This is the presentation deck of Peter Levitan's keynote address at the Fuel Lines New Business Conference, Nashville, TN

1. THE LEVITAN PITCH.
Nashville, October 8, 2015
Peter Levitan

2. I’VE BEEN IN
YOUR SHOES.
100+ PITCHES.

3. LET’S START WITH MY
WORST ADVERTSING
PITCH EVER

4. THE WORST
ADVERTSING PITCH
EVER

5. THE SCENARIO
Saatchi Brothers
Adidas CEO

6. ?

7. THE SCENARIO
Very Big Personal Stakes…
…My Very Own London Agency

8. Our Adidas Insight:
Sports is a key ingredient
In our humanity.
It brings out the best
In us and it brings the
world together.

9. Maurice and
Pharaohs

10. We Swung
For The
Fences

12. But Swung
A Bit
Too Hard

14. THE MISTAKES
Ego-rich environment
Wrong team for Adidas
No rehearsals & very last minute
We actually didn’t know all of
the key decision makers

15. THE LEVITAN
PITCH.
WIN MORE
PITCHES.

16. WARNING:
119 SLIDES.

17. THE LEVITAN PITCH.
TO PITCH OR NOT
TO PITCH…

18. PITCHING IS:
GOOD FOR YOU.
BAD FOR YOU.

19. PITCHING IS GOOD
Proof that your agency is
healthy
Proof that your new business
program is working
Proof that you are ‘sexy’

20. PITCHING IS BAD
Pitching is very expensive
Pitching eats up your staff
The 47% Factor
And… You will probably lose

21. SORRY

22. SOME AGENCY MATH
10 RFP’s + 6 Pitches Per Year
RFP = $15,000 X 10 = $150,000
Pitch = $35,000 X 6 = $210,000
Annual Agency Cost = $360,000

23. MORE AGENCY MATH
Annual RFP / Pitching = $360,000
Plus…
Business Development = $150,000
The Real Annual Total = $510,000

24. A
HALL
OF
FAME
BATTING
AVERAGE

25. At .262 Your Agency’s
Cost Per Win Is…
$133,000

26. You Don’t Have To Swing
At Everything.
So, Before You Commit,
Think About….

27. JUST
SAYING
NO!

28. I Know, I Know.
It’s Hard To Say No.

29. ‘GO-NO-GO’
DECISION MATRIX

30. How Clients Choose Agencies
Positioning Specialization
Location Creativity
Size Reputation
Chemistry Culture

31. How Clients Choose Agencies
HOPE & FEAR

32. How Did The Client Find You?
A Referral
Reputation / Press = Fame
Inbound Marketing
Outbound Marketing

33. Why Do They Want You?
Your Fame Your Location
Your ‘Creativity’ Your Attitude
Your Experience & Specialization

34. Why Do You Want Them?
My Big 4…
Famous Client Loves ‘Creative’
Has Cash Nice People

35. 7 TOUGH
QUESTIONS
Before You Say Yes To The Pitch

36. 1. Has the client clearly stated
what they need?
2. Have they discussed their
budget and compensation?
3. Do you know the client’s
Agency selection criteria?

37. 4. Have you met with the client or
search consultant?
5. What is the client’s agency
history?
6. Should this client hire you?

38. #7
THE TOUGHEST
QUESTION

39. Are You
The Incumbent?

40. Sorry…In Most Cases
Only 10% of Incumbents Win.

41. OK,
GO
WIN
IT

42. 1. PROCESS
2. CONTENT DEVELOPMENT
3. PRESENTATION PREP
4. DELIVERY

43. PROCESS

45. PROCESS: Your ‘Chosen One’
Brains & Time
Respect
Personal responsibility
Detail orientation

46. PROCESS: Your Team
Best presenters only
Strategists
Synergy
Back home / training

47. “Single biggest mistake is
forgetting the client’s brief.”
Joanne Davis.
#1 READ THE BRIEF!

48. PROCESS: The Client’s Brief
Study the brief
Do a SWOT analysis
Write a Pitch Creative Brief
Know who will be in the room

49. PERSONAS PLEASE

50. PROCESS: Budget & Checklist
Have a pitch budget.
And, no…
“Oh shit, did you confirm, which
building, do you have the
connector, who has the leave
behind?”

51. PROCESS: “War Room”
The hub = focus
Physical format to frame issues
Timetable & responsibilities
Google / Basecamp / ProofHub

52. PROCESS: Meeting Control
Meeting leader
State the objectives
Start on time… Time = $$$
Read the room!

53. CONTENT

54. Meet
Our Truly
WONDERFUL
AGENCY

55. NO, IT’S ABOUT THEM!
“The single biggest mistake that agencies make is that
they are still desperate to talk about themselves, but
the best ones talk about the client from the off.”
Angus Crowther.

57. CONTENT: Client Think
The pitch is about ‘them’
Understand their rational and
emotional needs
Winning is about minds and hearts

58. ONE MORE TIME…
“Smart agencies bond with
prospects around their problem –
their business issue – not the
agency solution.”
Robin Boehler.

59. KISSKeep It Simple Stupid

61. CONTENT: KISS
“Four Square…” = 272 Words
“I Have A Dream” = 17 Minutes
“If It Doesn't Fit You Must Acquit”

62. WOW!
THEM

63. “At the heart of an effective
creative philosophy is the belief
that nothing is so powerful as an
insight into human nature…”
Bill Bernbach

65. CONTENT: WOW! Insights
Digital Tools:
Search / PDF’s / Topsy
eMarketer / Compete
Blogs / Google Trends

66. Is It Hispanic Or Latino?

67. CONTENT: WOW! Insights
Agency Tools:
Research / Industry Blogs
Online Surveys/ Interviews
Mystery Shopper / Video
‘Cute’ Strategic Charts

69. CONTENT: Case Histories
“Why are they showing me this
irrelevant and LOOONG case
history?”
“Yawn…”

71. London Advertising: A Concise Case History System

72. CONTENT: Spec Creative?
Spec sucks
The other agencies suck
Get over it – Just Do It
Unless the client is very unreasonable

75. CHUTZPAH
&
BHAG’s

76. PREP

77. “Approximately half of advertising professionals
surveyed say they are dissatisfied with the
current internal approach to pitching.
Unrealistic timelines. Long work hours.”
Manage Your Team:
The 47% Say…
Provoke Insights

78. PREP: Have An Agency System
Have a standardized RFP
and Pitch System
Take the time to get it right
But, be careful…

80. PREP: Back To Personas
Blind dates are so yesterday
Hone the client personas
Hire an industry expert
… A LinkedIn insight trick

81.
“David is one of the most passionate and innovative
marketers in the business. David's knowledge and
insights into the brand strategy process (vision,
segmentation, target customer, positioning, etc...)
enabled him to lead a global team in the
development of Mazda's global brand positioning
centered around "Zoom-Zoom". Having worked for
David in Japan, I witnessed how he easily adapts to
his environment, working cross-functionally and
cross-culturally.”
KIA’s EVP
Michael
Sprague
On
David

82.
Passionate and innovative marketers
The brand strategy process
Global team leaders
Global brand positioning
Cross – functional and cultural
KIA’s EVP
Michael
Sprague
“Likes”

83. PREP: It’s Sales Stupid

84. PREP: Follow The Script

85. Think This Guy Winged It?

87. PREP: Rehearse
Rehearse & Rehearse
But…
Watch out for over rehearsal

88. DELIVERY

89. DELIVERY: Own The Room
Scout the room -- Ask
Prep – Goodby & Atari
Tech glitches
You are the host

90. DELIVERY: Clock Slavery
Arrive very early – AT&T
Maintain total control
Pay attention
Have 2 hours? Plan for 1.5

91. Don’t Eat

92. BUILD
CHEMISTRY

93. “Practically every consultant, or 96%
of the sample, pointed to “chemistry”
as the key factor for winning.”
Avi Dan

94. “Where do the philosophies and
values of your firm align with those
of the client?”
Bob Wolf

95. DELIVERY: Interpersonal Chemistry
Remember the client personas
Keep the agency numbers low
Assign specific roles
Actively listen & lean in

96. DELIVERY: Body Language
Verbal – words, content – 7%
Vocal – tone, pitch, intonation – 38%
Visual – body language, gestures,
facial expression – 55%
Albert Mehrabian

97. DELIVERY: The ‘Leave Behind’
Support your brand & story
Write for downstream readers
Do not overwhelm (Paper!!)
Be digital and physical

99. DELIVERY: Presentation Tools

100. Death By PowerPoint
Dreaded Bullets
PPT As Tele Prompter
Over Stuffed Slides

101. Unless You Are Tom Peters

102. DELIVERY: Presentation Tools
You Can KISS

103. DELIVERY: The End…
Gently but firmly “follow-up”
Win or loose:
Get honest feedback via a
Post-pitch questionnaire!!!

104. WHEW!
(104 Slides)
ME KISS? – NOT!

105. HOW TO
NOT
WIN PITCHES.
MISTAKES REDUX.

118. THANKS!
peterlevitan.com