New Business Crash Course

I am a senior account manager and although I think I’m good at what I do with clients I have not had much new business experience. In fact I have only worked on one pitch as an account executive. We have just lost a major client and we are trying to get on more pitch lists. I have been asked to get involved in a pitch next month. Can you give me any tips?

Definitely. The best book about agencies I have read for some time is Jon Steel’s Perfect Pitch. To be honest, I found Truth, Lies and Advertising great for the case studies but quite tough to read. Perfect Pitch – about the whole area of new business - is a very easy read with some great tips for newcomers and veterans like.

My other observations about your situation is that the instincts and client management skills you have developed on existing clients will stand you in good stead for communicating and interacting with clients. Also as someone who has something to prove in this area, you have the opportunity to shine. Do your research on the customer, product and client through trawling reports, mystery shopping and looking up old press stories and you can add invaluably to the team’s thinking. Also – if you have a role in the presentation, just put yourself in the customers’ or clients’ shoes and you will be a step closer to a good response.

Also thanks for the question, after finishing Perfect Pitch I said I would email Jon Steel what a good book it is and got waylaid. I am going to do it now.