Zoom Pitching

The Perfect Pitch

Video conferencing became the primary way that business was conducted during the pandemic. But even as in person meetings return, shifts in working culture means that Zoom meetings are set to stay. Experts offer makers tips on how to nail your next zoom pitch

Covid-19 saw video conferencing platforms boom as people suddenly began to both work and socialise remotely, confined to their own homes. US tech firm Zoom quickly became the number one platform to dominate the space, and saw annual revenues jump from USD622 million in 2020 to USD2.651 billion in 2021. The platform’s simplicity, its ability to function on any device, and the success in keeping up with surging demand –as well as a business savvy decision to remove the time cap for free meetings as the pandemic took hold –was key to its initial success. By June 2020 there were 300 million daily meeting participants on the platform, including the UK cabinet as well as 90,000 schools in over 20 countries delivering classes via Zoom. For the creative industries the platform was widely used for holding meetings that would traditionally be face-to-face, including pitches. After nearly two years the flexibility that comes with remote working means that businesses are expecting it to be a permanent fixture of working life.

Zoom and remote pitching shouLdn’t get in the way of chemistry, nor wiLL it create chemistry if it is not there in the first pLace. “The pandemic kicked open the door to virtual pitching. The technology had been a barrier; now it was the only game in town,” says Laura Brennan, pitch and development consultant who works with writers, producers and executives to develop and pitch projects for television and film agrees. “Executives had no choice but to get comfortable using online platforms, writers had to get better at pitch decks, and everyone had to learn to network virtually.”

“Since the pandemic began, 95% of pitches have been run remotely,” says Martin Jones, managing partner of AAR, a consultancy that advises businesses on potential communication agency partners in advertising, media and PR. AAR runs approximately 100 pitches a year for clients including Comparethemarket, Gousto, KFC and Kopparburg. “Going forward, we believe that initial chemistry meetings and final presentations will revert to being in person but a lot of the interim stages, such as briefings and work in progress, will take place remotely.” Brennan agrees, saying “I think, once we’re truly on the other side, that there will be an initial flood of in-person meetings, if only because we are all Zoomed out. But after that, I think people will start to routinely have maybe a third of their pitch meetings virtually. It’s just too convenient to go away entirely.”

Despite its flexibility and convenience, the virtual conferencing format does present its own challenges. This particularly comes to the fore when trying to create chemistry and connection with new potential clients. The term Zoom fatigue encompasses the frustration that comes with virtual communication. One of the first papers conducted on the topic by researchers in communication and virtual reality at Stanford University and the University of Gothenburg in Sweden found that the biggest predictor of Zoom fatigue is not just down to the amount of time spent on Zoom calls, but also the length of transition time between calls.

When compared to face-to-face meetings, the lack of non-verbal communication to pick up during meetings requires participants to engage in more prolonged and sustained attention on solely verbal cues. The less subtle signs, such as body language means that it is much harder to gauge how a meeting is going, create a connection or moments of levity. There are other challenges too, such as the gallery view feature which challenges the brain’s central vision –meaning that participants are trying to decode a panel of people at once, so maintaining attention on the main speaker becomes harder.

When it comes to zoom pitching, these elements do make an impact. “I think using images to jazz up a Zoom pitch was what most writers thought would be the hard part, but in fact, the real problem is how to connect with others through the screen. Chit-chat at the beginning of the meeting is how you develop relationships that can last beyond one pitch or even one project,” says Brennan. “Having multiple people on screen, audio lags, unstable connections, and just the awkwardness of the moment, it became incredibly difficult to develop rapport virtually”.

“using images to jazz up a zoom pitch was what most writers thought would Be the hard part, But in fact, the real proBlem is how to connect with others through the screen.”

get good at teLLing your story in a compeLLing way, so you’re okay when internet gremLins eat your powerpoint. That is why Brennan advises researching who you’ll meet, so that you identify some common interest. It is a good strategy for any meeting but invaluable for a virtual pitch, she says. “You can also use the beginning of the pitch itself to create a connection over the material. None of these are difficult, but they do require prep. In terms of practical tips, you can curate your background –have a wall behind you, no depth-of-field, and have something interesting for them to look at and maybe even ask you about that can spark chit-chat. Have something to say that is not about the pandemic or the weather. People are desperate to be engaged, even for just 30 seconds, which means talking about almost anything else. The bar is low.”

Ultimately however, Zoom/remote pitching shouldn’t get in the way of chemistry, nor will it create chemistry if it is not there in the first place,” insists Jones. “There’s universal recognition that something is missing, less impactful in a completely remote pitch but pitching has made the relationship more human and less us and them as both sides are seen in their own homes with children, pets etc.”

Both Brennan and Jones underscore the heightened importance of preparation when it comes to remote pitching. “It’s never been about pitch theatre, but in video pitching the people, thinking and work are all there is on which a client has to focus. So, the better it is, the greater chance of success. It requires a greater degree of rehearsal than face to face pitching”.

Creating a narrative and story that engages participants is also harder virtually. “One mistake writers make is assuming that if tech issues happen in a pitch, it’s the end of the world,” says Brennan. “We are story-tellers. If you tell a great story, you will engage people, with or without slides. Enrol them with your voice, with your passion for the piece. Get good at telling your story in a compelling way, so you’re okay when internet gremlins eat your PowerPoint.” Jones adds that research shows “smaller tighter pitch teams tell a better story than bigger ones. This is exaggerated in video pitching and recognised by the client teams.”

Visuals can certainly help elevate a pitch too, but they should be used wisely. “The gamechanger is thinking about your visuals not as individual slides but in terms of sequences,” says Brennan, “Your pitch will have anything from seven to 15 sequences depending on how much you’re pitching and how complicated the story. Creating visual sequences keeps the story moving; it’s less choppy, and you’re better able to convey the emotions of the moment, which is where pictures can really elevate your pitch.” Jones adds that teams should use “slides more selectively in order to increase face time particularly during chemistry meetings.”

Once the pitch is made, there are additional actions that can maximise the impact. “Once you’ve made your presentation, it’s great to have the opportunity for the client team to discuss privately amongst themselves before coming back with questions. So, put them back into the virtual meeting room to discuss what they have just seen, and so offer some considered feedback.”

“Following-up appropriately no matter what the outcome of the meeting might be is another under-utilised skill,” encourages Brennan. Jones also says that sending “a recording of video conference meetings is a useful reminder for clients, particularly the final pitch presentations. Time signposts are even more helpful such as strategy minutes five to 12, creative minutes 13 to 20 and research testing minutes 21 to 26. Recordings are also useful for clients that were not able to attend the live session but want to see the agency presentation”.

“you should think aBout your visuals not as individual slides But in terms of seQuences.”

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