Hogeschool van Amsterdam Interactieve Media The art of pitching Hoorcollege marketing blok 2 week 6

Hogeschool van Amsterdam Interactieve Media Learning goals  By the end of this college you should understand:  What a pitch process is and why it is used by organizations  Who the key players in the pitch process  What the concerns are of the players in a pitch process  Some best practice for preparing, giving and following-up on pitches  How you can prepare for your assessment presentations

Hogeschool van Amsterdam Interactieve Media Agenda  What is a pitch?  Why use a pitch?  The key players and their concerns  Preparing for a pitch  Giving the pitch  After the pitch  Some tips for the assessment  Summary

Hogeschool van Amsterdam Interactieve Media What is a pitch?

Hogeschool van Amsterdam Interactieve Media This is your client and they have a problem… It is your job to show them how you can solve it

Hogeschool van Amsterdam Interactieve Media What is a pitch?  A pitch is a competitive process where a client organization tries to find an (internal/external) organization that can help them solve their problem  The client organization asks more than one organization to come up with possible solutions and then selects the best from their perspective  Usually the client organization is looking to see:  Who has the best ideas to solve their problem AND  Who they can work with most effectively to implement them  Having the best ideas do not usually mean you win  The combination of ideas and ability to work together is essential

Hogeschool van Amsterdam Interactieve Media Why use a pitch?

Hogeschool van Amsterdam Interactieve Media Clients use pitches to  Get other perspectives on their problem  Get a “work sample” from other organizations  Compare options and ensure the best combination of ideas and ability to work together  And sadly sometimes they use them to steal the good ideas of others  Outside organizations should try to protect themselves from this

Hogeschool van Amsterdam Interactieve Media Agencies use pitches to  Get new business  Build awareness  Gather market information  However in an ideal world most agencies would prefer not to pitch

Hogeschool van Amsterdam Interactieve Media The key players and their concerns

Hogeschool van Amsterdam Interactieve Media Players and concerns

Hogeschool van Amsterdam Interactieve Media Preparing for a pitch

Hogeschool van Amsterdam Interactieve Media The 5 Ps of pitching  P athetic  P reparation  P rompts  P oor  P resentation Preparation is the key

Hogeschool van Amsterdam Interactieve Media Preparation

Hogeschool van Amsterdam Interactieve Media Field Of Dreams If you build it… …they will come FIELD OF DREAMS X

Hogeschool van Amsterdam Interactieve Media The Field of Dreams almost never happens  Consumers generally need to be aware of solutions to their problems  If you build it…  …you have to tell them about it somehow…  …and then…  …they might come  Telling them can involve  Communication And/or  Distribution

Hogeschool van Amsterdam Interactieve Media Miracles rarely occur  A miracle is a hole in your argument  It means you have not thought your story through Or  Your story is not complete Or  Your story is not being told well  The best sign that you are expecting a miracle is the phrase  “We hope that…”  Hope has no place in a pitch presentation

Hogeschool van Amsterdam Interactieve Media Scenarios help  Constructing different scenarios will help you avoid the field of dreams and miracles  Create scenarios for situations where the customer/user:  First finds out about the product  Is persuaded to trial and/or buy the product  Uses the product in different ways  Tells their friends about how much they like the product  Think of how you can ensure that they do find out, trial/buy, enjoy using and tell their friends

Hogeschool van Amsterdam Interactieve Media Preparation

Hogeschool van Amsterdam Interactieve Media Giving the pitch

Hogeschool van Amsterdam Interactieve Media A pitch is about selling  The word pitch is short for “sales pitch”  This is your opportunity to sell:  Your ideas  Yourself  Your organization  The client organization has a problem and wants a solution  You need to show them yours is the best and that you are the right organization to help them implement it

Hogeschool van Amsterdam Interactieve Media To do this you need to  Be prepared  Be professional  Be convincing  Be visual  Tell a complete story

Hogeschool van Amsterdam Interactieve Media After the pitch

Hogeschool van Amsterdam Interactieve Media Both the client and your organization need to decide something  The client  Are their ideas good?  Do we believe they can deliver?  Can we work with them?  Do the benefits justify the cost?  Your organization  Can you work with them?  Do the benefits justify the costs?  Do you want the contract?  You do not have to take the job if offered  Although you have to get out of it carefully!

Hogeschool van Amsterdam Interactieve Media Post-pitch best practice  Review how it went with your colleagues  What can you learn for future pitches?  Talk to the client and ask for feedback (especially if you were unsuccessful)  Again what can you learn for the future?  If successful, negotiate terms and conditions as soon as possible  If unsuccessful, try to maintain contact with the client for the future

Hogeschool van Amsterdam Interactieve Media Some tips for the assessment  Make sure you prepare well and rehearse  Watch out for the field of dreams and miracles  Where you can use visuals in place of text do so  Don’t make your presentations like a hoorcollege (too much text)  Agree an earlier meeting time with your team to check the presentation and computer one last time  Be ready at the start time  Imagine that your tutor is the client  Try to sell your ideas and your team  Try to tell a story  Take notes of all feedback  BTW you should always take notes when talking to your client (e.g. in the project)

Hogeschool van Amsterdam Interactieve Media Summary  A pitch is a competitive presentation aimed at showing the client that you have the best ideas and you are the best organization to work with to implement them  Preparation is the key  Remember the briefing is the basis of what you present  Make sure your story is complete and strong  To pitch is to sell  Make sure everything you do contributes to selling both your ideas and your organization