book

The Advertising Agency Pitch Playbook

Peter · August 28, 2014 · 6 Comments

The Levitan Pitch Playbook – The Tools

FYI: This Advertising Agency Pitch Playbook (a pitching toolset) supports my book on advertising agency presentations and pitching… The Levitan Pitch. Buy This Book. Win More Pitches. It is the definitive ‘How To’ book on advertising agency pitching & winning. Look up to the top of this page to get a free chapter or just go for it and buy it (for the price of a couple of lattes, you will win more new accounts).

Yogi.

“Baseball is ninety percent mental and the other half is physical.”

– Yogi Berra

I love this famous quote because Yankee Hall Of Famer Yogi Berra is so right. By the time you make it to the majors, i.e. the opportunity to pitch for a new client account that might change the direction and fortunes of your advertising agency, you’ve done some serious mental work, and now it’s time get the physical part right.

If you are smart and beautiful, you are probably holding a copy of my ‘mentally physical’ book and that’s how you got here.

OK. OK. Let’s get on with it. [Read more…] about The Advertising Agency Pitch Playbook

Boomercide aka Suicide

Peter · August 19, 2014 · 1 Comment

Boomercide The Book And Robin Williams

Within hours of Robin William’s suicide, I had some incoming email from marketing friends that suggested that I should use the press attention to promote my 2012 book Boomercide: From Woodstock To Suicide. While this idea might have made sense from the very pure marketing perspective of leveraging the news, I chose not to synergize my book marketing with Robin’s death for the obvious reason that it would be rather crass. Even ugly. I couldn’t see going through a keyword analysis related to his suicide to increase page views.

Now that some time has passed (how quickly the press moves on) I think that I can discuss my book . And, in case you think I am still being crass, crass in today’s world means that I would be promoting my book on Twitter using a Robin-related hash tag. I’m not. [Read more…] about Boomercide aka Suicide

One Reason Not To Do Advertising Agency New Business

Peter · July 22, 2014 · Leave a Comment

OK, I admit it. I am fibbing.

There is no reason that an advertising agency shouldn’t always be executing some form of business development activity. While you might want to slow down on outreach during the summer (but, keep those monthly emails going out), there is no reason that you shouldn’t be thinking and planning hard for the fall. You want to get out of the blocks fast. The reason is that your prospective clients are going to spend more marketing dollars in 2014 and 2015, and you want to get some of those bucks.

You would like some of that $180.12 billion, right?

Me and New Business

In my case, in the past few weeks, I have slowed down the number of blog posts, guest posts and LinkedIn activity that I have been sending out. People still find me via SEO but I am not actively stimulating the conversation at my usual pace.

Why? I am finishing my book and its marketing plan. Here is what is close to the final cover. I am getting psyched. It will be a very valuable book (If, I do say so myself) packed with my insights from thirty years of pitching and over twenty interviews with pitch experts of all stripes.

Get The Book Early

I guarantee that you will be able to deliver more successful new business pitches earlier and faster than the agency down the street.

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.

Half of Advertising Agency Staff Hates Pitching

Peter · December 15, 2013 · Leave a Comment

An Advertising Agency Staff That Hates Pitching Isn’t A Good Thing

A 2013 study by the research firm Provoke Insights confirmed what we all know. The advertising agency new business pitching process can be debilitating.

From Provoke:

“… approximately half (47%) of advertising professionals surveyed by Provoke Insights say they are dissatisfied with the current internal approach to pitching.

47%. Ok, pitching is intense. So, what else is new? Pitching is also intense for architects, nuclear power plant designers and fighter jets salespeople. Writing, presenting and winning (or losing) pitches is intense.

It can also be exhilarating (more on that a bit later.)

Other findings on pitching:

Issues include: “unrealistic timelines” say 66% of respondents / “long work hours” say 65%

And, because Provoke is a research company who paid for the research, we get this nod towards having insightful insights:

“Forty-four percent of advertising professionals stated that if there were better availability of research and data, pitches would run smoother and (be) more successful.”

Here’s more on what resources agencies say they need to kill it:

By the way, I posted about how to use free, smart internet based tools to create insights here: 13 Free Big Data Tools For Advertising Agency New Business.

Back to exhilarating.

Pitches are a major way agencies win new business. Ya gotta be in the game. Maybe Droga5 can get away without pitching.
Pitches make sense if they make sense. Don’t pitch just any account just for the sake of pitching.
Pitches are team sports and, importantly, build team spirit.
Pitches help agency staff stand out and be stars. Especially important in larger agencies.
Pitches are fun to run if you know what you are doing and have a solid plan.
Pitches, winning pitches that is, can make the agency happy and richer. A good thing.
Pitches hone agency thinking; highlight skills and help agencies think about what the agency actually has to offer or needs to build for the future. I think that the benefit of forced introspection is underrated.

The full report can be read on AdRants.

I’ve tried to make the art and science of pitching more successful and even fun. Just read my book. Look up top to learn more and make that all important purchase that will lead to more — wins.