How to Build a Stronger Relationship During a Pitch
This tip is around how to build a stronger, more sincere relationship with the prospect while pitching?
And after managing a myriad of reviews over the years, I’ve seen sincere and disingenuous methods of developing a relationship.
Let’s start with the fact that I do not like the word: “chemistry.” It’s not about chemistry. It is about compatibility. Chemistry is fleeting. Compatibility is enduring. But what makes two people or two teams compatible and how to you build that compatible relationship while pitching?
Well – think about the last time you had to hire someone. Sure, you look at credentials and experience, and accomplishments. But I will go out on a limb and say that if you had two comparable candidates, you most likely chose the one that you felt more comfortable with, sent a thank you note, and felt that they simply liked YOU.
The fact is people genuinely like people who like them. With that said, you would be able to build stronger relationships with your prospective client if you genuinely liked the brand steward or stewards. BUT… you cannot fake it. So, what do you do?
There is a simple tip which is to find a heartfelt reason to admire each person on the client team. Thanks to social media you can do a little research to see if you can find something about them that you truly admire and respect. It instantly changes your view of that person and it is the foundation for a deeper relationship. Again, you cannot fake it because people can smell it from a mile away.
When pitching, we all know that you must love the brand for emotional reasons in order to really help push that brand to the next level. And again, not something you can easily fake. But it shouldn’t stop with the brand. You also need to truly like the brand stewards for their admirable qualities or you will not be able to have a long-term and successful relationship.
In the end, people hire people and we are a people business first. Why do you think so many clients say the same line in the end when making that crucial final decision – who would you rather have a beer with at the end of the day?
So – even though you can’t craft chemistry, you can genuinely admire a person for their accomplishments or something specific about them which is the start of building a stronger relationship while pitching.
There you have it. That’s my counsel on this topic and I hope it helps. Look out for more of my new biz quick tips shared exclusively with AAR premium agency members…
And yes, due to the ongoing lockdown in NYC, I’ve decided to work on Long Island while taking in some Vitamin D. I hope summer 2020 is a hot one, at least in new biz.
