The Definitive Business Pitch: How to Make the Best Pitches, Proposals And Presentations

215 Pages·2007·3.8 MB·English

by  Angela Hatton

About the author ‘A refreshingly accessible business book from an author who really knows her subject. Is this you?
Built on a solid bedrock of sales, marketing and management theory, each and every
Angela Hatton is a specialist in chapter bristles with common sense, thanks to a text that’s brimful of practical
writing, consulting and training on business wisdom; this is the stuff we all need to do our jobs better. It’s a modern • you find you have to present your
marketing strategy. She has more than manual of competitive advantage.’ ideas and plans more often – and
16 years’ experience of pitching for Theo Theobald, author of Shut up and Listen and Business and the you sometimes feel uncomfortable
training and consultancy for her own Beautiful Game doing this
marketing and management business
‘Tactics’. Over the years, her core ‘The Definitive Business Pitch had me nodding and making notes all the way through • you increasingly need to persuade
clients have included Lloyds TSB, – even as a seasoned marketer! Angela Hatton has once again managed to create a other people to support your
Norwich Union, IBM and City & no-nonsense, “can do”, fully comprehensive guide to developing and winning business.’ DT proposals and to trust that you
Guilds. She has facilitated workshops Louisa Moger, Marketing Director of a rapidly growing specialist SME in the will deliver benefits that merit the
on successful pitching and print industry costs involved
EH
presentations for clients such as the
BBC and IPC Media. Her previous First impressions count. Make yours a • you do not necessarily consider
F
publications include The Definitive good one. E yourself to be a sales or marketing
Guide to Marketing Planning. professional
I
If you would like a critical review or B USINESS
constructive advice on your proposal, Need to make a presentation to an important client? Want to increase your hit rate N • you prefer to let the quality of your
pitch or presentation, contact Angela in winning new business? Have to submit a proposal to secure a contract or get more ideas speak for themselves
via email at resources for your department?
[email protected] IP ITCH • you are not successful as often as
to see how we can help. Clients – and senior managers – have shorter attention spans and higher expectations T you should or could be
than ever before and you need to be exceptional rather than just competent to make
an impact. It’s not only what you or your business can do that matters – it’s how you • you sense that a few pragmatic
I
pitch your offer that determines success. In The Definitive Business Pitch, Angela techniques and practical tips could
H OW TO MAKE THE BEST
Hatton tackles the core problem of persuading the customer that your solution to V help make a real difference to
their problem is the best. Whether you are making a spoken presentation or submitting your success in pitching and
P ITCHES, PROPOSALS
a written document, this means capturing your audience’s attention right from the winning proposals
E
start, addressing their needs and requirements head-on and demonstrating clearly
what you can do for them. A ND PRES ENTATIONS On this last point you are right. This
book will take you through the process
Mastering a few simple, proven techniques can make all the difference and The A NGELA HATTON of structuring and presenting a pitch
Definitive Business Pitch is based on tried and tested marketing and sales principles, or proposal in a way which will help
to enable you to make your message memorable and to get your offer across build your confidence in the process
effectively, impressively and convincingly. Whatever you want to win, Angela Hatton’s and ensure that in the future you have
guidelines and techniques for perfect pitches, proposals and presentations will make more occasions to celebrate successes
sure you come out at the top of the heap. Can you afford not to read this book – what – you can expect to hear others
if your competitors do? saying ‘yes’ more often!
Visit our website at
www.pearson-books.com Visit our website at
www.pearson-books.com
DESIGNED BY
r&d&c
An imprint of Pearson Education
TheDefinitiveBusinessPitch_027371 1 10/11/06 10:26:05
DEFI_A01.qxp 16/11/06 08:49 Page i
the definitive
business pitch
DEFI_A01.qxp 16/11/06 08:49 Page ii
In an increasingly competitive world, we believe it’s quality of
thinking that gives you the edge – an idea that opens new
doors, a technique that solves a problem, or an insight that
simply makes sense of it all. The more you know, the smarter
and faster you can go.
That’s why we work with the best minds in business and finance
to bring cutting-edge thinking and best learning practice to a
global market.
Under a range of leading imprints, including Financial Times
Prentice Hall, we create world-class print publications and
electronic products bringing our readers knowledge, skills and
understanding, which can be applied whether studying or at work.
To find out more about Pearson Education publications, or tell us
about the books you’d like to find, you can visit us at
www.pearsoned.co.uk
DEFI_A01.qxp 16/11/06 08:49 Page iii
the definitive
business pitch
how to make the best pitches, proposals and
presentations
ANGELA HATTON
DEFI_A01.qxp 16/11/06 08:49 Page iv
PEARSON EDUCATION LIMITED
Edinburgh Gate
Harlow CM20 2JE
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Website: www.pearsoned.co.uk
First published in Great Britain 2007
©Pearson Education Limited 2007
The right of Angela Hatton to be identified as author
of this work has been asserted by her in accordance
with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
ISBN-13: 978-0-273-70826-1
ISBN-10: 0-273-70826-0
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
Acatalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Hatton, Angela.
The definitive business pitch : how to make the best pitches, proposals and
presentations / Angela Hatton.
p. cm.
Includes index.
ISBN-13: 978-0-273-70826-1 (alk. paper)
ISBN-10: 0-273-70826-0 (alk. paper)
1. Business presentations–Handbooks, manuals, etc. 2. Proposal writing in
business–Handbooks, manuals, etc. I. Title.
HF5718.22.H38 2006
658.4'5–dc22
2006051707
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored
in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic,
mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without either the prior
written permission of the Publisher or a licence permitting restricted copying
in the United Kingdom issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency Ltd,
Saffron House, 6–10 Kirby Street, London EC1N 8TS. This book may not be lent,
resold, hired out or otherwise disposed of by way of trade in any form
of binding or cover other than that in which it is published, without the
prior consent of the publishers.
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
10 09 08 07 06
Microsoft product screen shots reprinted with permission from Microsoft Corporation.
Typeset in 9.5pt Stone Serif by 3
Printed and bound in Great Britain by Bell & Bain Ltd, Glasgow
The publishers’ policy is to use paper manufactured from sustainable forests.
DEFI_A01.qxp 16/11/06 08:49 Page v
This book is dedicated to my sister, Rosalind, whose:
◆ love and support I appreciate more every year;
◆ personal courage and bravery leaves me speechless;
◆ commitment to starting a new career as an entrepreneur I admire.
I hope these ideas help make her new business, Footfocus Reflexology, a real
success but I know her own dedication and caring skills will be the real keys to
achieving her ambitions.
DEFI_A01.qxp 16/11/06 08:49 Page vi
about the author
ANGELAHATTON
Angela Hatton is a specialist in writing, consulting and training on marketing
strategy. She has more than 16 years’ experience of pitching for training and con-
sultancy for her own marketing and management business ‘Tactics’. Over the
years, her core clients have included Lloyds TSB, Norwich Union, IBM andCity &
Guilds. She has facilitated workshops on successful pitching and presentations for
clients such as the BBC and IPC Media. Her previous publications include The
Definitive Guide to Marketing Planning.
DEFI_A01.qxp 16/11/06 08:49 Page vii
contents
About the author vi
Preface xi
Symbols used xi
Acknowledgements xii
Introduction xiii
1 Good ideas don’t sell themselves 1
Persuasive communication – a life skill 2
Building a better mouse trap – the basis of competitive advantage 2
What is a competitive advantage? 3
What is a sustainable advantage? 9
The pitch – the missing link 10
It’s not my job 12
2 Spotting the pitfalls 15
The value of auditing 16
A simple communicati on process 16
Roles in the buying process 18
Delivery format 21
Understand the decision-making process 25
The message 25
Noise and feedback 26
Troubleshooting 30
3 To pitch or not to pitch 31
Saying ‘no’ needs bravery 32
The facts and figures 32
Metrics matter 35
But who do we say ‘no’ to? 36
DEFI_A01.qxp 16/11/06 08:49 Page viii
Contents
The challenge of profiling 38
Profiling the successes 40
Screening opportunities 40
Do we want the business? 43
Manage the volume 45
How to say ‘no’ 46
4 Getting to know the market 49
Real customer focus 50
The sector context 50
The role of marketing 51
Build the big picture 52
A market checklist 53
Set up competitor watchers 55
Where does customer information come from? 57
Digging for detail 60
The brief – the information starting point 60
Organising your research 62
Meeting the decision-making unit 64
Success lies in preparation 65
5 Putting on the customer’s shoes 67
A source of competitive advantage 68
Understanding empathy 68

Turning features into benefits 69
Interpreting research with empathy 71
Establishing the parameters 72
About you or about me? 75
Look and listen 76
Body language clues 77
Summarising empathy options 79
6 Preparing to pitch 81
From building blocks to business 82
Setting the scene 82
Setting the strategy 83
Preparing the team 85
viii
DEFI_A01.qxp 16/11/06 08:49 Page ix
Contents
Who does what role? 86
Know your team 87
Briefing the team 88
Structuring the pitch 89
Added value and the bottom line 92
Timing 92
Using support materials 93
Practise, practise, practise 95
7 Pitching with punch 97
Just another pitch! 98
First impressions count 98
Managing expectations and time 104
Working alone – the salesperson’s pitch 105
Choreographing the pitch 106
Involve the audience 106
Presenting complex data 107
Adding the price tag 109
Watching body language 111
Tackling questions 112
Don’t be surprised 113
It’s a question of money 114
Remember – a strong finish 114
About that impact 115

Next steps 116
8 Winning proposals 119
What are they? 120
The problem with proposals 120
Proposals as physical evidence 121
Start with the brief 122
The proposal 124
Building a persuasion sandwich 129
The value of templates 130
Notice the sales messages 131
Written not spoken 132
ix