Comments on: Go Ahead — Pitch a Fit!

By: Steve Woodruff

Steve Woodruff — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 23:27:23 +0000

@mario @linda – thanks!
@karen: “PPT snoozefests of regurgitated corporate brainwashing” – you should trademark that!

By: Karen Swim

Karen Swim — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 02:06:35 +0000

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!

By: Linda Sherman

Linda Sherman — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 04:23:18 +0000

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.

By: Mario Vellandi

Mario Vellandi — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 16:29:02 +0000

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.

By: Steve Woodruff

Steve Woodruff — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 15:43:08 +0000

@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…

By: Gavin Heaton

Gavin Heaton — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 02:39:10 +0000

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.

By: Steve Woodruff

Steve Woodruff — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 18:35:51 +0000

@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…

By: Thomas Clifford

Thomas Clifford — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 15:04:58 +0000

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!

By: Paul Barsch

Paul Barsch — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 14:18:19 +0000

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!

By: Lewis Green

Lewis Green — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 14:10:38 +0000

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.