A GUIDE TO NEW BUSINESS PROCESSBy Marcus Brown Senior Vice President Y&R

Extracts from

Summarised and made field relevant by

Zane Van Rooyen / Strategic Director / BAM

GETTING ONTO PITCH LISTS

Make client retention your number one priority.

Keeping client partners is more important than acquiring them.Keeping client partners is more important than acquiring them.

Old business can be a source of new business, and it is easier to get new business

from existing client partners.

If you are winning new client partnerships, but loosing the old ones, your revenue

remains static, and your reputation eventually suffers.

Therefore – New business is number 2 priority.

New Business is all too often only left to those hired to generate it, but the reality is that New

Business is, and always has to be, a team effort.

Client wants a team – not an individual.

The company that thinks and acts as a team, that works as a team, is the one that will win The company that thinks and acts as a team, that works as a team, is the one that will win

business. One that sees New Business as a separate discipline, an offshoot of the core business,

will not.

It is vital to create a New Business Culture. The more that NB is integrated into the whole

company’s awareness and efforts, the more likely you are to achieve your NB goals.

• Conduct regular meetings at which New Business is discussed.

• Assign NB responsibilities to a large number of people. Most effective in team resourcing & it

makes NB a team effort.

• Repeatedly emphasise NB goals and targets so that everyone has a clear sense of purpose and

aims.

• Make NB a discussion point at all internal meetings. It is out there and you should be

anticipating ways of grabbing it.

• It is everybody’s business.

Imagine you’re at a drinks reception. You meet a potential prospect. They ask a

simple question:

‘So what makes your company different ?’

You’ve got 30 seconds to make an impression.You’ve got 30 seconds to make an impression.

If you don’t have a brief but forceful summary of what makes your company different

and interesting, you’ll fail to make an impression.

This is your first line of offence – a mini pitch – and it should be as carefully worded

as any presentation. Sit down and compose it. Avoid bland, abstract, jargon-filled

formulations. Make it short, sharp and attention grabbing. Consider your local

markets and highlight your agency’s supreme advantages, then link these to a global

positioning.

If you are not clear what makes your agency number one, you can’t communicate it

to others.

You NEVER get a second chance to make a first impression.

Unless you have a particularly bizarre attitude to ‘retail therapy’, you don’t go shopping for a washing

machine until the old one breaks down or you move to a new home.

It’s the same with prospective client partners. If their agency relationship breaks down, or they have

a new product to launch or market to conquer, they’re interested. The rest of the time their

commitment to you will be disinterested and non-committal.

Washing machine manufacturers recognise this crucial distinction and act accordingly. They don’t

bombard consumers with advertising, relying instead on approaching those ‘customers ready for

change’ with offers etc.change’ with offers etc.

Deploy the most time and effort when client are looking to ‘buy’ and less when you are presenting

cold credentials.

The agency that wins the most business wins.

It’s simple. It’s obvious. But, in the euphoria of a pitch won,

it’s easy to forget you lost the last three, or didn’t even

make it to the long list. With every New Business you

compete for, the conversion ratio must be the first and most

important consideration.

We work is some of the most oversupplied markets in the

world.

So, first ask yourself:

‘How often did we make it to the long list?’

If you don’t get in the game, you can’t compete.

Second, ask yourself:

‘When we made the short list how often did we win the

Industry Average Jigsaw‘When we made the short list how often did we win the

pitch?’

Reaching the final is no good if you don’t cross the line first.

Conversion ratios maximise the efficiency of financial &

human resources. If you’re getting on a healthy percentage

of short lists but never winning the pitch, then it’s clear the

pitch needs improvement, and that’s where money and

resources can be directed. If the pitch win rate is 100% but

it came out of a low long list pitch rate of 10% - you won

one pitch but never made another long list – that’s a

different problem that needs attention.

Conversion ratios are one of the best diagnostic tools for

determining an agency’s effectiveness when it comes to

business development. They should always be foremost in

your mind, After all, what counts is what you’ve won – not

how much prospecting you’ve done.

Long list => Pitch 25% 71%

Pitch => Win 33% 63%

Stand in the New Business Office. Close your eyes.

What do you hear?

The sound of a phone constantly ringing-or the sound of silence?

If it’s not ringing, it should be!

An agency where the phone rings of its own accord is an agency with a reputation and a high profile that

prospective client partners are hungry to bite into.prospective client partners are hungry to bite into.

If it is ringing, your New Business efforts must focus on improving your hit rate,

Ask yourself a new question: ‘Are inbound calls actually leading to wins ? ‘

You can’t hit a target if it isn’t there!

Clear & precise goals gives everyone something to

aim for & a drive to hit the target.

As any great sportsman knows, thinking ahead puts you ahead of your

rivals. Focusing on the future makes it more likely to happen the way

you want it.

Don’t wait it, generate it!Don’t wait it, generate it!

This is the way to think ahead & go for New Business.

Compile a list of companies & targets, communicate them to the team

as someone might have contacts or connections that provide a way to

reach a target company.

Keep your list updated.

Keep the companies in mind & seek out opportunities to establish a

relationship with them.

Remember that New Business is long-term business & finding

prospective clients takes months.

Goals need to be realistic: chase every prospect & you’ll end up with none.

Use the following criteria to streamline you prospect list & so focus resources to

maximum effect.

Prospect is :-

In a growing industry/sector

A creative opportunity

A big spender

Vulnerable/accessible

Not a significant conflict

Goals need to realistic therefore don’t see the pitch as an all-or-nothing deal.

Don’t dismiss the ‘Trojan Horse’ approach.

Get part of the business on offer-however small-and you’ve got a foot in the door.

Do you job well & more doors will open.

Approaching prospective clients can be compared to dating.

You need to make a big impression quickly & you need to make

them feel unique.

It is no good sending the same mailing to each of your prospective

Clients as they will begin to recognize it as the stale chat up line it is.

Your first approach must be second to none so make it individual,

Eye catching & by far original.

Getting new business can seem an impossibly difficult task-like pushing water uphill.

Canal builders solve this problem by constructing a series of stages to get to the top.

To get to the top in New Business, adopt the ‘Canal System’. Hence you can ensure that your

Pipeline of New Business potential keeps flowing in the right direction: from target company to

Meaningful contact to potential client partner to new account.

The canal system is the method of keeping track of new business leads by converting leads from

Possibilities to probabilities as example below will show:

CODE STATUS NUMBERCODE STATUS NUMBER

Target Identified as real contact 30

Contact Made meaningful contact 15

Potential Held meeting begin selection 6

process

Win Won assignment 1

The Canal System is about making your New Business leads part of a

process. It’s about follow-up. Establish & monitor the status of you leads &

take appropriate action to take them to the next stage.

Keep them moving up be it sending a Christmas card or presenting

credentials to client.

‘There are no problems, only solutions’

Every company has limitations. Don’t waste time

finding a solution. Instead of laying blame at

someone else’s door, find a window of

opportunity.

Complaining focuses your thinking on what can’t

be done.

But the client is only interested in what can be

done.

Make New Business the art of the possible

This should be a slogan, a question, a mantra you ask yourself each day.Make it part of your routine as checking your emails every morning.

A company that is alert to New Business possibilities, and shapes each day around finding & fulfilling them, is one that will succeed.

The importance of plans & preparation for a pitch can’t be overestimated. But in the

end it’s how they translate into a few hour’s pitching that counts.

Every agency will bring their resources to bear on exploring the prospective clients

brief- it’s what they do with what they learn that sorts out the winner from the lose.brief- it’s what they do with what they learn that sorts out the winner from the lose.

Keep sight of that end result.

Have the continual consideration of how your team’s research & ideas are going to

shape into an event-a package of powerful persuasion.

The eventual result will be to put into effect if you want to have an effect.

Adopt the ‘Just Do It’ attitude!

NAVIGATING THE AGENCY

SELECTION PROCESS

Pitching is about team work. However every pitch needs a

senior member of staff who will drive that pitch home.

Effective delegation & co-ordination are only achieved if

one person is in the diving seat.

Putting the right person in charge is an essential part of

the pitch and the bigger the pitch the more you will need

someone with a proven track record of New Business to someone with a proven track record of New Business to

head and energize every aspect of the pitch.

Each prospective client is different especially when phrases like

‘target audiences’ are mentioned.‘target audiences’ are mentioned.

You will have to consider how the individual client likes being sold

to.

Each style will need a different approach. Do some basic

personality profiling and get to know the culture of your prospective

clients.

Always avoid the generic approach-remember that prospective

clients are people too!

Experienced clients know what they are looking for.

They expect excellence but they will also have a clear idea of the single

most important thing that they want to want from an agency.

When it is time to make their final decision this factor will be the decider

of the winner.

To find out what that very fact is , get the client to tell you what the key

thing is that will make them choose one agency over another.

The knowledge should shape your pitch & therefore highlight the

agency’s strengths that are important in the eye of the client.

You can’t beat the competition unless you know who the

competition is.

Asking the prospective client is your first touch point. If they

don’t reveal this info then refer to your competitor analysis

findings to see who might market themselves to this

prospective client.

Your strategy depends on matching opponents strengths &

going one better.

Recognizing who & what you’ve got to beat lets you make

the best & most effective use of resources.

‘Know thy enemy’

Prospective clients use a score sheet to make

pitching agencies.

Competing without knowing the criteria you’re

going to be judged on puts you at a huge

disadvantage.disadvantage.

Do some research & find out how the marks are

divided up.

As every political party knows, knowing who is

doing the pitch is crucial to success. A pitch is no

different.

Will the prospective client’s decision be the

result of a team decision or a single member.

‘There is nothing more transparently awful than

seeing agency people addressing only the

senior, ignoring the real decision-makers-the 25-

28 year old’ (Andrew Melsom in Market Leader)

Impress all but impress the decision –makers

most of all.

The style of credential meetings has changed.

Prospective clients don’t want display only but debate.

They see the meeting as an opportunity to try out how

you’ll work together.

The agency that ignores this & aggressively presents its The agency that ignores this & aggressively presents its

way through the credential meeting is unlikely to be

successful.

Set up an environment that promotes discussion, debate

& work shopping:

•Highlight case studies that are especially relevant to the

clients concerns

•Decorate the meeting room with relevant material:

Boards with competitive work.

Photographs from previous campaigns/activations done.

Don’t monopolies the credential meeting. Reason being is

that prospective clients complain that agencies hijack the

meetings & focus on themselves rather than the potential

business.

Don’t treat the prospective client with kid gloves!

If you don’t challenge, if you don’t ask forthright questions,

you won’t get the answer you need.

The period between the brief & the pitch is at least as important as the pitch itself.

How you handle it can determine whether you win or lose.

Managed properly is an opportunity to show the prospective client that you are keen,

committed & hungry- these factors time & time again prove the decider in a pitch.

Ask relevant elated questions with regards to their business & internal structures as this

will promote confidence in & involve the prospective client.will promote confidence in & involve the prospective client.

How you use you time shows them how you would use theirs so plan your interaction with

them from the start:

•The New Business team should always decide on a contact strategy for keeping in

touch with the prospective client.

•There is a fine line between involvement & intrusiveness. Establish with the prospective

client what level of exchange they want at this stage.

From brief to pitch is a short distance. The prospective client know their product better

than you do. Tapping into that knowledge can give you a huge advantage over your

competitors.

Utilize this period between brief & pitch not only to gather information but to establish a

relationship with the prospective client.

It’s a lot easier to do in 3 weeks than 3 hours.

In the end its all about the chemistry. Prospective clients hire the

people they like. The agency that remembers that and establishes

a personal dimension will win the business.

Make a connection with you prospective clients.

Show respect & empathy for them. Understand their work ethic

and ask questions to get them involved. Be supportive.

Take every opportunity to let the personalities of the pitch team Take every opportunity to let the personalities of the pitch team

shine through.

Having a ‘fiend’ on the inside, even if you’ve only just met them,

can provide invaluable help.

Prospective clients are looking for an agency they’ll enjoy working

with.

Show them you’re a team- and show them that they’re part of a

team.

The prospective client wants to know if you can work together with

them and work together well. (see Tip 22)

Don’t leave this until the pitch and don’t believe it is not a vital factor

towards winning a client.

Find out what kind of involvement they want & then decide on a

contact strategy.

If the prospective client seems interested to team up with you, find a

productive way to make regular contact.

Use you initiative to initiate a relationship.

Always develop some form of contact strategy as part of you pitch Always develop some form of contact strategy as part of you pitch

process from the start.

Of course there will often be late nights in the days leading up to the

pitch. But breaking out the deadline mentality yields results.

Clocking up hours at the beginning of the period between brief &

pitch gives you a head start. The team gains confidence from the

sense that they are already covering ground.

Hence a more powerful & polished presentation is created due to

less rush & ‘last minute dot com’ occurrences.

So work smart!

If you’re talking, you’re not listening. ‘Not listening’ is one of the top ten

complaints by prospective clients about agencies.

Allow the prospective client to lead which is the best way of understanding Allow the prospective client to lead which is the best way of understanding

the people you are dealing with and to fully understand the brief (tip 16).

The only way to find out what the prospective client really want is to ask

them.

From asking the right questions you’ll both learn & look eager-= a

consistent pitch-winning combination!

Before the pitch, prospective clients don’t want presentation, they want

interaction.

They want to hear not about you but your track record.

They want questions & answers. They want debate.

Above all they want to see how you and they can work together.

We have two eyes, two ears but only one mouth. Our bodies are built like that

because, when it comes to getting information, watching & listening are more because, when it comes to getting information, watching & listening are more

important than talking.

When meeting with the prospective client you should watch & listen twice as much

as you speak (see tip 26).

Don’t tell them what they want-find out what they want.

Think about which questions will really reveal how the prospective clients think &

need i.e.: What has been the downfall of other agencies in the past? How will you

decide on the winning agency?

The first meeting are about gathering key info which will define the pitch.

The agency that looks & listens will learn a lot more than the one that doesn’t.

They’ll have the competitive edge that is the starting point.

The client briefs your agency. Your team comes up with

brilliant solution to every part of the brief. And so you WIN

the pitch or DO you?the pitch or DO you?

Prospective clients are experts in their band, but they’re not

experts in communications. You are!

That’s why they want to hire you.

So, after the brief go back to basics. Think hard about the

true nature of the prospective client’s business problem &

whether their brief really is the solution.

If not then explore the alternatives.

Your company has not only communication insight but a

wealth of business insight- if you act as a business partner

for your prospective client they’ll value you more.

Added Value = added win pitches

‘What is my main competitor going to do next?’

That’s the question that keeps your prospective clients awake at night.

Coming up with the answer won’t only give them an easeful sleep, it

can win you the pitch.

Explore their competitions strategies, options & intentions.

It will establish the empathy that prospective clients increasingly look

for in agencies.

The worst case scenarios can be used to devastating effect in a pitch-if

you can present a way to counteract them.

Prospective clients are looking for an agency that understands them

and their problems.

Thinking through what keeps them awake is the key to understanding.

This seems like obvious advice.

Due to the obvious nature of the above statement

pitch history is full of tales of agencies that

forget this simple tip & hence lose the pitch.

The following 4 points will ensue you stay focused

on the question with the right answers:

1. Read and make sure that you answer the

question.

2. If you don’t agree with the brief, discuss with the 2. If you don’t agree with the brief, discuss with the

prospective client. Don’t avoid the brief or

answer the brief you think they should have

presented. Despite the special circumstances

outline in tip 29, not doing what the

prospective client asks is the quickest way to

lose them.

3. Re-read the brief before the first Question-and –

Answer session. Asking the prospective

client’s questions that are answered in the

brief makes you look foolish & under-prepared.

4. Re-read the brief the night before the pitch and at

the start you’ll know he brief all too well.

Make sure that its fresh in your mind. Re-read it

to remind you of the contents & renew the

excitement.

“Genius is 99% perspiration & 1% inspiration”

(Inventor Thomas Edison)

It’s easy-often fatal- to forget that the inspiration of the pitch

comes from weeks of perspiration leading up to it.

A pitch is only as strong as the team working on it.

Do you have the right team?Do you have the right team?

Do you have enough people working on the pitch?

And a pitch is only as strong as the work that has gone into it in

the preceding few weeks.

Recognize the vital importance of preparation, do your own

research & above all engage with the prospective clients-spend

time with them, share your ideas with them and ask insightful

questions.

Hunger wins New Business.

Time & time again, prospective clients identify energy, commitment &

eagerness as winners of New Business.

The question of ‘Does this agency really want my business ?’ will be on their

mind.

Consider every aspect of every stage of the pitch process-is it really better

than your competitors.

Have you done all you can concerning:Have you done all you can concerning:

Consumer research

Documentation

Caliber of presentation

Meeting room set-up

Research into the market place

Through-the-line approach

If the answer if ‘yes’ then you are far more likely to succeed.

Go Beyond the prospective client’s expectations.

Go the extra mile & you are halfway to success.

THE PITCH ITSELF

There may not be a stage but a pitch is a performance.

The agency that recognizes this & shapes their presentation as close to a theatre

production with capture the moment & create an experience that makes a

phenomenal & memorable pitch.

The elements involved weather play o presentation remain the same.The elements involved weather play o presentation remain the same.

“Will the audience will get it?”

A pitch must be an experience for the prospective client.

It’ll only be one if it’

The pitch is a form of theatre.

The Presentation Pitch Doctor (PPD) gives the equivalent of the director’s notes at the

dress rehearsal.

The pitch dress rehearsal is the time for a fresh eye.

The PPD should be someone outside of the team who is able to put themselves in the

shoes of the prospective client who has been apart of 6 other presentations before yours.

He will pick out the strengths & weaknesses of the pitch, how the entire message comes

across to the prospective client.

The PPD is the last test of what you pitch will actually look like to the prospective client.

Make sure that they are seeing what you want them to see.

Teamwork thrives on enthusiasm & sometimes this

can blind you to drawbacks in you strategy.

Don’t let the prospective clients be the first test of

your big idea.

Appoint a Strategy Pitch Doctor (SPD) who will

check that your train of thought is convincing &

heading in the right direction.heading in the right direction.

Appoint a SPD earlier on so they can stop you

wasting time on an idea that doesn’t work and their

comments could change the entire thrust of your

pitch in the right direction.

Casting can make or break a pitch no less than a film.

Prospective client insist that chemistry is almost what decides the

winner. They want to see a team that works well-both with prospective

clients and with each other.clients and with each other.

Agencies tend to pick the pitch team from who’s available.

This is practical consideration but should never be the only one:

•Make sure the team members bond, if they work convincingly as a

team you’ll convince the prospective client.

•Give the right role to the right person. Their role in the company

doesn’t necessarily make them a great presenter.

•Understand your target audience (Tip 16).

Have you ever been to a dinner party where someone stays silent throughout the

meal? Unnerving, isn’t it?

It’s no different for prospective clients during a pitch.

A team member with no obvious role will only distract and should not be sat in during

the presentation to prospective client.

Each member of the team should perform part of the presentation & be able to add to Each member of the team should perform part of the presentation & be able to add to

the debate.

‘ A room full of silent nods sends a very bad signal about an agency’

The pitch is a piece of stagecraft and your creative & strategic idea must take

centre-stage.

It needs the spotlight.

A good idea won’t sell itself standing alone.

So spend time crafting your strategic proposition so that on the day it’s easy

for the prospective client to understand.

Packaging your thinking ensures that it’s delivered.

Yes it sounds obvious, but we’ve all done it- we’ve allowed

for ourselves to cover the whole brief through adequate

work.

Bear in mind that your competitors are at least as good as

you are.

Every agency that makes a pitch in the process will Every agency that makes a pitch in the process will

produce excellent material.

Be ruthless with yours- only first rate will be first choice.

Don’t let a zeal for complacency tempt you to put into a

presentation strategy o creative that is weaker than yours

Poor wok steal attention from your best material.

It will be remembered and it is better to tell the prospective

client that you haven’t yet solved a problem rather than let

them believe that you solved it badly.

A New Business presentation is one of the most

valuable tests of the company’s strengths.

This has to be analyzed effectively in Case Studies:

•Use everyday language

•Write a success story, not a debrief

•Focus on the agency’s biggest contribution

•Highlight all of the campaigns achievements•Highlight all of the campaigns achievements

The aim is to provide a library of experience that any

part of the company can understand & use to win New

Business.

Prospective clients like debate but they want a

recommendation.recommendation.

Don’t offer options as they can give an impression of

indecision. Prospective clients want their chosen agency to

have a point of view.

Make sure you make a recommendation.

Make sue that its clear.

Make sure that the prospective client know the

recommendation and why you chose it over other options

that you have discussed.

Power point is a great way to pass on a lot of

information fast.

But don’t use it as your only medium.

Multimedia is the key. Let power point do what it

does well, but find other means of presenting to does well, but find other means of presenting to

the prospective client too.

Packaging you info in a variety of ways is far more

stimulating than staring at 100 slides.

Rehearsal is what makes a pitch powerful and

persuasive.

Knowing what you are going to say & how long it takes

confers confidence.confers confidence.

Confidence=inspiration to the prospective client.

Rehearsal smoothes out the glitches & pitfalls so that

the final performance is polished & professional.

Rehearse your presentation, this is not the death of

spontaneity, as it can make or break the difference

between a good pitch & a winning pitch.

‘ At no time ever in the history of making presentations

has any prospect come out and said that they wished the

meeting had taken longer’meeting had taken longer’

(Andew Melsom in Market Leader)

No matter how brilliant your presentation, if it overruns it

will under perform.

Prospective clients have a schedule hence if your

presentation overruns it will upset their schedule.

The pitch is the show case of an agency’s ability and if

you can’t deliver during the presentation the prospective

client won’t believe that you can deliver what they want,

when they want it.

KEEP TO TIME!

How you handle the closing questions can make or break the pitch.

You will find yourselves under fire with purpose driven questions from the prospective

client.

Be prepared and anticipate what they might think & ask through your answers.

Make sure that only one person answers as when many do it confuses more than Make sure that only one person answers as when many do it confuses more than

clarifies.

A prospective client who asks questions is interested so see the questions as

opportunity.

‘The only people who are remembered are the winners’

(Sprinter Linford Christie)

You work in a competitive industry so expect that your

competitors will produce the best possible creative &

strategy- Because they will.

Being very good won’t be good enough.

To come first you need to take more risks & be experimental

unlike your competitors as there are no prizes for coming

second.

Choosing an agency is a tough decision for prospective

clients.

If they can find an easy reason exclude you, they will.

Don’t let the search for the big idea mean you neglect the

little things.little things.

Prospective clients remember mistakes !

They remember disorganization & discomfort.

Brief reception before their arrival & never keep them

waiting.

Make sure that the presentation room is the right size &

temperature.

The prospective client is on the look out for anything that

might trip you up and then look for the one you’ve missed.

Prospective clients will forget most of what you Prospective clients will forget most of what you

presented to them so leave-behinds are your best

defense against amnesia.

They will take this away & use as a reminder of what

was discussed.

Leave-behinds need to capture the magic & excitement

of the pitch and they need to get the same message

across with absolute clarity.

The leave-behinds are about reminding not informing.

Don’t expect the prospective clients to get form leave-

behinds something that wasn’t in the pitch.

Make them as professional as possible, your hunger for

the prospective client business is reflected in their

quality.

Imagine your prospective clients leaving the building after the pitch. They climb into the taxi & discuss what

they’ve just seen & heard.

They’re not going to remember all the details & subtleties of your presentation- they’ve seen 5 agencies already

& are deep into pitch-fatigue.

Their impression of you to boil down to a single point that you stood out for.

Don’t fail the taxi test.

Make sure you present one thing that you’ll be remembered for.

Emphasize this one throughout so it won’t be forgotten

AFTER THE PITCH

The end of the pitch is not the end- it’s the prospective client final

decision that’s final.

Leaving no stone unturned means using the time between pitch &

decision to further demonstrate your commitment & keenness

towards the prospective client.

Follow up whether there were any queries with regards to the

presentation.

Remember that the prospective client’s decision is rarely clear cut &

unanimous.

Continuing the momentum & excitement of your pitch can sway the

scales in your favor.

‘It’s hard to beat a person who never gives up’

(Babe Ruth)

‘Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat’

(Philosopher George Santanya)

Nobody wins every pitch but what you learn from your loss

determines whether you win the next.

Make the pitch post-mortem an essential part of your pitch process.

Perhaps send them a post-pitch questionnaire.

If possible arrange to go and see them to discuss & dissect the If possible arrange to go and see them to discuss & dissect the

pitch.

They might even want to deal with the pitch doctor as an

alternative.

No experience is wasted if you gain insight from it:

Turn loss into lesson

When recruiting staff, Napoleon’s final question was always:

‘Do you consider yourself to be a lucky person?’

There’s an element of luck in any business.

By reading & acting on the tips in this book, you’ve stacked

the dice as far as possible in you favor.

Once you’ve left nothing to chance, all you can do

Is hope chance smiles on you.

BE LUCKY!