When choosing a business partner, people use their gut feel at least as much as logical thinking. They prefer to award business to a team they like and believe they’d enjoy working with. Conversely, they’ll never sign a deal with anyone they mistrust. When pitching for new business, how you make the client feel at every stage of the process will affect how they rate your proposal and drive their final decision. In addition to building rapport and trust (see Building Rapport and The Trust Equation), here are some things you can do to tip the balance in your favour.

Choosing the right team is vital. If someone in your business already has a strong relationship with the client, they should be part of the pitch team. Everyone else involved should be chosen in the belief that the client will get on well with them too. It’s also worth preparing something to show the client how much the team wants to work with them. This could be a short video of team members expressing their excitement about the project, or a message from your CEO saying how much they’d value the client’s business. How you interact with clients during the process gives them an idea of what it would be like to work with you. And so, it’s important to be as attentive, thoughtful and as proactive as possible.












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