Earlier this year I was asked by an agency to help them think about how they can win more pitches. So, I talked to lots of people in the marketing industry who hire market researchers, trainers, and creative agencies. This is what they told me.
1 It’s all about chemistry
This was the most common word people mentioned. Chemistry. Saying yes to a pitch is committing to a new relationship so first and foremost you must get on really well. Can you imagine spending time together in airports, at lunch, and in meeting rooms? Are they likable? Are they good company?
As well as personal chemistry, there’s professional chemistry. Does the agency ‘get’ my business, my category, and the challenges we’re facing? Do they understand where we’re coming from?
So, during the pitch meeting, focus first and foremost on chemistry.
There are a couple of watch-outs. Ensure you treat everyone in the client team with equal respect. Clients hate it when the agency only engages with the most senior people in the room. There’s also the chemistry within the pitch team. Do the agency team appear to like, respect, and trust each other, or have they simply been cobbled together for the pitch? Ensure the team that comes to the pitch is the team that is going to deliver the work. Clients want to know who the real project team will be.
2 They bring a fresh perspective
The agency needs to bring something new and exciting. Having a ‘standard’ approach is fine and can be reassuring, but they need to bring more to stand out from the crowd. Have they interpreted the brief in a new and interesting way? Are they suggesting a fresh or bespoke methodology? Clients need to feel the agency has thought deeply about the challenge and is bringing the outside in.
3 The client has a total belief that they’ll do a great job
This reassurance can come from several sources. Firstly, it comes from the gravitas of the people in the room. Do they appear confident and experienced enough to handle the brief? However, beware of coming across as arrogant or condescending. Secondly, do they have endorsements from other respected parties who worked with them in the past on similar challenges? Thirdly, is the agency able to respond effectively to any questions that are posed? Make sure you allow time for questions during the pitch meeting or ensure it’s a true dialogue. It also helps with chemistry building.
4 They’re responsive and enthusiastic
If requests are made, the answers come quickly. If emails are sent, they’re answered efficiently. Agencies must give the impression they’re keen and eager to deliver the work and that they’re a responsive, service-oriented organisation. Agencies must demonstrate that the work is really important to them and that they care about doing a great job. Wow them with your passion and energy. Don’t give the impression that you work on bigger and more important clients or that you don’t care whether you win or not.
5 Details matter
The pitch presentation needs to look great, with a distinctive visual language and personality so it stands out from the crowd. It needs to be easy to read and understand. Drop the jargon and business-speak. Plus, it needs to be accurate. Make sure it’s been copy-checked and that the names, logos, and addresses are all up to date. It needs to feel like a bespoke response to the brief, rather than a standardised pitch document that’s been pulled together randomly and without care and attention.
6 It’s priced fairly
If a budget has been given for the brief, the proposal needs to respect it. If there isn’t a budget, then the costs need to be open and transparent. Often, it’s not the cheapest price that wins. It’s the one that gives the best value and truly answers the brief.
So, to sum up
There’s never a guarantee of success in any pitch situation. You win some, you lose some. However, by following this advice you’ll give yourself a much better chance of success.