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The 10 Don'ts of New Business Pitching

By Sid Peimer

22 Feb 2005

Presenting to an audience for the first time can make us do some strange (and often unnecessary) things. Here are 10 pitfalls to avoid should you want to win the hearts and minds of new clients.

Don't organise your thoughts during the presentation. A symptom of this is to revisit the brief to "make sure we're all on the same page". There's really no point in this other than to protect yourself. Only sissies repeat the brief.
Don't even repeat the problems the client is facing - you're not pitching to be his/her secretary - let them keep their own lists.
Don't show the client how well you know their business by describing it. For heaven's sake, why tell the client he has 5 000 employees in 50 locations worldwide? It just reinforces how little you know.
Don't hold back. You don't need to get it right, you just have to show that you could get it right. Take your idea all the way.
Don't have more than one central idea.
Don't show your hard work - show the results of your hard work (which is usually less work). You will never get the account for being a hard worker. It's just not sexy I'm afraid.
Don't fall on a sword this early on in the relationship. To disagree vehemently at such an early point just reminds the client that you live in separate worlds.
Don't make suggestions for sweeping changes without considering the ramifications at an operational level. You can change the logo of a TV show quite easily, whereas a chain of grocers would require millions in signage costs.
Don't tell them how much research you still need to do to be able to do what you need to do. Work with the little you know. It's OK not to know everything. It's not OK to tell them how great you could be if you knew more.
Don't get emotional. It's OK to be passionate, but if you're going to take each pitch personally, you're going to lose the most important ingredient: fun.

Sid Peimer

About Sid Peimer

Sid Peimer is the pitchmeister. You can hire him right now - ask his girlfriend to wake him. Call 082 659 9167 now, or visit his website www.stratplanning.com