To successfully sell an idea needs more than the idea itself.
The pitch needs to go deeper, backed by hard criteria or data, with enough momentum to carry it through an organisation.
That's was the consensus during a panel discussion of industry practitioners at MFA EX in Sydney, as they spoke to the topic 'Even The Best Ideas Are Not Easy to Sell'.
Sarah Gallon, general manager of brand, campaign & media for Tourism Australia: “For us at Tourism Australia, ideas really make us an effective organisation.
“We've got limited resources when it comes to time and money. And we've got a really, really big job to do.”
She looks to media agencies to bring ideas.
“What I'm looking for from your agency is how do we take that creative idea, have it explode across channels, to work with incredible media owners and media partners, to bring that light to life even further.
“For me, it's about: What is the strategy? And how do we get these amazing, beautiful brains working on that strategy?”
And of course many ideas are rejected.
Chris Cheesman, creative director, M&C Saatchi, deals with rejection by crying in to a cold beer.
One in ten ideas might get through, but that one good one might falter up the line as it is considered by other stakeholders.
“We need to be working with people who have a really deep understanding of each other.”
Sophie Bingham, group director, UM: “If we want a client to go out on a limb and buy an idea, we've got to get them excited.
“That has to come through in the work and the way that you present that work. And the care and effort has to be put into that we can often get so excited by the ideas that you can innovate.”
Simplicity is key. “You need to be able to do an elevator pitch in order to get someone to understand what it is that you're trying to sell. And also to give them the tools that they need to sell it internally to their business.
“It’s not just selling the first stakeholder but how did they then sell it on within their business? So becoming really confident and experience to understand what their stakeholders need?”
TIPS
Solve a client need.
Ensure your idea is as hard as nails.
Be persistent.
Work with your partners.
Package and sell your idea.
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