ROSES DAISIES DAFFODILS JWT s guide to scoring

ROSES, DAISIES & DAFFODILS JWT’s guide to scoring a perfect pitch

A journey from being noticed to being chosen

Love Story version 1 • Boy sees a girl. Likes Her • Boy impresses the girl. She NOTICES him • Girl agrees to go out on a date with the boy • The boy delights the girl on the date. He proposes. She says YES for life long relationship with him • They live happily ever after…

Love Story version 2 • The girl already has a boy friend. • They are having ‘difficulties’ in their relationship • She decides to go out on a date. With another boy… And four other boys. (… & also calls her boyfriend ) • They all propose. She says YES… To one of them • They live happily… for some time

A journey from being noticed to being chosen Being Chosen. OVER OTHERS

…. & in a date there’s nothing for finishing ‘close second’ There is no silver medal or points for finishing second

Therefore it is about ‘PITCHING TO WIN’

The path to persuasion • • • Session I : Getting Started Session II : Project Planning Session III : Building the strategy Session IV : The Output Session V : Show & Tell Session VI : After the date

SESSION I GETTING STARTED • Getting the Invite • Getting the most out of the brief

Getting the invite Create Opportunities to get Invited • Market Intelligence • Happy Clients moving into new companies • Networking “ 80% of success is just showing up. ” - Woody Allen

The Brief & Briefing It is all about asking the right questions

The pitch brief #1. Understanding the Problem #2. Understanding the Client

The pitch brief Defining the problem What is the problem (as they see it) ? What does success looks like to them ?

The pitch brief Before everything Know your audience

Know your audience #1. Who are you pitching to ? ‘ the end user doesn’t award the contract – the prospect does ’

Know your audience #2. Emotional acknowledgment before expertise

Know your audience #3. Will YOU help THEM look good ?

EXERCISE @ SESSION 1 • • • Mock brief Briefing session De-briefing session

SESSION II BEING ORGANISED PEOPLE & PROCESSES

Being Organised Putting together a Pitch team Setting aside a time to meet regularly Briefing teams Seeking top talent Input Getting a buy-in of Senior management

PEOPLE – The Pitch team

PEOPLE – The Pitch team Clients DO NOT necessarily choose the BEST people for the job. They choose the person or team who shows them a future with the greatest added value from the relationship.

PEOPLE : AS PART OF THE SOLUTION • Do they become a part of the solution that is being offered – People who’ll add credibility to the team. – People who’re respected by the clients. – People who’ve handled similar categories before.

Leveraging the NETWORK • Let WPP & JWT Global network for you – Use planning to accumulate global learnings • Category Expertise • Capability Expertise • Creative edge

360 & MORE : IN LETTER & IN SPIRIT • It is not about a 360 degrees campaign. It is about 360 degrees capabilities • Taking them together not just in letter but in spirit • Using them to support the big idea • Have the courage to put BTL solutions in front to demonstrate your intent

The WAR ROOM Creating the WAR ROOM – Creating the feel – Creating the team spirit (you’ve pulled in different people for the purpose they need to bond quickly) – Creating the special status & the resultant energy – Helps in maintaining confidentiality

EXERCISE @ SESSION II • No exercise at this point

SESSION III BUILDING THE STRATEGY

‘start working for the client before the pitch. When you walk in the door on pitch day, you should already have a working relationship. It’s easy - just start working - no one’s going to sue you. ’

#1. Clients aren’t shopping for Creative campaigns or brand ideas They are looking for SOLUTIONS BUSINESS solution CAPABILITY solution PARTNERSHIP solution CREATIVE solution

#2. FIRST give them what they think they want & THEN give them think they want WHAT THEY NEED

Building Strategy • BUILD HYPOTHESES – Basis all the intelligence gathered – Client brief – Consumer knowledge • ELIMINATE OPTIONS & ITERATE – Use consumer testing to eliminate & fine-tune strategic Options • BUILD ON THE STRONGEST OPTIONS - Amplify the solution

Using Research Using research to build CONVICTION

RESEARCH >> CONVICTION • Use research to understand the problem but more importantly … • Use research to test the solution you are proposing. (final creative/ communication concepts /strategic routes) Use research to build CONVICTION in your SOLUTION

EXERCISE @ SESSION III • • • A working session with a real brief. This a Problem definition session They need to come back with their understanding of the brief & the client ( what is required/who is the key client? )

SESSION IV THE OUTPUT THE CREDENTIALS THE PRESENTATION THE CREATIVE ELEMENTS THE INTERGRATION

Building the RIGHT CREDENTIALS

#1. NO standardized credentials PLEASE ! Tailor make it every time Put yourself in their shoes and project aspects of the agency most relevant to that particular client

Examples of standardized creds BHARTI - WALMART

#2. K. I. S. S Keep it SHORT Stupid !

#3. Facts tell, stories sell. Use relevant case studies as stories to highlight your credentials. Not necessarily the numbers

THE STRATEGY PRESENTATION Most pitches are won through great strategies. But that doesn’t necessarily convert into ‘most pitches are won by big presentations’.

The guiding principles Clients buy SOLUTIONS Clients buy CONVICTION

‘ After several presentations, the client will struggle to remember who said what. They will, however, remember a strong single minded idea. ‘ THE POWER OF ONE THING

Focus on that ONE THING

It’s always about ‘The One Thing’ Ask Bill Clinton

MAKING A GOOD PRESENTATION

#1. It’s not about what you say. It’s what your presentation says about you It’s not about the work – it’s about creating the impression that you would be good to work with in the future.

#2. Don’t show your hard work show the results of your hard work

#3. You don’t need to get it right, you just have to show that you could get it right.

#4. More detail means less persuasion

#5. Join the dots Strategy ……. Creative execution

#6. Use the blunting technique To kill the Competition/ alternative strategies

Presentation & Aristotle’s laws of rhetoric • Ethos • Logos • Pathos

ETHOS Your reputation LOGOS The logic in your argument PATHOS The emotion you elicit

& FINALLY If the plan fails … Make sure you communicate ‘ COMMANDER’S INTENT’

EXERCISE @ SESSION IV • The teams should be given time to work on the pitch brief here. • No presentations here

SESSION V : SHOW & TELL The THEATRE of PITCH PRESENTAION

IT IS YOUR ONLY CHANCE

You’ll get only one chance to impress her. • Make sure – THE PLACE is right – the music will play when you want it to – that you’re in control of the place where you’re taking her.

The importance of THE PLACE • A place where you can get their undivided attention • A place where you are in control • A place where you can plan a surprise

The Nike Pitch in India THE VENUE : Bangalore Cricket Stadium

The importance of DIAMOND RING The importance of SHOW & TELL If you want her to say YES understand how to SIGNAL

Pre-selling the IDEA before bringing it alive HELP THEM ABSORB YOUR IDEA The Idea AV

Examples of IDEA AV Commonwealth Games

Examples of IDEA AV SONY

The creative execution & THE AMPLIFICATION ‘one ABRUPTIVE AMPLIFICATION of brand idea or agency philosophy that they remember the presentation by. ’

AMPLIFYING ‘YOUR OFFERING’ The best demonstration of your capabilities The way to show ‘YOU can get it right’

And finally. SHOW THE HUNGER

EXERCISE @ SESSION V • The presentations by different teams will happen after this session

SESSION VI THE DAY AFTER • THE FOLLOW UP • NEGOTIATIONS • CELEBRATIONS

THE FOLLOW UP • Don’t drop the ball • Keep showing the hunger for their business • Help them make up their mind in favour of you – Answer all the queries that they might have articulated during the pitch – Invite them for a visit to your premises • Keep the conversations going

And after the victory … DON’T FORGET TO CELEBRATE

SO ARE YOU READY TO PURSUE ?