Mastering client pitches: 5 ways to beat the competition

In the past, I’ve lost pitches I should have won. Not because the offer wasn’t strong, and not because the idea wasn’t right - but because my pitch missed the mark.

At the time, I told myself it must have been my delivery – I should have projected more confidence. And occasionally, that was true.

But looking back, the real issue was simpler - I wasn’t being client-centric enough.

The person across the table isn’t judging your slides. They’re weighing up risk.

They’re asking themselves:

• Do these people understand what’s really going on here?
• Can they solve this without creating new problems for me?
• Will I look smart choosing them?

If your pitch doesn’t answer those questions clearly, it won’t land no matter how strong the idea is.

Winning pitches are built from the client’s point of view, not the pitch team’s.

Here are 5 ways to do that, and give your pitch a clear edge over the competition.

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1. Lead with the client’s problem, not your credentials

Most pitch teams open by talking about themselves and why they’re the best people for the job.

The client is still thinking about their problem.

Before you build the deck, write this down:

“What is the problem they are under pressure to fix right now?”

Open the pitch by naming it in their words.

If they don’t immediately recognise their situation in your opening, you’ve lost attention before you’ve earned it.

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2. Tie every recommendation to commercial impact

Clients don’t buy ideas. They buy outcomes.

For every proposal you include, be able to answer this question clearly:

“What does this change for their business?”

Anchor your thinking to things decision-makers care about:

• Revenue
• Cost
• Risk
• Time
• Internal credibility

If you can’t link your work to one of these, it sounds optional.

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3. Decide the one message you want repeated

A pitch works if the client can explain it when you’re not in the room.

Before you present, write one sentence you want them to say afterwards:

“They’re the team who…”

If you can’t finish that sentence cleanly, your pitch is doing too much.

Cut anything that doesn’t reinforce that message.

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4. Plan where you will stop talking

Most teams lose control in the Q&A because they haven’t planned for it.

Decide in advance where you will pause and ask a question.

For example:

“How does that compare with what you were expecting?”

Or:

“Which part of this feels most urgent for you right now?”

Silence gives the client space to think.

Their response tells you what to emphasise next.

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5. Show you are low risk to work with

Clients don’t just choose the best idea. They choose the safest decision.

Your pitch should signal that you are:

• Easy to work with
• Clear in how you operate
• Honest about trade-offs
• Calm under pressure

Say explicitly what working with you looks like.

For example:

“You’ll always know what’s happening, what you need to do, and what’s coming next.”

That reassurance often matters more than another clever slide.

The real competition in a pitch isn’t the other teams.

It’s the client’s fear of making the wrong call.

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If you want to build these disciplines properly across your team, take a look at our course: How to win client pitches.

Or, if you want to talk through what would strengthen your next pitch fastest, book a call.

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