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Methodology For Developing A PitchPremium Member
Posted By: khuss on 1/20/2007 1:07 AM (CST) 500 Points
I've been in marketing for 9 years on the client side but moved to the agency side a fw months ago (LOVE IT). My background is mostly on the management consulting side focused on marketing and communications, and we had a model for everything. We turned everything into a framework or a chart and broke down everything into its simple high level components. I guess its just a way to structure my thinking.

I'm trying to do the same thing when it comes to the process and exercise of preparing for a pitch, coming up with ideas and how to implement the ideas for the client. I'm obviously not the creative director and the visuals and the creative direction is not my job, but in terms of strategic direction and overall concept I'm very involved.

Any feedback on a more structured approach to this because brainstorming can only go so far.

Thanks.

Posted by: mbarber Member Response
1/20/2007 4:50 AM (CST)
Gidday Khaled.

So much could be discussed with this one so I am going to pick your final thought about the limitations of brainstorming (agree whole heartedly).

Contact the World Futures Society and ask them about their publication 'Futures Research Quarterly'. In an edition earlier last year they ran an article called 'Wildcards - Signals from a Future Near You'. In that paper there is a tool called the 'Reference Impact Grid' It's used to seriously enhance strategic thinking and you can adapt it to apply to idea generation for when pitching for business.

Contact me after you've read the article
Marcus :-)
 
Posted by: mbarber Accepted Answer
1/20/2007 4:51 AM (CST)
Gidday Khaled.

So much could be discussed with this one so I am going to pick your final thought about the limitations of brainstorming (agree whole heartedly).

Contact the World Futures Society and ask them about their publication 'Futures Research Quarterly'. In an edition earlier last year they ran an article called 'Wildcards - Signals from a Future Near You'. In that paper there is a tool called the 'Reference Impact Grid' It's used to seriously enhance strategic thinking and you can adapt it to apply to idea generation for when pitching for business.

Contact me after you've read the article
Marcus :-)
 
Posted by: CarolBlaha Member Response
1/20/2007 9:24 AM (CST)
With your focus on marketing, I think what you are asking for is a sales process? Or implementation process?

thanks, Carol
Sell Well and Prosper tm
 
Posted by: telemoxie Member Response
1/20/2007 10:04 AM (CST)
The best of luck - I'm on a similar mission: to take my business to the next level by documenting some of my "seat of the pants" processes into organized and systematic processes... then improving those processes.

I believe there are gold nuggets hidden in the thousands of past answers here at MarketingProfs. While you can't do "string searches" using our internal tool (above right) - you can Google the site.

For example, the Goggle search:
"creative brief" site:http://www.marketingprofs.com/ea

yields a number of promising threads, including:
http://www.marketingprofs.com/ea/qst_question.asp?qstID=7396

A review of these threads, as well as searching on similar "strategic planning" related text strings, key words, and concepts, can help you build a matrix of elements for your processes.

If you would like to work together on this off-line, I'd be happy to work with you and share the results (no charge).
 
Posted by: khuss Author Response
1/20/2007 10:45 AM (CST)
Marcus thanks for your response. I tried the site you suggested but cant find that article. Any suggestions?

Thanks,

KH
 
Posted by: Necole* Member Response
1/20/2007 10:49 AM (CST)
If I am understanding the question correctly, I would say you have to put your self back in the clients shoes of how would you or that client receive a pitch about a particular item? What would interest you/or client in a sales pitch? What catches your attention when you see other pitches and implement that same creativity into your pitch. I am a designer and I am very visual. When I create I think of how the consumer would receive this design/garment. "Would they be comfortable in it", "is it too busy or avantgaurd?" Just step out of your shoes for a minute and visualize from a different perspective, it makes it easier to brainstorm and to come up with a great pitch that will leave your co-workers astonished for how you came up with the approach.

Hope that helps...
 
Posted by: telemoxie Member Response
1/20/2007 11:06 AM (CST)
You can find the article by Googling: +"Reference impact grid"
 
Posted by: mgoodman Accepted Answer
1/20/2007 1:16 PM (CST)
I've found that the best way to prepare for a pitch is to do all the research you can on your target audience. Learn what their hot buttons are, what their goals are, how they got where they are, etc. The more you can appear to be tuned in to what's important to them, the better they'll receive your pitch.

You can even do some informal market research with their customers. Ask a few questions of the people who deal with the prospective client. That way you'll have information that the client themselves won't have, and you'll bring valuable information to the meeting. It will demonstrate the depth/seriousness of your interest in helping them.

You don't have to flaunt what you've done. Just do it and share what you've learned and what it means from a marketing standpoint. The client will quickly recognize that you've gone the extra mile for them, even before they are a client. A great way to introduce yourselves.
 
Posted by: khuss Author Response
1/20/2007 5:16 PM (CST)
THanks a lot for everyones feedback.
 
Posted by: mbarber Member Response
1/20/2007 7:23 PM (CST)
You can order back isues from www.wfs.org from their publication listing. Ask them for the article you want and they'll get the right edition for you. I think end of Summer 2005 start 2006 is about the time frame
 
Posted by: marketingsmartly Member Response
1/20/2007 9:38 PM (CST)
I'm reminded of an agency who had hired me to help their account team to pitch new business. One day one of these execs called saying she was going to lunch with a major prospect and what should she take with her. I told her a list of questions regarding the client's business and the willingness to listen explaining to the client she wanted to know first hand about their buiness and the challenges and obstacles they were facing. The client said it was the first time in his long career that an agency took the time to do that prior to making a pitch (She got the busines)
 
Posted by: rjohnni Member Response
1/23/2007 4:17 AM (CST)
First and foremost: Creat a brief for the pitch. Of what are you going to do for the client and how the creative team is going to help you with it.

If you can get your hand on to the 'Disruption theory' from TBWA will help in understanding how creatives can be created from your strategic creation.

also look to JWT's brand planning tools...quite a lot of research has gone into it and the details as well as the templates will help in creating your own grids....And it is a falseproof system for any professional from the marketing/ad industry to learn from...

And also feel a little strain about the marketing side to ad side...change dissonance...it happens...and sysytems though are more required in ads, clearly, mostly its lacking...ad guys love it more: chaotic environments. challenges them to perform.

As a planner almost 80 % of what the clients requirements, the understanding of that from the agency side, ow agency cracked that into maller pieces, how one or two of these pieces are more impactful than the others, and how the creatives have come out from this snippets are all your call...and your show...So even though you presented it as a new way, we have been doing it for ages...so than a template (which will get created), there will be basic directions that are what is required to avoid the creative meandering....which pulls me back into the original: THE CREATIVE BRIEF
 


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