How to increase your chances of winning new business? Focus less on the pitch and more on nuturing the client relationship early on, says Frazer Gibney
Lose the jargon
"We've seen a good number of pitches here at Inferno and after the triumphs, and disappointments, elements that influence successful efforts have become apparent.
The first hurdle is only cleared by presenting compelling credentials and a distinct agency positioning. There is a lot of cringe worthy agency-cred-terminology out there, which doesn't even make sense (take a peek at agencywank.tumblr.com!). It's important to lose the bull****. But this is not as straight forward as it sounds and to get this right is an art form. To get client buy-in, you want to be seen as straight forward and sincere, with a no nonsense rhetoric."
Make the first impression count
"The final pitch is no longer about the big show; this was how pitches were won in the 80s and 90s. Nor is the presented 'big idea' the only tipping point, ask anyone in the game and you'll find it very rare to see pitch work running. The win starts well before the pitch, initially by the new business team, when the early relationships are nurtured."
Listen carefully
"The new business team's genius is to go beyond the 'requests for information' and uncover the client's real brief, with questions that will reveal the real agenda. Using this information wisely is the crucial factor, it is easy to 'hear' what you want to hear when you're being briefed. But to truly understand your potential client's agenda is where the upper hand lies; a solution, a pitch, which is in tune with these nuanced needs, is the one that will resonate the most loudly."
Get the chemistry right
"What gets you through the finish line though is human chemistry. Why court business from people you wouldn't want to pass a long train journey with? They wouldn't want to be stuck on one with you either. Making great ads is an intense process; and not a pleasant one with people you don't gel with. And here is the crux of the matter: it's not just about winning new business but keeping it. After all, new business is just the start of a new relationship, and crucially, the final cost of pitching will only be recovered after a year or more of a relationship, at the minimum."
