHEMISTRY Q&A WIP PITCH FOLLOW-UP
BRIEF
NEW BRIEF
Win the business before the
presentation
• Formal and informal contact
• Use friendships / past
contacts
• Don’t stop after the pitch
10. Answer the fracking question
It's not about the right answer
Share early
Brutal simplicity
Mirror
Posture
Organise
Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse
If you can’t tweet it don’t pitch it
13. Answer the fracking question
It's not about the right answer
Share early
Brutal simplicity
Mirror
Posture
Organise
Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse
If you can’t tweet it don’t pitch it
15. Answer the fracking question
It's not about the right answer
Share early
Brutal simplicity
Mirror
Posture
Organise
Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse
If you can’t tweet it don’t pitch it
16.
17.
18. Answer the fracking question
It's not about the right answer
Share early
Brutal simplicity
Mirror
Posture
Organise
Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse
If you can’t tweet it don’t pitch it
19. GET AHEAD OF THE GAME
Request for
Information
Chemistry
meeting
Pitc
h
Brie
f
Strategic
document
submitted
Decision
Pitch
presentatio
n
December January February March April
Shadow team
set up
Research .
Potential
Chemistry
Questions
Deep dive
into issues
discussed
23. Answer the fracking question
It's not about the right answer
Share early
Brutal simplicity
Mirror
Posture
Organise
Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse
If you can’t tweet it don’t pitch it
24.
25. Answer the fracking question
It's not about the right answer
Share early
Brutal simplicity
Mirror
Posture
Organise
Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse
If you can’t tweet it don’t pitch it
27. MUST DO
Answer the fracking question
It's not about the right answer
Share early
Brutal simplicity
Mirror
Posture
Organise
Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse
If you can’t tweet it don’t pitch it
29. IF ALL ELSE FAILS, 7 READY MADE EXCUSES
1. The clients weren’t ready for our solution
2. They bought an individual in the other agency
3. We are too big
4. We are too small
5. It was a stitch up from the start
6. We’re too expensive
Notes de l'éditeur
Get the whole pitch team, on day one or two, to agree what it actually is that we are pitching
At same time, try to draft what it is that you would like the client to take away from the pitch experience you create for them.
Map out on a page what the key components of a narrative might be, do this as a team. Weight the different sections
Inevitably, work that wins pitches often doesn’t run in the real world. Having a string point of view and showing how that translates into great work is much more important in the decision making process than getting the answer right. You are in a pitch. You are likely to know very little about the business or brand you are pitching. A good answer is often better than the right answer.
Don’t hold back your thinking and work for a ‘big reveal’. Involve clients early, as much as possible. Make them a partner in your pitch.
People consistently over estimate how much information and thinking people can absorb. Pitch teams become very familiar with their thinking as they refine their stories. A Pitch Doctor, commenting along the way but isolated from the the main pitch is useful to help pitch teams home their stories.
Making your points visually memorable and compelling is important
Mirroring involved reflecting back clients existing thinking and approach. Where possible show how your thinking supports and strengthens client thinking. Use their existing slides in a visually recognisable way in your own slides when constructing your story.
How you tell your story matters. Do not present what you do not believe in. Conviction matters. Be simple and convincing.
Don’t be afraid to be memorable. Agency decks all look the same these days. Strong ideas that emphasise your key themeare memorable for clients and can make you stand out.
Get ahead of the game
If the pitch team doesn’t work well together what hope have you of people wanting to work with the pitch team? Getting the right team culture working should be part of the pitch process and agency culture.
Handovers need to be instinctive
Roles and responsibilities should be defined and assigned early.
Rehearsing is essential. Not just a final deck, but having people talk through their thinking to the pitch team during the process. This requires a pitch team time commitment. Some people prefer not to rehearse, others develop a word perfect script. Whatever the personal style, the pitch team need to sit through rehearsals together and tell the pitch team what they think they will be saying. Until everyone is confident.
If you can’t tweet your pitch you probably can’t express it clearly enough to win
Some good books to dip into.
Some excuses for the pub if you lose. Everyone loses sometimes. And if you’ve put in what you should have to win. It should hurt to lose.