A pitch is how an advertising agency presents a potential client with a promotional plan for a brand, product, or service.
The campaign's objectives are stated in the pitch and how the execution will help the company achieve its goals. Companies solicit advertising pitches created by a marketing agency to choose the best proposal from various advertising companies.
A successful pitch should show that an agency can successfully use the advertising budget to increase the value of a brand.
In this post, we'll look at how to write a great sales pitch, check out some pitch examples, go through some quick tips about pitch creation, learn how to use a pitch deck to solve your customer's problems, and how to use a pitch to sell your product.
How to write a successful sales pitch?
Advertising companies showcase their skills and proposals for executing a client's advertising campaign during pitches to business prospects or clients.
When business prospects or clients choose to launch a new campaign, they often invite several agencies to present pitches, creating a competitive environment.
Agencies use client pitches to get recognized by businesses and jump on the shortlist for future campaign pitches.
But pitching does not solely lie in the purview of marketing agencies. You can also create a pitch if you think you have a better idea than your business competition or a new solution to a specific problem.
Here's how you can write an excellent advertising pitch:
Step 1: conduct market research
Before crafting the sales pitch or pitching to your client, carefully read the client's brief. A solid brief lays out the campaign's goals and expected outcomes and information about the market, intended audience, budget, and timeline.
Conduct market research to better grasp the campaign's needs and fill in any gaps left by the client's brief. Draft a powerful opening line or introduction. It will help catch the attention of key stakeholders.
Step 2: draft a successful pitch structure
Create a pitch structure to guarantee that you coherently cover all essential points presented by your prospect's business. Discuss the marketing history, media strategy, creative proposals, and digital agency qualifications of other team members.
Begin by expressing gratitude to the client or business for the privilege of pitching. Introduce the agency representatives who will be at the pitch. To show that you understand the brief, summarize the client's campaign goals.
Describe your appraisal of the creative and digital requirements needed to meet the client's goals in broad terms.
Step 3: show your expertise
Now you can talk about your marketing agency's expertise. Give a list of clients and a brief description of successful campaigns, including metrics.
Mention any honors your agency has received if your sales pitch is accepted, including a short biography of the agency crew who will work on the campaign.
Once you've established your experience, explain how your product addresses the client's concerns.
Step 4: plan your campaign
Plan out your campaign's approach. Describe the client's target audience's needs and explain why your marketing strategy will encourage them to take action. Outline what the audience will do in reaction to the campaign, such as lead generation or customer acquisition.
In your own pitch document, explain the reasoning for the innovative proposal you offer and briefly detail the creative aspects, including photographs. Describe why your marketing agency's innovative approach will impact your client and set them apart from their business competitors.
List the media, such as pitch decks, your agency will utilize and explain why you chose them, demonstrating how your plan delivers the best coverage of the target demographic for the least amount of money.
Step 5: finalize all potential deliverables
Provide accurate cost estimates and a timeline for generating and finishing campaign materials. Summarize the primary advantages of hiring your firm and thank the customer for giving you the opportunity to work with them.
Making a great advertising pitch in seven steps
You're ready to pitch your advertising campaign to the client once you've created your idea and put together your creative content.
Here are the seven key steps in the ad-pitching process:
1.Schedule a pitch meeting
Frequently, a customer will seek a pitch meeting with an agency by sending out a request for proposal (RFP). The RFP gives you a quick rundown of the data you'll need to decide whether or not to pitch. The client will schedule a meeting if you approve the pitch request.
It's critical to let the client know who will be attending the meeting (for example, the creative director, copywriter, account executive, or art director).
Finally, check that all of the client's decision-makers will be available for the meeting; the last thing you want is for a junior member of the client's staff to summarize your pitch to the company's top brass.
2.Plan ahead and practice
Keep a detailed record of the client's creative brief. The better informed you are, the more likely you will be hired.
Practice your proposal after learning about the client's objectives and possible customers. You'll deliver a better pitch if you work hard during prep time. Look at successful pitch examples that the company you're pitching to has accepted before.
3.Introduce yourself before making a good sales pitch
Begin a pitch meeting by thanking the client for taking the time to meet with you, and then introduce your team members, particularly if you're a new firm and haven't worked with them before. You should use a pitch deck at this point.
After the introduction, give a quick rundown of your marketing campaign's end goals. You could also give examples of previous campaigns – presented in your pitch deck, of course.
4.Present your market research
Your market research and case studies should also be presented to your potential customer through a pitch deck.
Explain to your potential client how your agency researched the target population and which ad platforms you plan to use. For example, you may describe how your study revealed that social media marketing and influencer collaborations are more effective than print ads.
If you're utilizing a pitch deck to showcase your case study, avoid putting out blocks of uninteresting material. Instead, convey an engaging narrative story with eye-catching infographics and statistics.
5.Showcase your creative pitch
It's time to put your unique ideas on display. You can create a pitch deck and multiple slides for pitching to your potential customers. Otherwise, make sure to produce mockups of your campaign proposals in the same medium they'll be seen.
For example, if your ad is delivered through marketing communication, don't only show how it looks on its own; instead, present it on an actual website or on the social media platform where it will be spread.
Remember, seeing is believing, and your potential customers or potential investors won't come to you if they don't know what you're offering.
6.Review the budget
Describe your campaign's estimated budget, considering both the cost of your creative team and the projected cost of the media agency that will distribute the commercials.
7.Make a lasting impression by ending on a memorable note
This is your last chance to make an impression, so wrap your pitch in the best way possible.
Creating a solid first impression while pitching will help you succeed in the future — even if the client picks or makes a deal with another business. But if they're pleased with the quality of your work, they may invite you to pitch on one of their future campaigns.
How do you start a pitch?
The most challenging part of a pitch is getting it started. However, a good pitch focuses on the prospective client's interest in hearing about the benefits of your product and how it may be able to benefit their business.
It would help if you first piqued the interest of your prospects before discussing the product's benefits. You can understand what your client likes and dislikes by checking out some pitch examples they've accepted before.
You'll also want to incorporate the following key tips into your pitch when you're getting started:
- Begin with the issue
Always begin with the issue. Your client won't be interested in hearing how your product can solve an issue until they know what problem you can solve.
Build trust by sharing your story with the client. Explain how you've helped other companies resolve the same issue they're facing – this can help you land the deal.
- Tailor the pitch's start to their vertical
Nobody wants to hear a generic sales speech that could be applied to any agency. Investigate your prospective client's industry, identify their customers' pain points, and apply what you learn to tailor your pitch right away.
- Make stakes available
Make your clients realize what the cost of not solving their issue could be. You could do this, for example, by creating a sense of urgency and making them covertly realize the risk of losing out.
What are the best sales pitches?
As time passes, people's attention spans are getting shorter by the minute. As a result, salespeople no longer have the luxury of giving an hour-long pitch to sell a specific product or service.
Long sales pitches are no longer compelling since people do not have the time to listen to them. You must rethink your strategy if you find yourself presenting an hour-long sales pitch.
A strong sales proposal must convey the intended message succinctly and persuasively. Sales pitches are now also known as "elevator pitches" because it should take you the duration of one elevator ride to get your point across entirely.
A competent salesperson must be able to communicate their message clearly and succinctly. If you ace your sales pitch, you'll probably get the opportunity to make a more detailed pitch by landing a formal meeting with the client.
Examples of great sales pitches
There is no one way to give a great sales pitch. The following examples, however, can assist you in getting started — remember to personalize utilizing the principles we mentioned before.
- The bond of friendship
This technique works well when you and your consumer have something in common outside of work, such as a shared interest or alma mater.
"Hey <name of person>,
We're connected on LinkedIn, so I thought about reaching out and complimenting you on your recent post about Pittsburgh's best burger joints. Your advice to "eat outside our comfort zones" was a terrific reminder to me to try new things for supper.
And in the spirit of trying new things, I'd like to share some of our most recent fast-food and well-being findings with you. I'd like to touch with you to walk you through this super-insightful report and learn more about your short-term objectives.
Would you be interested?"
- Swaying with stats
This is an excellent approach to pique a buyer's interest, especially if it can assist them in persuading their team to acquire your product.
"Greetings <name of person>,
The bad news is that marketing burnout is all too often nowadays. The good news? We can help!
According to new studies, our platform can deliver a:
- 72% increase in buyer engagement
- 50% rise in open rates
- 20% reduction in attrition.
Intrigued? How do 15 minutes next week sound to overview how our customers used our platform to reach these results?"
- The joyous celebration
One of your pitches will eventually coincide with a significant event in a buyer's life. Use the opportunity to form a connection as long as it's appropriate.
"Greetings <name of person>,
Congratulations on your recent advancement to senior program manager! Did you know that reducing two manual jobs by half can give you back five hours every week?
Are you keen to discover how you handle project management as you adjust to your new role?
Our platform allows you to focus on the work that matters more than ever before. If that makes sense, we'd love to talk more about what we can do to help you get more done in your day.
Are you available next week?"
- The soft follow-up
Finally, this is an excellent template to employ when leads are sluggish or unresponsive, especially when combined with a personalized message.
"Greetings <name of person>,
I was hoping to see whether you'd be interested in a virtual coffee now that the weather is cooling down.
Again, I'd like to communicate with you about our solution and inform you about the use cases that your peers are actively addressing with our platform. If not, I'll buy you a cup of coffee!"
What is the best way to make a catchy pitch?
Even if you're not a natural salesperson, a well-planned pitch can help you sell your ideas effectively. Take a look at these simple pitch ideas to make an excellent first impression.
- Take time to prepare
Here's one of the most invaluable tips you'll get: when it comes to making a pitch, it all comes down to preparation.
To make sure your pitch is foolproof, develop a list of the parts to formulate a pitch that can help you sell. Ask yourself what goes into a successful sales pitch.
The elevator pitch is a fantastic place to start. It gives your viewers a taste of your offering and makes them want to learn more.
- Mention your market research
Mention your market research and any case studies to demonstrate that your product or service has a target market, and if possible, back up your results with actual data or customer testimonials.
A good sales pitch encapsulates all of the main aspects of your strategy. Examine how you'll put your big idea into action, and keep in mind factors such as supply chain and product manufacturing.
Make your target audience believe you care about even the most minute details.
- Have an elevator pitch prepared
The elevator pitch is a one-line summary of your offering that you want customers to remember after leaving the room. It should describe what your idea is for, who it is for, and why it is fantastic.
Here's an example of a (fictitious) elevator pitch for a solar panel:
"Hello, my name is Derek, and I've noticed that your organization has yet to make the switch to solar energy. Several businesses have switched to solar technology and are delighted with the results. They're saving money by wasting less electricity and seeing an increase in sales and productivity.
Employees understand that by utilizing green technology, they are making a difference and benefiting the environment, making them feel better and motivating them to work more for your firm! You will have a better public image and be at the forefront of innovation if you become a "green" company."
A great elevator pitch should be descriptive enough to pique the audience's interest and make them want to learn more while remaining as brief as possible.
It may take some thought to distill your concept down to its fundamental essentials, but you have enough time to do it before the big day. But if you're struggling, here's a tip: Imagine yourself in a conversation.
- Rehearse your sales pitch
You don't need to memorize a speech or choreograph precisely where you'll stand during your sales pitch because it isn't a performance. Indeed, if your sales pitch is overly polished, it may be phony or too hard a sell.
However, you may improve your delivery with a bit of practice and be prepared to answer questions on the big day.
- Don't skip on the basics
It's tempting to overstate how simple an idea is for others to understand when you live and breathe it.
Even if you're repeating yourself, include the essential aspects of your proposal, such as the history or story of how you came up with it and any specific insight you obtained along the journey.
- Maintain eye contact to exude confidence
One of the most crucial pitch ideas for connecting with your audience or prospective company is to use humor. Remember that, no matter how daunting that sea of faces appears, they're all just humans – you can sell to them, but there's a trick to it.
Carefully employ eye contact to generate a sense of connection with the entire audience. Select a few people in the crowd during your entire pitch presentation and make brief eye contact.
A passing glance will reveal that you're conversing with them rather than at them.
- Tell a story
A story or narrative structure has a remarkable ability to keep people's attention. What's the story or history of how you came up with your concept? What are the names of the characters? What challenges did you experience along the road, and what did you learn?
Personify the story to bring your sales pitch to life and make the audience feel more involved in listening to your solution. Involve them in a conversation.
- Use interactive ways to communicate
What is the best way to make a sales pitch that keeps people's attention? You'll have a better chance of keeping your audience's attention if you have them thinking and engaging during your presentation. Request that they predict a figure or a result that you'll present on the next slide.
Alternatively, have them vote on other brand colors or logos. This will make them feel more interested in what you're saying and encourage them to collaborate with you on management decisions.
- Don't read from your slides
If you're giving a presentation with slides, be clear about their purpose: they're there to highlight your points, not to serve as a cue card. You can use the phrases on one slide to keep your presentation flowing if you're nervous or out of words.
However, the listener's experience isn't pleasant if they're reading the same thing they're hearing.
- Channel your passion into your presentation
Do you think your product or service is fantastic? Then talk about it! If you sing your praises in a sales pitch, you won't come across as arrogant, pompous, or abrasive — the buyer wants to know what you have to offer and how it may help them.
If you genuinely believe in what you're selling, let your excitement for it shine through, and don't be afraid to express why you're so pleased about it.
- Respond to the questions asked
A business pitch is similar to a conversation – but a skewed one, with you doing the most of the talking. Regardless of how well you've prepared, your audience members may bring up ideas, questions, or points of view that you weren't expecting, and that's just fine.
It's best not to make anything up on the spot if you don't have a response.
Saying something like "excellent question!" is far more genuine — and less dangerous too. You can keep your audience or client in the loop by telling them that you don't have an answer right away but that you'll get back to them via email.
The takeaway
The importance of brevity in a sales proposal cannot be overstated. Sales pitches don't have to be a tense situation.
You should be able to construct a successful sales pitch that hits all the proper notes using these strategies and ideas, ensuring that your approach is pitch-perfect every time.
So, make it short, sweet, and straightforward in your sales pitch! Your clients will appreciate it.
