One of my closest friends had a really big interview. He was interviewing for a “C” level position at a 1 billion dollar company. He asked me to review his resume. While it was chock full of serious accomplishments and business speak for his industry, it was lacking a few key components.

The first suggestion I made was to watch/listen to a few analyst presentations. By listening to these it is very easy to get a firm understanding of what is needed in order to assume a level “C” role. The same thing rings true in evaluating client needs. If you understand at a “top” level what questions and needs are being raised by shareholders or stakeholders, then you understand what the mission of the organization will be over the next few quarters.

This simple investment will pay big dividends as it allows you to “live” within the shoes of the leadership of the company that you would like to serve. By the way - he didn’t get the job, but he is in an even better situation now.

So you have a big presentation coming up?

Well, ok. Here are my two cents on making the most of these valuable pitching opportunities:

Explain yourself very early in the process, and make sure it doesn’t last more than 1 minute.

Each time you speak, think of the “little man” in the room saying “so what” or “prove it”.

Do your homework. Know your audience and know their business.

The rule of 10/20/30 is a great one to live by: 10 slides, 20 minutes, 30 point font text.

Making these tips habitual in my own proposal presentations has been, I believe, the difference in many a pitch.

Negotiating with some of the biggest music artists, agencies and talent agents has given me some insights into the music industry that work well in many aspects of our lives:

• Always make sure every request you make is in writing – even down to the smallest detail. Record labels and artists may say that they agree to something in principal, but if it’s not in writing then it’s not going to happen. The artists and agents have so many things asked of them that they can only rely on what they are contractually obligated to do and that’s all that can be expected. Some items you might to want to consider are Public Relations appearances, radio show promotions, concert shout-outs, venue signage and tying them in some way to your product/client outside of the concert arena. Also, you will have no legal recourse other than producing old email trails, etc, which frankly don’t have a lot of credibility to help your case. This applies in so many ways – financial, agreements, insertion orders, contracts, etc and is just way to cover everyone involved.

• Ensure that you have covered your bases with all entities that need to be involved. I have seen deals almost lost due to not ensuring that all stakeholders have approved and reviewed every document, detail and deliverable. And in this day and age of management turnover, you need to make sure that any new managers and executives review previously agreed to programs and get their buy-in as well.
• If you are producing your own event, remember that insurance is typically involved in some way. You and your company have to be covered in case of every possible scenario – artists not showing up, catering issues or safety hazards. Be sure and ask the venue about insurance and possible options/vendors.

If you get a chance (and have big enough budgets) see if you can directly talk to the agent or talent themselves. There are so many barriers between you and them that frequently the requests or strategic insight can get lost. The biggest names in the industry are out to do great things that haven’t been done before – and it’s challenging to make it happen but it can be an award-winning effort when done right. And looks darn good on the resume!

Anywhere in the world, SPEED WINS! In the Internet Marketing world, SPEED trumps perfection, SPEED dictates taking chances, SPEED empowers innovation; SPEED enables the smart to get smarter, the rich to get richer, and the SLOW to die. Get it, your site, your banner ads, your registration forms, your call to action, whatever it is, out there on the Net as fast as you can!

Why the rush? The searches, the clicks, the impressions, the calls to actions of today will be gone tomorrow. For each additionally day you spend NOT out there, your target consumers will have made decisions, started relationships, moved closer to your competitor and further from you.

Far too many major marketers spend far too much time planning, building, and launching cyberspace initiatives. In the process they have lost far too much opportunity. They CAN’T get it back. It’s GONE!

Each of us has to challenge ourselves and those around us to INNOVATE around the concept of SPEED. Ask yourself today, how are you going to change your thinking, your culture, and your processes to get your company’s marketing initiatives out there FASTER???

One of the principles of Craigslist CEO, Jim Buckmaster’s management philosophy is: Put speed over perfection: “Get something out there. Do it, even if it isn’t perfect.”

Buckmaster is not alone in focusing on getting something out there, even if it’s less than perfect. A panel discussion with Manish Mehta, Dell’s Director of Global eCommerce, and Stan Joosten, and “Innovation Manager” with P&G explored how much of the innovation we have seen on the Internet happens in iterations. Build, launch, tweak, measure, and repeat… Digital marketing initiatives seem to be “always in beta”—learning and evolving along the way.”

While perfectionists and control freaks twitch in discomfort at the SPEED idea, the pace of business is becoming so fast, SPEED trumps the need for a flawless release. Plus, with innovation at a premium, requiring perfection can stifle people’s willingness to play and solve problems creatively.

SPEED truly is the key to competing and winning on the Internet!

What you are, what you want, what you love doesn’t matter. It’s all about how you sell it.

In 1960, advertising agencies were an all-powerful influence on the masses. Personal and professional manipulation and sexual exploits defined the workplace and closed the deals. The high profile fictitious Sterling Cooper Advertising Agency created advertising campaigns – from cigarettes to political candidates — better than anyone. It was a time of great ferment. Women had barely begun to come into their own. Librium and birth control were on the move. Ethics in the workplace, smoke-free environments, sexual harassment and ethnic diversity were workshops of the future.

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