Pitching

This month, we move to the point where an opportunity becomes more formal: pitching.

Few words generate more anxiety amongst technical professionals than the word pitch. It often conjures images of sales presentations, polished persuasion techniques and high-pressure attempts to win work. For many lawyers, engineers, accountants and consultants, it can feel uncomfortable and unfamiliar.

However, one of the biggest misconceptions about pitching is that it is the point at which work is won. Whereas in reality the strongest pitches are often won long before the proposal is submitted or the presentation begins.

By the time a client invites you to pitch, they are usually trying to answer a relatively simple question: “Can these people help us achieve what we need to achieve?”, or as we all know, sometimes more frustratingly it’s a process that has to be followed. The challenge is that many professionals approach the pitch as though it is primarily an opportunity to showcase capability. They focus on credentials, experience, methodologies, processes and technical expertise.

Of course, those things matter, however, clients rarely appoint advisers solely because they possess expertise. They appoint advisers because they believe that expertise will help them achieve a particular outcome, and the fit between the two organisations is strong.

This is why so many of the behaviours we’ve explored throughout The 5 Minute Advantage become important long before the pitch itself. The quality of your listening influences how well you understand the client’s world; your curiosity shapes the depth of insight you uncover; the way you structure conversations determines whether you truly understand the client’s objectives, challenges and priorities, and your ability to articulate value helps the client connect your expertise to the outcomes they care about most.

Research tells us that one of the questions clients are asking themselves throughout this process is simply, “Do they get us?”, and one of the most effective ways to demonstrate that understanding is by talking their language and referencing the issues and concerns that are unique to them.

One of the most common mistakes technical professionals make is assuming that more information creates more confidence. As a result, pitches can become overloaded with detail. Teams include every relevant credential, every project example and every process diagram. Whilst all of these may be impressive, they can sometimes hide the most important messages.

In our experience the most compelling pitches therefore create confidence in three areas. Firstly, confidence that you understand their situation. Secondly, confidence that you can help them achieve the outcome they are seeking; and thirdly, confidence that you will be straightforward and hopefully enjoyable to work with throughout the process.

Interestingly, that final point is often underestimated, as in the people behind ’the solution’, after all people buy people; clients are not simply buying technical expertise, they are entering a relationship. It is increasingly difficult to differentiate on technical ability alone, so we also have to connect at a human level. In other words, we need to demonstrate both competence and warmth. They want reassurance that the team understands them, communicates effectively and will make their lives easier rather than more complicated.

This is one reason why pitches are rarely won by slides alone. Whilst the content matters, clients are often forming impressions about how the team thinks, collaborates and responds. They are assessing whether the people in front of them inspire confidence, in understanding and delivering on the objectives required.

Until next time,

Gary