Question

Topic: Advertising/PR

Methodology For Developing A Pitch

Posted by Anonymous on 1/20/2007 at 2:07 AM ET 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.
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RESPONSES

  • Posted by CarolBlaha on 1/20/2007 at 10:24 AM Member
    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 on 1/20/2007 at 11:04 AM Member
    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:https://www.marketingprofs.com/ea

    yields a number of promising threads, including:
    https://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 telemoxie on 1/20/2007 at 12:06 PM Member
    You can find the article by Googling: +"Reference impact grid"
  • Posted on 1/20/2007 at 2:16 PM Accepted
    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 rjohnni on 1/23/2007 at 5:17 AM Member
    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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