Have you ever pitched a fit in front of a prospective client? I hope so — otherwise they may have no clue why you’re presenting your services to them!
Many providers (vendors or consultants) fail to market themselves effectively in the crucial face-to-face presentation stage because of one primary failure — not pitching a fit. What I mean is, not explaining how your company/offering is the right solution for that particular client’s particular needs.
You’ve seen (and created?) those slide decks with the corporate history, the mission statement, the list of clients, and the bullet points about every capability we bring to the table, etc., etc. Time for a snooze. The prospective client really doesn’t care about all that blather. They want to know this: are you a “fit” for us?
In the first few minutes, you ought to be sure that you can articulate to the client what their actual needs are (translation: you’ve done your homework), and then why precisely you are the best match for them. Only if they quickly sense that you are pitching a great fit will they tune in to the rest of your presentation.
How can you accomplish this?
- Gather as much background information as possible about the exact nature of the client need(s) before deciding on what you will present.
- Tell a story up front about how you met a similar need for a similar client.
- Avoid a tidal wave of bullet points, and narrow the focus to your true core competencies that relate to that need.
- Don’t be afraid to pitch the standard capabilities slide deck overboard if the situation warrants a more interactive discussion.
Most of the presentations I’ve seen weren’t “Made to Stick.” Your goal should not be to simply cover as much verbal ground as you can. It should be to drive one or two major points home that demonstrate why you are the best fit.
Last year, I was one of a number of vendors invited to pitch capabilities to a pharmaceutical training client. I knew the drill, and how easy it would be to get lost in the crowd of vendors. Since I was there to discuss my consulting expertise, I decided not to “present” at all. Instead, I just gave a quick verbal overview, asked for someone to volunteer a current training problem, then began asking questions and consulting on the spot. Was it a bit risky? Sure. Was it memorable, and did it get me back in the door? Absolutely. Because they could see the “fit” live and in person!
So, next time you’re invited to be part of the dog-and-pony show, don’t just show up and throw up. Put the standard pitch deck to one side and discuss how best to pitch a fit in front of the group. Chances are you’ll be quite memorable, long after the others are forgotten!
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Tags: Branding, consulting
Steve,
Good post. I never make a presentation to a client. They already know who we are and what we do. That’s why they invited us to compete for the work.
Instead, I let the potential client talk while I listen. Mostly I answer their questions and ask a few myself. Then, a few days later, I submit a proposal with measurable goals, strategies and tactics to solve their challenges, and we offer a guaranty that promises we will do what we say we will.
When I was in the corporate world, I hated consultant presentations and usually stopped them on the spot. I had questions to ask and wanted answers. The meeting wasn’t for them; I already knew they were capable. The meeting was for me; to see if I wanted to work with them.
Steve, I think most of us survive by pitching our standard capabilities, but to your point, to thrive and get “the call back” we need to stand out, and fit with our client’s goals and business needs.
As Lewis points out, we’re there “pitching” for a reason. Thanks for the reminder that time is short; dispense with the formalities and cut to the chase!
Steve,
Great reminder on presentations.
Your “bit risky” story made me flash back to a presentation I gave years ago.
I immediately opened up, “You know why I’m here so… who has a question?”
Boom. Hands went flying up and the presentation took care of itself.
It obviously won’t work all the time. Under the right circumstances it could be a great way to kick things off.
Congratulations on posting here. It’s well deserved!
@Lewis: when someone comes in and actually asks questions and listens, it really stands out. It shouldn’t, but it does!
@Paul: I like sometimes giving the absolute briefest overview at the start, then save a more detailed walk-thru for later IF there is time and interest. There are only a few minutes to grab attention, particularly if you’re one in a series of presenters!
@Director Tom: It can be really fun to “roll the dice” sometimes and do something unexpected. Why not be memorable? Especially if you’re wearing a director’s cap…
A few years ago, I did a big pitch in the same way. I threw out the brief and told the client that I wasn’t going to talk about their narrow focus tactical needs, but rather, would talk about the future, and where we would both be in 3+ years.
By the end I thought they hated me. I was getting a very bad vibe. But they were just annoyed — I made them think about all the things they needed to. And they realised all the other agencies had not put their brand first.
As it goes, we won the project. But it was a risk.
@Gavin: Bravo! Glad the risk worked out. I think I’d rather go down in flames, all guns blazing, than just be one more forgettable airplane flying in formation with 50 others…
This reminds me of a recent conversation I had with a marketing partner for whom we were discussing future opportunities/synergies.
She had asked me my capabilities in ‘viral marketing’, to which I replied with a generalized tactical plan for about 20 seconds then quickly realized that although audibly good, it lacked relevance & context. So I asked for a potential scenario – then it began to flow much easier. Although this wasn’t an end client, this conversational reverting to a holistic FIT through practical examples and stories is something I hope never to forget.
Good post and Title, Steve,
As someone who has hired agencies and consultants in the past during corporate CEO and head of marketing gigs – I always asked lots of questions.
I liked to ferret out who was going to actually do the work and how smart those people were.
Just as with a job interview, I expected them to both know about and LIKE my company/product.
Steve, pitching a fit was one of my favorite parts of sales. Unfortunately I have also been on the other end of PPT snoozefests of regurgitated corporate brainwashing with absolutely no customized solutions. It is not a nice thing to do to someone with whom you want to do business!
@mario @linda – thanks!
@karen: “PPT snoozefests of regurgitated corporate brainwashing” – you should trademark that!