There is only one rule to pitching
The process is as challenging and exhausting as your first driving lesson. But you quickly learn to explore new horizons as you guide your vehicle in a symphony of gear changes, acceleration, deceleration, right turns, left turns, the reverse and lipstick application. Pitching is like learning to drive all over again.
When you're invited to pitch, the client may not know it, but he/she will be turned on by only one thing. I don't use the word 'turned on' loosely, but in the biological sense - they will be driven by an innate need to partner with the agency that delivers best on something. Rather than call this 'something' Factor X, the term that defines it best is entropy; the degree of disorder in a system.
People do not respond to disorder, especially if they're paying. When I eat at the Spur, the manager asks me if everything is in order, because he knows that's what I want. We do not crave disorder. It's a people thing. We look for order in everything in our lives, and yes, even ad agencies. We want, crave and desire negative entropy. That's how we are.
To reduce disorder, your pitch must begin with the lowest degree of entropy you can find. This is NOT a quest for the golden consumer insight that we so often rush off to do, by exploring the end-user experience in a focus group.
The process is simple, as most processes that reduce entropy are: get to know the entire distribution channel (including the final consumer) and how the channel members relate and work with each other. Just follow the flow of goods from inception to consumption and you'll find all the insights you need. You must know how the client makes his/her money. You must see the picture. Then you must show the client the picture.
After that you can show the client anything, because everything you share with him is not new. It's just exciting.
