Winning new clients is what brings in revenue, enabling you to continue offering your services, keep your staff employed, and make a difference in the world. That’s why your organization spends much fund, talent, and time on pitches and conference attendance in hopes to develop business.
But have you considered your client’s perspective? The most common complaint from clients is that agencies show up on pitches with their so-called “big guns” who can make an impression with their deep knowledge and vast experience, though these people HARDLY get involved in the actual projects, leaving clients feeling like they’ve been tricked. I think the clients are catching on, which is why they’re now beginning to request that the actual team members who will be involved in the project to attend pitches.
How should this inform your business development strategy? EXECUTION of the project is equally as important as the initial win. Your pitch didn’t stop on game day–the marathon actually continues through the end of the project (which can be 2 months, or even a year). Top-notch execution means the piece has effective messages and supporting points, it’s accurate, it’s designed effectively, clients are satisfied on review teleconferences, and timelines are managed efficiently.
Execution of a project is actually a form of marketing. You don’t have to take my word for it. Think about a time when you lost a client due to inaccuracies on a project. On the contrary, think about a time when you impressed a client so much with your impeccable work that (s)he felt obligated to tell 10 other people about your greatness, which lead to new business coming to you (instead of you going to it).
What kind of execution Dream Team can keep winning business for you? You need a team who is accurate, trustworthy, can collaborate effectively, is up-to-date on the trends, has insightful knowledge, and has the chops to develop effective communication tactics. Those fortunate to have a writer with all of these traits are sure to bring home the gold.
Your agency’s execution team is what sets you apart from the rest, so invest in a good one.
It’s time to make big strides and turn heads–let’s go.
