Pitch perfect

Pitching a project or product design can be incredibly stressful, all those details and numbers; the pressure of competing against competitors with rival ideas; how will your audience react to your ideas? Should you imagine your audience naked? Never fear, there are some ‘dos’ and ‘don’ts’ that can help ease the anxiety.

The first thing you need to do, according to Cambridge Consultants’ Max Middleton, pictured, is to understand the company you’re pitching to: in which market(s) does it operate? What products does it produce? Who are its customers? What is it trying to achieve with the project/product?

“As soon as a project comes in we go to the end users and ask what they don’t like about, or what they need from, the specific product or project,” explained Middleton, group leader in Cambridge Consultants’ product design engineering group.

Knowing exactly what the client company does and what it needs from the project before you even enter into a discourse is paramount. Being able to demonstrate a wider knowledge of the market in which the client company operates instils trust in your ability to tackle the challenges of the project ahead.

“You have to give them the confidence that you’re the best team for the job,” Middleton added. Having the experts - the engineers and scientists in your team – make the presentation will increase trust, as they will be able to talk about the project in greater depth than will business developers, for example.

Having a wide range of skill-sets in your organisation is another boon, as it means that you have the ability to pitch for a variety of projects. It also means that you can more easily overcome problems that arise during the course of a project.

Most companies however, don’t have access to multiple teams with varying degrees of expertise and will have to collaborate with other design houses or consultancies. During the collaborative process disagreements can arise. Ensuring you keep good relationship with 5those around you is essential to keeping projects on track.

When it comes to the presentation itself, should you use PowerPoint, or is that old hat and boring in the world of more dynamic tools like Prezi, CustomShow, Projeqt and SlideDog?

“We typically present on PowerPoint, rather than other flashy software, as it’s largely ubiquitous and the story you’re telling should be told as simply as possible,” explained Middleton. “A flashy presentation that scrolls around and zooms in and out doesn’t make for a good, strong pitch. The flashiness is all the client will remember, not the product or the pitch itself. Being picked for a project based on this kind of presentation can be a mistake for both parties.”

Also, consider where the client is with a project. Do they want concepts to take forward or a production ready design? If the project is in the initial stages, perhaps various sketches may suffice. Alternatively, you could consider presenting physical design variations via 3D-printed models, so the client can see and feel your ideas. How important are looks versus user experience. Concentrate on what matters.

“We’ve found ‘experience design’ is what a lot of our clients are more interested in when it comes to connected devices,” said Middleton.

Using slides containing a single image with as little written information as possible is good practice for slide based presentations. A lot of text is distracting; people start reading the slide rather than listen to what you’re saying. A video is also a good option that allows you to get a lot of information acrosst, while giving you the opportunity to provide a voiceover.

“In your presentation, keep the introduction of your company, its history and similar projects you’ve worked on in the past to a minimum,” added Middleton.

A well-timed pitch should be between 20 and 30 minutes. However, expect the real fun to start during Q&A sessions which can last in excess of an hour. This is where clients will really quiz your knowledge and drill down in to the detail of your pitch. So make sure you anticipate questions, and be as prepared as possible. This is also an opportunity to demonstrate your experience and knowledge by knowing about regulation or safety constraints, who will make the product and exactly what resources the client has put towards it.

And be brave. If you really struggle with nerves there are some great site on the internet that offer all sorts of advice. But most important are: take deep breaths; have a glass of water handy; speak slowly and clearly; smile; and, most of all stop thinking about yourself. Remember that the audience is there to gain information and your only job is to put it across to them clearly.