How to make a pitch to your MD?

[Star]

I have been given the opportunity to make a pitch to my Managing Director about a concept/idea that I had that may add value to his business. I only have 1/2hr of his time so I am looking for some pointers how you prepare for and structure a pitch in such a short time under one on one conditions. (I will not have any props, pc, PowerPoint slides and etc)

I don’t have a sales background or a consulting background so I do have some concern that I will not make an effective pitch or that I will get bogged down in detail and run out of time.

Looking for advice or experiences.

Any Bain, McKinsey, Booze or other consultants out there who would like to give some advice?

 

[abc123]

If it is set up ahead of time as a "pitch", then I absolutely think you should build a ppt deck, however brief, highlighting the important information you hope will stick with him. Have it properly bound and covered as well. If it were me, this would confirm your professionalism and interest in the proposal, as well as giving me something to hang onto that will remind me of the details if I want to think about it later on. This will also help keep you focused on important points when discussing it.

 

[globetrotter]

the single most important thing is to understand what is important to your MD, and how this proposal impacts that. what is important to you is irrelivant, unless you can show how it impacts things that are imprtant to him. even if you think that it should be important to him.



I do proposals to my President several times a year. I, and my boss (who is right below the president) are compensated on sales growth. for us, we are always thinking of how to grow sales. my President's single biggest issue is that he is extremly risk adverse, and is very concerned with having to lay off people - he has never had to do so, in 80 years of company history, and he doens't want to start. so for him, any issue of growth is seen as "we will hire more people and then when the growth slows we will need to lay people off". so he is against it. once I understood that and prepared my proposals to show how we could avoid adding production resources and so avoid having to lay people off if growth slowed in the future, he was much more receptive.

your MD will have specific things that he is interested in. it is key to understanding what they are, and not just assuming.

 

[Alter]

+ 1 to what Globe said.

A nice simple logic structure for your proposal is F.A.B.

Features of your idea
Advantages over alternative proposals
Benefits to the MD (usually cost-saving or profit-making)

 

[Milhouse]

1/2 hour is a world of time. If you can't pitch it in half an hour, you can't pitch it. I've had to pitch things in a minute or two. Keep that in mind. However you did this, you must have gotten his attention to get 30 minutes. Prep your pitch and practice it so you can be sure you can sell it in the allotted time. Don't get flustered when he stops you and asks questions. Expect it and understand it is a good sign. . . he is interested and wants more information.

Pay close attention to what globetrotter said.

Prepare yourself to deal with the kinds of questions he should be asking you. If someone was asking you to spend your money. . . what would you want to hear from them? "gee i think this is a good idea" just doesn't cut it. Have SOLID reasons.

Some people love powerpoint. . .I hate it. I always prefer a written report over a damn powerpoint, especially when 1 on 1. When I've brought in consultants in the past, I prefer it when they give me a bound report a day in advance and then have a talk with me once I've read it. That way I can really dig into the meat. I'm not saying the way I do it is the way everyone should. . . I'm saying everyone is different. . . find out what your boss PREFERS.