Articles - You came a really close second

How I hate those words. Do you want to know how to improve your likelihood to win your new business pitches? Pitching for new business is a major investment for many companies absorbing large amounts of senior time. Pitching for more business is always a challenge. Too often it feels like the luck of the draw. Competition is fiercer than ever, the stakes are higher and the chance of winning harder as clients ask more companies to pitch.

Losing business is never easy whether it is with an existing or new client.

Most people hate to give bad news and so clients prefer to couch it in euphemisms and platitudes. Being told you came a really close second makes it easier for them to say and helps you feel better, cope with the rejection and gives some hope for next time.

There is no failure, only feedback. "You came second" isn't even useful feedback. We need real feedback so we can reflect, plan and improve.

In our research into pitches one irritation for clients that we hear too frequently is "They didn't really listen to us. They had their own agenda and were determined to stick to it, they weren't interested in our agenda." 

"Good enough is no longer good enough - you need to be exceptional"

If you want to win and win big you need to be exceptional. So called 'little things' can let you down.

Our independent researcher talks to clients after the pitch to find out what you did right and wrong, why you won or lost, what needs to improve... In our experience of researching over 30 pitches we've discovered some vital principles to help our clients win more business, more easily, more often. We've found that clients open up and say more to an independent person than they will to you.

Our research can be face to face or by telephone. Not surprisingly face to face provides better feedback but both are useful.

If you want to know why you've lost, or even why you've won, this research can help turn you new business effort into a real return on investment and help you win more business.