Most pitches call for a response to a brief in the form of a written proposal, followed by a presententation to the key decision takers. Typically, the proposal is developed by the appropriate experts and specialists working night and day to deliver a great result.
So far so good. The common error, however, when it comes to deciding who will present in the final shoot out, is to assume these same people should, and/or deserve to present . Not so.
What matters is not the input of these people but what the audience ‘takes out’, what is their emotional response, on the day, to the presenters as individuals and as a team. The casting decision must be lead by understanding of the audience dynamics and the need to be ruthless in casting the team that will perform best on the day.
Some ‘rules’. Don’t outnumber the client by more than one; your leader must be seen to lead; the team should be a balance of interesting, contrasting individuals rather than a collection of experts. You are seeking the reaction that ‘ we would enjoy, and be stimulated, working with these people and they clearly get on with each other’.
The London 2012 Bid team cast for impact when they included thirty youngsters in place of VIPs; ex-prison officer Ray Lewis is interesting casting by Boris that suggests he will not be afraid to surround himself with personalities. Could Obama, if he wins, select Clinton as running mate? That would be interesting casting.
Another rule, albeit an obvious one, is that you choose a group of people who actually know each other. I only mention it because I’ve been in a number of pitches where I’ve had to introduce myself to members of the pitch team in the client’s reception. In one of those, my new colleague addressed me as Neil throughout, which presumably was seen by the clients as a very unimaginative nickname.