Pitching Your Brilliant Idea – Chris Williams

If you are looking to pitch an idea to a Client Account Executive or other Executive with a vested interest in the client, there are 7 steps between you and a successful outcome.

You have to be aware that the person you are pitching to is ultimately accountable for the firm’s brand, and all the services, as it relates to the client.  With that context, you have to ensure your idea and the pitch process will enrich the credibility of the firm, and the service provided to the client.

Having the answers to these questions will place you in a strong position to navigate the conversation and bring your idea to fruition: 

1. What’s the value proposition? What’s in it for the client? What’s in it for us as a firm?
2. What problem are we trying to solve? What outcome are we trying to achieve? Get specific on the client and firm outcomes. 
3. Why should the client do it? What are the drivers and potential barriers?  
4. Who at the client do we need have the conversation with (business area)? Is it a business conversation, a technology conversation, a finance or a HR conversation?  This drives the engagement approach.  There may be multiple touchpoints.
5. What role does your client have with respect to the opportunity? Are they a ‘decision maker’, ‘coach’, ‘influencer’? This will determine how you interact with different client contacts involved in an opportunity.
6. How should we approach the client? Have you given thought to how you want present your idea to the client?
7. Who do we need to partner with to deliver the idea (internally or externally)?  We need to match our solution with the best people available.

With these questions answered, you will have proactively considered the idea from the client’s perspective, and have the next steps in place to initiate action.

Key Insights: Client Account Executives represent the client’s interest across the entire account.  Pitch ideas in the right way, to the right people.  Bring your ideas to fruition faster, by considering your pitch from the client and firm perspective.

Chris Williams – Financial Services Consulting, Senior Client Account Executive – Managing Director

Chris Williams is a leader with over 20+ years of experience in core banking transformation, merger integration and divestiture programmes in Financial Services consulting.  He is the Senior Client Account Lead for one of the firm’s Diamond client in the US, and consults with numerous banks globally.