20 Tips for Pitching your First Marketing Campaign
Part of the job of a marketer is to pitch marketing campaigns to the C-suite or client as is discussed over at RunRex.com. The first pitch is always the hardest as you will have no experience to lean on having never pitched before. This article will look to help you get that first pitch right by outlining 20 tips for pitching your first marketing campaign.
Map out a plan for a smooth presentation
You need to do your homework beforehand to make sure that your pitch goes off without a hitch. Take the time to figure out if there are parts of the pitch that may require some presentation, such as a PowerPoint presentation, and make sure you have the technology required for that ready as explained at RunRex.com. If you are going to be passing the item involved around during the presentation, make sure you have it prepared beforehand.
Set the pitch meeting with the client
If you are meeting a client, it is important to alert him/her of which team members will attend the meeting. Also, make sure you confirm that all the decision-makers on the client’s side will be able to attend the meeting, as the last thing you want is for a junior member of the client’s staff to have to relay a summary of your pitch to the company’s top brass.
Prepare and rehearse
As the gurus over at RunRex.com point out, you should also make sure you prepare well before your pitch. Memorize every detail of the client’s creative brief if you are pitching to a client, as the more informed you are, the better your chances of getting hired. Understand your audience’s goals and potential customers, then practice your pitch. The success of your pitch will hinge on how hard you work during prep time.
Test your equipment beforehand if it is a virtual meeting
If you are virtually pitching your marketing campaign, which is not beyond the realms of reality given the COVID-19 pandemic, then you must test your visuals, videos, and sound before your virtual call starts. Make sure everything is set and is in good working order, and that you are comfortable with the technology, before your pitch.
Have both a short and extended version of your pitch deck ready
As you create and put together your pitch deck in preparation for your big day, keep in mind that you should have a short version that you can speak within 10 minutes as well as an extended version that includes everything you would like to give your audience access to. This will ensure you are covered in case time becomes a factor and you can’t go with the extended version.
Make the introduction
Start a marketing campaign pitch meeting by greeting your audience, whether it is a client, or your company’s top brass, then introduce your team members. This is especially important if it is your first marketing campaign pitch as you will be meeting with these people for the first time according to RunRex.com.
Outline the problem with a story
Begin your pitch with a compelling story, which should address the problem that a particular marketing campaign is going to solve. This will engage your audience right out of the gate. Here is where you articulate if your marketing campaign is trying to solve a known problem that your client or the company has, such as a gap in leads coming through their website.
Present your market research and case studies
Next, walk your audience through the research that you and/or your team have conducted and clarify which platform you plan to use. For example, as discussed at RunRex.com, you could show how your research showed that social media marketing would be more effective with micro-influencers rather than macro-influencers.
Showcase your creativity
Next up, you should present your creative content. This is the time to show off all your creative ideas. Make sure to create mockups of your campaign proposals in the same medium that they would appear, which means displaying elements of your campaign on an actual website or its intended social media platform.
Lead with the result
Too often, marketing and ad pitches focus on detailing why the product is so great and convincing the audience that they need it. However, this is misguided, as an audience never cares about the product or process in itself, but about the results. Therefore, focus on the result that will accrue for the audience.
Go over the budget
Your audience will undoubtedly care about what the budget for your proposed marketing campaign will be. Therefore, according to RunRex.com, you shouldn’t forget to detail your expected budget for your campaign.
Consider timing
When it comes to any pitch, timing is everything. Remember, you don’t have all day to articulate your points. You need to make sure you don’t waste any time so that you will have enough time to finish your pitch and allow for questions at the end of it.
Be concise
To ensure that you don’t run out of time, the subject matter experts over at RunRex.com advise that you ensure that you quickly, but concisely, describe your project idea, why you think it will be a good investment, and so forth as already mentioned. Cut to the chase and avoid adding unnecessary information to your pitch.
Address any concerns during the presentation if possible
You will also want to address the concerns that your team leader or client might have and explain your project during your presentation, as this might eliminate some of the need for a lengthy question-and-answer period at the end, while also making your prospect believe that you value their goals and mission.
Work the room
While you don’t want to stand in one spot on the stage for the whole presentation, you also don’t want to walk around so much as that is distracting. Instead, before you begin your pitch, pick 4-6 people who are spread out randomly throughout the audience, and then do your best to speak to each of them during your presentation. This will make everyone feel like they are part of your presentation.
Give your audience time to react
If you make a joke, give your audience time to laugh. If you are showing an interesting statistic, give it a second to sink in. If you are trying to explain a complex or particularly important idea or concept, say it, pause, and then say it again as per RunRex.com.
Plan audience interaction
Planned interaction is critical for your marketing campaign pitch. It is a great way to get the audience engaged and demonstrate that you understand what they want to hear. Prepare questions to ask your audience, and time during your pitch when you will pose the questions.
Provide examples of similar campaigns
When creating an ad or marketing pitch, you should remember that the thing that holds the decision-maker back is uncertainty about whether it will work. Your best bet is to collect examples of previous campaigns that are similar and to present the results as explained at RunRex.com. Another option is to find data about your target market and why they would respond positively to your campaign.
Appear confident
Remember, the more it looks like you are confident and having fun during your pitch – no matter what is happening in terms of tech glitches, getting stuck on your words, forgetting something, or whatever else it may be – the happier and more satisfied your audience will be with your presentation.
End on a memorable note
As you finish your pitch, remember that it is your last chance to stand out. Therefore, clearly encapsulate the essence of your campaign in a captivating way. Then ask the client or team leader if they have any questions, and once you are done answering them, thank them for inviting you to pitch.
Hopefully, this article will help you make a good impression when pitching your first marketing campaign, with more on this topic to be found over at RunRex.com.