How To Run A Pitch

How To Run A Pitch
Stephen Greensted
4 June 2010

http://stephengreensted.wordpress.com

Before The Pitch Brief
• Research your potential new client and the
market
• Select a team comprised of the best
people for the job rather than people doing
their best
• Make sure this team has the capacity to
look after the new client if you win
• Appoint a pitch leader

The Pitch Briefing
• Be on time. Do not be late. Look clean and
tidy. Do not chew gum. First impressions
are very important
• It’s the start of a job interview, so do not
waffle, argue amongst yourselves, or
reminisce
• Do not criticise the pitch process
• Be enthusiastic and cheerful
• Ask questions

The Day After The Briefing

• Get the team together, and read through
the brief together. Remember to turn over
the page (this is not a joke, I have seen
this)
• If you are pitching with other offices, send
them the brief and go through it with them
on a conference call
• Start planning now

More Information, Please
• There’s a good chance that Procurement
is going to be very important. Go to see
them and find out what exactly they are
expecting to get for their money
• Take them seriously, and remember they
do not see you as added value. You are a
Cost
• Ask the client if you can meet some sales
people. They’ll be flattered and will help

Is It On Brief?
• At the minimum, your pitch must be on
brief. You can go beyond the brief if you’re
feeling lucky, but only if you’ve answered
the brief first
• Unless asked, only comment on the
running of a potential client’s business if:
– It’s requested in the brief
– You’re qualified to comment
– You make clear that it is just your opinion

Client Relations

• Do not go silent between briefing and
pitching. Stay in touch with the client
• Try out ideas. Tissue meetings are often
helpful. Get the client to own some of your
ideas
• Make your potential client feel wanted. Be
hungry, and let the client know


The Pitch
• Get to know who the people will be in the
pitch, and get to know them well
• Is the idea on brief? If yes, pitch. If
not, hmm, how did you get this far?
• Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse
• Have a central idea which needs no
explanation
• Use only relevant case histories
• Never argue amongst yourselves in a
pitch, and do not chew gum

Your Team
• Only take to a pitch people who will work
on the business
• Everyone on the team should have a
speaking role. Five is enough:
– MD. Creative Director. Planning Director.
Account Director. Either Account Handler or
Project Manager
• It is yours and the account director’s job to
check that you have answered the brief

Your Fee Proposal
• No waffling. Procurement will not want to
know that you interrogate social trends.
Use plain English. They will
• Be absolutely clear about how you arrived
at your fee proposal. Procurement people
can smell bullshit on the other side of the
planet. Honesty tends to take them
unawares, which they rather like


Summing Up
• This is sometimes called Hurry Up. Your
pitch should never exceed 90 minutes
• Quickly remind the clients of the brief, your
brilliant idea, and the utter splendour of
your team, invite questions, and then sit
down and listen
• You’ll know soon enough how the pitch
went

If You Win

• Be generous in your praise of your team
• Everyone else will hate them, but it will
make them more competitive
• Profusely thank the client, and get to work
quickly. You are now a long way ahead of
the game, so use this advantage ruthlessly
to get things done


Horrors I Have Seen
• During the pitch for Ross Frozen
Foods, our bearded creative director fell
asleep. On awakening and in a moment of
fuggy confusion, he fulsomely praised
Findus, Ross’ arch enemy. Result: four
week’s frantic work up in smoke
• During a pitch for British Midland early one
morning, our new business lady walked
into the room in a silver lamé
minidress, still stoned from the night
before http://stephengreensted.wordpress.com

Horrors As a Client
• During a pitch for Viners Cutlery, I
watched from the client side a well-known
PR agency from Covent Garden’s
Longacre committing suicide. The pitch
was delivered to five female clients and
me. The account director wore fishnet
tights, a miniskirt, a low cut top, and
chewed gum. My female clients wouldn’t
even discuss the pitch

Client Bad Behaviour
• Clients can be pretty awful, too
• The Maxell tape pitch should have ended
in court
• But just remember this: Clients have the
money, which is what you want.
• So, just put up with it, and do your best as
honestly and as cheerfully as you can
– And without chewing gum

My Thanks To

• Wendy Proctor, Head of Client Team, COI
• Rob Wilson, European Marketing
Director, Seiko,
• Alan Bishop, CEO, The Southbank Centre
• Libby Child, CEO, Aprais
• Michelle Zuther, Oneida UK


stephen@thegreenstedconsultancy.co.uk

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