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

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

LET’S START WITH MY WORST ADVERTSING

PITCH EVER  

THE WORST ADVERTSING PITCH

EVER  

THE SCENARIO

Saatchi Brothers

Adidas CEO

 

 

?

THE SCENARIO

Very Big Personal Stakes…

…My Very Own London Agency

 

Our Adidas Insight:

Sports is a key ingredient In our humanity.

It brings out the best In us and it brings the

world together.

 

Maurice and Pharaohs

 

We Swung For The Fences

 

 

But Swung A Bit

Too Hard  

 

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

 

THE LEVITAN PITCH.

WIN MORE PITCHES.

WARNING: 119 SLIDES.

THE LEVITAN PITCH. TO PITCH OR NOT TO PITCH…

PITCHING IS: GOOD FOR YOU.

BAD FOR YOU.

PITCHING IS GOOD

Proof that your agency is healthy

Proof that your new business program is working

Proof that you are ‘sexy’

 

PITCHING IS BAD

Pitching is very expensive

Pitching eats up your staff

The 47% Factor

And… You will probably lose  

SORRY  

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  

MORE AGENCY MATH

Annual RFP / Pitching = $360,000

Plus…

Business Development = $150,000

The Real Annual Total = $510,000  

A  HALL  OF  FAME  BATTING  AVERAGE  

At .262 Your Agency’s Cost Per Win Is…

$133,000  

You Don’t Have To Swing At Everything.

So, Before You Commit,

Think About….

 

JUST SAYING NO!  

I Know, I Know.

It’s Hard To Say No.  

‘GO-NO-GO’ DECISION MATRIX  

How Clients Choose Agencies        

       Positioning Specialization Location Creativity Size Reputation Chemistry Culture          

How Clients Choose Agencies  

 

HOPE & FEAR          

How Did The Client Find You?

A Referral

Reputation / Press = Fame

Inbound Marketing

Outbound Marketing

 

Why Do They Want You?

Your Fame Your Location Your ‘Creativity’ Your Attitude Your Experience & Specialization

 

Why Do You Want Them? My Big 4…

Famous Client Loves ‘Creative’

Has Cash Nice People  

7 TOUGH

QUESTIONS

Before You Say Yes To The Pitch

 

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?

 

4.  Have you met with the client or

search consultant?

5.  What is the client’s agency history?

6.  Should this client hire you?

 

#7 THE TOUGHEST

QUESTION

 

Are You The Incumbent?

 

Sorry…In Most Cases

Only 10% of Incumbents Win.

 

OK, GO WIN IT

 

1.  PROCESS 2.  CONTENT DEVELOPMENT

3.  PRESENTATION PREP

4.  DELIVERY  

PROCESS

 

PROCESS: Your ‘Chosen One’

Brains & Time Respect Personal responsibility Detail orientation

 

PROCESS: Your Team

Best presenters only

Strategists

Synergy

Back home / training

 

“Single biggest mistake is forgetting the client’s brief.” Joanne Davis.

 

#1 READ THE BRIEF!

PROCESS: The Client’s Brief

Study the brief

Do a SWOT analysis

Write a Pitch Creative Brief

Know who will be in the room

 

PERSONAS PLEASE

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?”

 

PROCESS: “War Room”

The hub = focus

Physical format to frame issues

Timetable & responsibilities

Google / Basecamp / ProofHub

 

PROCESS: Meeting Control

Meeting leader

State the objectives

Start on time… Time = $$$

Read the room!

 

CONTENT

 

Meet Our Truly

WONDERFUL AGENCY

 

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.

CONTENT: Client Think

The pitch is about ‘them’ Understand their rational and emotional needs

Winning is about minds and hearts

 

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

 

KISS Keep It Simple Stupid

 

CONTENT: KISS

“Four Square…” = 272 Words

“I Have A Dream” = 17 Minutes

“If It Doesn't Fit You Must Acquit”

 

WOW! THEM

 

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

Bill Bernbach

CONTENT: WOW! Insights

Digital Tools:

Search / PDF’s / Topsy eMarketer / Compete Blogs / Google Trends

 

Is It Hispanic Or Latino?

 

CONTENT: WOW! Insights Agency Tools:

Research / Industry Blogs Online Surveys/ Interviews Mystery Shopper / Video ‘Cute’ Strategic Charts

 

   

CONTENT: Case Histories

“Why are they showing me this irrelevant and LOOONG case history?”

“Yawn…”

 

London Advertising: A Concise Case History System

CONTENT: Spec Creative?

Spec sucks

The other agencies suck

Get over it – Just Do It Unless the client is very unreasonable

 

 

 

CHUTZPAH &

BHAG’s  

PREP

 

“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

PREP: Have An Agency System

Have a standardized RFP and Pitch System

Take the time to get it right

But, be careful…

 

PREP: Back To Personas

Blind dates are so yesterday

Hone the client personas

Hire an industry expert

… A LinkedIn insight trick

 

     

 

“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  

     

 

Passionate and innovative marketers The brand strategy process Global team leaders Global brand positioning Cross – functional and cultural

KIA’s EVP  Michael  Sprague  “Likes”  

PREP: It’s Sales Stupid

 

PREP: Follow The Script

 

Think This Guy Winged It?

 

PREP: Rehearse Rehearse & Rehearse

But… Watch out for over rehearsal

 

DELIVERY

 

DELIVERY: Own The Room

Scout the room -- Ask

Prep – Goodby & Atari

Tech glitches

You are the host

 

DELIVERY: Clock Slavery

Arrive very early – AT&T

Maintain total control

Pay attention

Have 2 hours? Plan for 1.5

 

Don’t Eat

BUILD CHEMISTRY

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

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

 

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

 

DELIVERY: Body Language Verbal – words, content – 7% Vocal – tone, pitch, intonation – 38% Visual – body language, gestures,

facial expression – 55%  Albert Mehrabian

 

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

 

 

 

DELIVERY: Presentation Tools  

 

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

 

Unless You Are Tom Peters

 

DELIVERY: Presentation Tools

You Can KISS

 

DELIVERY: The End… Gently but firmly “follow-up”

Win or loose: Get honest feedback via a Post-pitch questionnaire!!!

 

WHEW!

(104 Slides)

ME KISS? – NOT!

 

HOW TO NOT

WIN PITCHES.

MISTAKES REDUX.

THANKS!

peterlevitan.com