{"id":11041,"date":"2025-05-27T18:33:59","date_gmt":"2025-05-27T11:33:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/cstc.vn\/blogtsk\/how-to-run-better-pitches\/"},"modified":"2025-05-27T18:33:59","modified_gmt":"2025-05-27T11:33:59","slug":"how-to-run-better-pitches","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cstc.vn\/blogtsk\/how-to-run-better-pitches\/","title":{"rendered":"How to run better pitches"},"content":{"rendered":"

This article is part of our meetings series, looking at different types of design meetings, and how they could be improved. You can find all the articles here<\/a>.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Whether pitching for a would-be client or unveiling work to a current one, presentations matter. And as with any collaborative process, there is a lot to think about.<\/p>\n

But while decks are designed with painstaking care and insights polished up in advance, much less thought is usually given to the dynamics in the room. How do you bring a group of people together into a cohesive unit to present as a team?<\/p>\n

Start with your people and their people<\/h5>\n

A great team presentation starts with a clear decision on who is on the team. For Chris Lumsden, co-founder of Good Brand Consultants<\/a>, an \u201cOpportunity Owner\u201d is responsible for pulling the right people into the meeting.<\/p>\n

He describes their role as \u201ccoordinating the group and briefing them on the presentation. They seek the team\u2019s input and this shapes the best presentation and creates ownership for their individual contribution.\u201d<\/p>\n

Becky King, executive creative director of Dragon Rouge London<\/a> emphasises the importance for each participant to have a clearly-defined role. \u201cEveryone has to be there because they\u2019ve got something to add.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ian Thompson<\/a>, former head of Thompson Brand Partners, agrees and says that a good presentation draws on different speakers. \u201cContributions need to be balanced across the group,\u201d he says. \u201cThis says that our expertise is across the board, and not an overreliance on one or two people.\u201d<\/p>\n

He urges leaders to send, \u201cthe people who the client will be dealing with if they select you. Not the good speakers. Not the senior people never to be seen again. And remember to think about, and act on, the make-up of your team when it comes to diversity.\u201d<\/p>\n

For King, knowing your audience is equally important in shaping what you say, and how you say it. \u201cFind out who will be in the meeting, and what\u2019s important to them. Look at their job titles and social profiles. Ask what would resonate with them, what\u2019s important to a head of digital versus an HR director, for example.\u201d<\/p>\n

Be proactive around space and time<\/h5>\n

When on home turf, think about where the meeting will happen, but also who will sit where (and the unconscious messages these seemingly innocuous decisions can sometimes send).<\/p>\n

Even when you travel to the client, it\u2019s worth doing your due diligence.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s on you to find out about the room, the technology and to ask for some set-up time,\u201d King says. \u201cIf the meeting starts at 3pm, ask to arrive at 2.45pm.\u201d<\/p>\n

For Lumsden, it is the Opportunity Owner\u2019s role to ask the client to share this information. \u201cThey find out about how much time we\u2019ve got, what they want us to do with that time, and what they want to leave with.\u201d<\/p>\n

In a pitch, there are various things that eat into the allotted time \u2013 getting set settled in, introductions, handing over to each presenter, the Q&A. With this in mind, King stresses the need to \u201cactively decide how you\u2019re going to use the time.\u201d<\/p>\n

She advises against \u201cfighting your own content by trying to pack everything in. This creates the room to discuss, provoke and talk things through.\u201d<\/p>\n

And clients clearly agree \u2013 71% think new business presentations don\u2019t allow enough time for discussion, according to this year\u2019s What Clients Think report<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Make time to rehearse<\/h5>\n

For Lumsden, rehearsal time is vital. \u201cYou can\u2019t just rock up and present,\u201d he says. \u201cThe Opportunity Owner pulls together the run throughs, and makes sure they happen. They keep an eye on how long is each person talking for, that everything hangs together, and listen out for any sharp edges to smooth off.\u201d<\/p>\n

King agrees. \u201cRehearsals are particularly useful for checking your approach to handovers. And going over personal introductions, making sure they\u2019re relevant and they fit into the time allocated. We decide how we want to begin, how we want to end, and when we will take questions.\u201d<\/p>\n

Questions create alchemy<\/h5>\n

Good chemistry is vital for a successful client relationship. For Thompson, it is a key aspect of team presentations.<\/p>\n

\u201cChemistry is what separates one agency from another, when more than one agency has ticked all the boxes. Chemistry is created, or not, through conversation. And conversation is the refreshing part for a client who might be seeing multiple agencies in a day.\u201d<\/p>\n

Clients are very attuned to understanding group dynamics \u2013 and what they might mean for any working relationship.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe audience picks up on your chemistry as a group,\u201d King says. \u201cNegative influences include people on the team who are making up the numbers, people who do not speak or pay attention to the occasion, and people who dominate the presentation.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lumsden agrees. \u201cA pitch is a reflection of our culture. A client is getting to know us, through our performance.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe start our chemistry on the way there and keep it going,\u201d Thompson says. \u201cWe switch on before we walk on. Smile, make friends with the people who greet us. Go in in a chatty mood.\u201d<\/p>\n

Likewise, Lumsden recommends \u201cfinding your human.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe let that come across. We may swear at technology, make a reference to the biscuits, or the coffee. We look for conversational oases. These are mini pauses, buffers, moments that occur naturally and provide ways to lighten the occasion and inject something of our personality.\u201d<\/p>\n

Questions, questions<\/h5>\n

Lumsden\u2019s approach to questions is \u201cnot to predetermine who will answer what.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSometimes the Opportunity Owner will coordinate by articulating their understanding of the question and then pulling the right contributors into play,\u201d he says. \u201cHaving questions to ask the client is also a useful way of getting things moving and avoiding a tumbleweed moment.\u201d<\/p>\n

Big moments for individuals<\/h5>\n

It\u2019s important for team leaders to be aware of the different needs of the individuals within the team presenting. For junior members of the team, these occasions can be a daunting experience. They are not only facing the client, they are also performing in front of colleagues.<\/p>\n

Consider how you can support them to develop their skills and confidence between performances \u2013 in fact a good debrief is helpful for everyone involved.<\/p>\n

For senior members of the team, think about how you can support them to take on a role that stretches them in the presentation.<\/p>\n

When done well, team presentations create opportunities for personal growth, as well as business growth. Get both of these working together and you\u2019ll make many more successful and satisfying team presentations.<\/p>\n

John Scarrott<\/a> is a trainer and coach, who works with designers and other creative professionals on presenting, public speaking and other communication skills.<\/em><\/p>\n

\nWhat to read next: <\/strong>How to run better annual studio meetings<\/a> | How to run better brainstorms (or why to scrap them)<\/a> | How to run better meetings<\/a> | \u201cWe need to talk about meetings\u2026\u201d<\/a>\n<\/div>\n

Source<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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