As an agency, pitching to potential clients is one of the most important things to learn. If it’s done right, pitching will help you make a strong impression on these audiences so that they will consider your agency for all of their campaign needs.
A pitch is a brief presentation used to provide your audience with a quick overview of your business plan. Contrary to popular belief, having a pitch doesn’t necessarily mean you’re selling something—you are just presenting what you or your agency has to offer and providing reasons to support why you are the best agency to work with.
Before beginning the pitch, make sure you have done research on the client. Personal values, products offered, and team members are all things that make them unique. Knowing this information helps personalize the pitch and make a great impression. Make sure everyone on the team knows this information because each team member needs to be able to answer questions from the client.
Since the pitch will likely be taking the form of a PowerPoint presentation, I recommend having at least one slide for the following information:
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An introduction of the agency and team members who are presenting.
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The pitch for the idea or campaign itself that has been developed by your agency.
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A clear explanation of strategies- what would they be spending their money on?
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Past success stories from the agency you are representing. Showing successful campaigns will prove to the client that you are trustworthy and reliable.
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Provide a business model or an expected schedule. Having some sort of schedule or organized plan, like a content calendar, will show the client that you have done the research and believe you can get results by a certain deadline.
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Questions? Concerns? Ask the client if there is anything you may not have covered in the presentation and answer any questions regarding it. Remember: before beginning the pitch, make sure the entire team will be able to answer these questions.
Finish the presentation with a final “thank you” and provide your contact information. No more than a day following the pitch, send the potential client a follow-up email and promise them any extra deliverables.
These days, it isn’t unlikely that you may have to present your pitch remotely over video chat. If this is the case, don’t panic. Here are some tips to help you out:
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Do not have any other tabs or windows open if you plan on sharing the screen
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Ask the client if you have their permission to record the session
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Check internet connectivity beforehand
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Have a backup presenter in your group in case someone’s connection drops
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Make sure you are in a quiet space with nothing distracting around you (pets, loud roommates, inappropriate posters, etc.)
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Set up a meeting and be present at least 10 minutes prior
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This way, no one is kept waiting and you can make sure everyone is present before the client arrives
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Have a predetermined order in which team introductions will be made so that no one talks over each other
In short, here are the basic “Do’s and Don’ts” for client pitching:
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Be engaging
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Have a “point-person” to maintain flow and a notetaker so you can review everything later
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Keep a consistent look in the presentation
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Keep it simple & straightforward
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Use pictures and graphics
Do:
Don't:
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Use too many bullet points
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Make it too long
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Sound like a robot
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Come unprepared
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Use small font