Starting Off On the Right Foot - Martin Jones' presentation at the Linkdex Think Tank
Transcript of Starting Off On the Right Foot - Martin Jones' presentation at the Linkdex Think Tank
Starting off on the right footThursday 1st October 2015
AKA “Ah yes but…”
1. Background/Mindset
Understanding clients
New client New requirement
Statutory Dissatisfaction
Why clients change agencies
Top 10 things agencies need to remember about new business clients
1. They will ultimately end up post rationalising their decisions
2. They don’t like giving bad news! You will always “come a close second”
3. The majority of large pitches still tend to be “distress purchases”
4. Meeting someone at a conference doesn’t constitute “a relationship”
5. Most of them don’t enjoy pitches!
Top 10 things to remember about new business clients
6. At the early stages they are looking for reasons to exclude you
7. Agencies are often better when they are not right for everyone
8. They want to know how you can help them.
9. The best pitches are about finding the agency to work with, not just solving the problem
10. Clients are human beings!
The Agency Mindset
Do you really want to do this pitch?
The key factors to consider
MoneyCreative/ strategic
opportunity
Level of interest and
rewardAvailability
Other factors to consider
Process Reputation of client
Seniority of client Instinct
Do agencies pitch too much…
or not enough?
Average number of competitive pitches by discipline in 2014
Discipline Number
Advertising 10
Digital 11
DM/SP 13
Integrated 16
Media 22
PR 37
Never forget:Win the pitch…don’t just try
and solve the problem!
3. What makes a successful pitch?
The best pitches are well paced
Hunger and enthusiasm goes a long way
Agencies should never go over the Marketing team’s heads
The cult of the team, not the cult of the individual…
Why do agencies feel the need to swallow ‘truth pills’?
Engagement is key to chemistry...and starts the moment the client walks in the door
Have they met the other agencies/consultancies with whom the client currently works?
Make the best use of tissue meetings and Q&As
Know when to shut up!
Have they got the logo right?
Agencies shouldn’t spend the last day/days getting the last 5-10% right
Have they got the right number of people in the room?
Everybody must have a role, particularly if they are running the business!
Do they just talk to the most important person in the room
The authority to say “yes”, but the influence to say “no”
Less is more when it comes to creative work/ideas
Is there a recommendation
The best pitches are like good dinner parties
Summary
1. Clients want to work with hungry teams of people
2. Agencies need to put themselves in the shoes of the client
3. Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse!
4. Clients will end up post rationalising their decisions
5. Never forget that clients (and agencies) are human beings!
Thank you