Pitching

Advertising Pitch Book Update

Peter · March 18, 2014 · Leave a Comment

I hit 41,000 words this weekend. That’s 41,000 words on how advertising, digital, design and PR agencies can better manage the process they employ to build new business winning presentations. 41,000 means I am getting close to finishing the book.

Why am I repeating myself? Good question. Here is a short segment from the book on the art of repetition.

Think Flow.

“We can learn a lot from Nancy Duarte’s sparklines analysis of Steve Jobs. However, I suspect that you might be thinking that channeling a new Apple product launch with the dramatic reveal of the first iPhone might not directly relate to an agency pitch about advertising the essence of Widgets. An advertising agency new business pitch most likely does not have an earth-moving climax. But, lets get past that. For another path to channel, consider Aristotle.

Aristotle, apparently one of the earlier presentation coaches, is credited with developing the three act structure and advising people to, “Tell them what you are going to tell them, tell them, then tell them what you told them.”

Tell them what you are going to tell them. Tell them what you want to say and what they want to hear form you. This will set up your major points and will let the client know that you have your act together.

Tell them. In this section you’ll tell them that you understand their needs, that you have the experience to meet these needs and that you have proof that you can deliver. Think of this as the content section.

Tell them what you told them. I consider this the support section. You will reiterate your major points, support these points with clear rationale and you will nail your pitch with conviction and enthusiasm.”

Experts.

The book includes interviews with experts from the world of agency search consultants, major advertiser organizations, procurement specialists, IP lawyers and the world’s smartest presentation consultant and author. What is a word they all use to describe what it takes to win the heart and mind of a new client?

Chemistry.

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The Worst Advertising Agency Presentation – Ever

Peter · February 18, 2014 · 12 Comments

A Very Sad Story… The Worst Advertising Agency Presentation – Ever

This is a story about the worst advertising agency presentation – ever (I know, I was in it.)

This special experience, along with more stories, strong opinions and brilliant advice are in my book on presentations and pitching: The Levitan Pitch. Buy This Book. Win More Pitches.

If you buy the book and read it, I guarantee that you will win more new business. OK, you’ll have read it and act on my advice.

Oh, The Advertising Stories Podcast.

If your brain prefers to listen to and subscribe to my podcast because you want to listen to this story as a podcast, go hear, LOL, here: “Adidas And Saatchi – The Worst New Business Presentation Ever Podcast.”

Back to the beginning: I won my first pitch in 1984. For the first email service.

I was an account executive at Dancer, Fitzgerald Sample, New York’s largest “Mad Men” era advertising agency (Saatchi & Saatchi bought Dancer in 1987.) The pitch was for Western Union’s $15 million EasyLink Service. EasyLink was the first commercial email service and launched the same year as the IBM PC – the times were changing fast. We won the pitch and I learned how a well-oiled presentation worked from a new business team that won nine out of ten pitches that year. After I began working on the business, I asked the senior client why we won. She stated three reasons: [Read more…] about The Worst Advertising Agency Presentation – Ever

My First Time. It Was Sweet.

Peter · February 8, 2014 · Leave a Comment

I won my first pitch in February 1984 — so, this is my 30th anniversary of pitching and winning.

In 1984 I was an account executive at Dancer Fitzgerald Sample, New York’s largest “Mad Men” era advertising agency and I used this pitch to gain senior management awareness and a promotion to account supervisor. Dancer also known as DFS, an agency you might not know about, had some small clients like P&G, General Mills, Toyota, Sara Lee, Nabisco, Wrangler and HP. (Saatchi & Saatchi bought Dancer in 1987.)

The pitch was for Western Union’s EasyLink service. EasyLink was the first commercial email service and launched the same year as the IBM PC. We won the $15 million AOR pitch and in the process I learned how a well-oiled pitch worked from a new business team that won nine out of ten pitches that year. One of the reasons we won the Western Union account was our repositioning of electronic mail (yes, that’s what it was called back then) as Instant Mail. DFS was very keen on selling the benefit.

So, just to go back to 1984 for a second. I was three years into my advertising career, I got promoted, I was working at New York’s hottest agency. I was working on one of the earliest internet technology accounts (a reason that I eventually left advertising to launch two Internet startups) and I learned how the Internet was going to transform the world of communications.

Here is how the New York Times reported on the win. get this. There were about 40,000 email users back then. Today? For 2014, Radicati Group projects 2.5 billion email users worldwide.

Advertising Pitch Book Update

Peter · February 7, 2014 · Leave a Comment

A couple of people have asked why I’ve slowed down my blogging. Like most of you, I’ll take any chance to slay this insatiable beast.

OK, what’s up? I’ve been putting my typing into writing the world’s greatest, smartest, must have book on agency pitching. Here is where things stand.

Working title:

Perfect Pitch

What is it: A real old-fashioned paperback book printed with ink and paper and eBook detailing the best practices for designing, writing and presenting new business pitches. It leverages my 30 years of participating in and leading new business pitches… and some deep seated attitude. It will also include my story of the world’s worst agency pitch for the global Adidas account when I was at Saatchi & Saatchi London. I’ll support the book with an active website that will include agency leader insights and tools that every agency can use to better mange their pitch development.

Reason for being: According to advertising agency staff, the process of creating a new business pitch sucks. Read my post, “Half Of Advertising Agency Staff Hates Pitching.” I think that poor pitch management dramatically reduces an agency’s odds of winning. (This is a “duh” right?)

Status: I’ve written about 27,000 words. Will add another 7,000. I’ll also include interviews with experts like agency search consultants, procurement experts, a lawyer on IP and one of the best creators of 3D leave behinds. I’ve started designing the book and its website.

Stay tuned. I hope to publish this spring.

Steve Jobs + Nancy Duarte = How To Present

Peter · January 17, 2014 · Leave a Comment

Steve Jobs Dissected

Nancy Duarte’s book on presenting, “resonate – Present visual Stories That Transform Audiences” has been my go-to book on how to create powerful presentations for the past four years. It’s a serious, almost scientific look at the art of presentation. In fact, it is science.

Nancy uses a graphical tracking system called sparklines to visually track a presentation’s flow and major points. Here is Nancy’s TEDx talk on presentations which includes her sparklines deconstruction (it starts at 8:45) of Steve Jobs and his art of presentation. Watch it. It will help your agency win more business.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfQF3DXG-S4#t=541

For more on Jobs and how he can help you give better presentations head over here: Steve Jobs “Secret” Advertising Agency New Business Presentation Tips

FYI:

I interviewed Nancy about her presentation prescriptions for my book… “The Levitan Pitch. Buy This Book. Win More Pitches.” Nancy is just one of a range of experts interviewed that will help make you a better pitch person – and win more business. Amazon and I would like you to buy it.