The Win Without Pitching Manifesto

To be truly free of the pitch we must change the tone of these meetings with our prospective clients and move from the presenter/complier role to that of the expert practitioner. This we do as a doctor or lawyer would, through conversation and collaboration and not through presentation.

The goal is to be free of our own need to present.

The dynamics of the relationship with the client are shaped early, before he hires us.

Our mission is to position; our objective is to determine a fit.

Mission: Position → First, let us focus on our business development mission – our highest calling and purpose.

Presenting is a tool of swaying, while conversing is a tool of weighing. Through the former we try to convince people to hire us. Through the latter we try to determine if both parties would be well served by working together.

While we dislike routine, the client – and ultimately, any consistency of success – demands it.

Strategy First

When we do not clearly spell out how we will work together we leave a void that the client is quick to fill. Thus begins the erosion of the power we worked so hard to obtain by following the first proclamation. Nature abhors a vacuum. If we do not drive the engagement, of course the client will.