This is a presentation about winning new business pitches

It’s by Matthew Gain@matthewgain or matthewgain.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

CreditsI 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 Ma

rketing Ogilvy PR)– Marty Kellard

& Ian Elliot (Authors of Stop Bitching Start Pitching)

Thank you

@matthewgainmatthewgain.com