#5 New Business Pitching with Mark Perkins

Steve and Lou welcome PR Creative Director Mark Perkins! With nearly 25 years of experience in agency life, Mark shares his insights on the evolving landscape of digital PR, particularly focusing on the nuances of new business pitching. We dive into the complexities of what makes a successful pitch, emphasising that while creative ideas are crucial, they are not the sole factor in winning a client. Mark highlights the importance of understanding the brand, audience, and market dynamics before jumping into creative brainstorming. He stresses the need for a solid strategy based on human insights, which can often be the key to winning pitches.

00:00:07 - Introduction to the Podcast Welcome to the Digital PR Podcast, hosted by Steve Baker and Louise Parker, as they discuss the evolving landscape of digital PR and introduce their guest, Mark Perkins.

00:01:27 - Meet Mark Perkins Mark Perkins shares his extensive background in PR, detailing his journey from being the first employee at Cow agency to his current role as Creative Director, highlighting his passion for creative and provocative work.

00:03:23 - The Importance of Strategy in Pitching Mark discusses the critical role of strategy in new business pitches, emphasising that understanding the brand, audience, and market is essential before diving into creative ideas.

00:10:41 - The Value of Tissue Sessions The conversation shifts to the significance of tissue sessions in the pitching process, where ideas can be stress-tested and refined based on client feedback, ensuring alignment with their expectations.

00:42:52 - Ideal New Business Pitch Process Mark outlines his vision for a perfect new business pitch process, focusing on clear briefs, thoughtful client engagement, and the importance of receiving constructive feedback, regardless of the pitch outcome.

Check out the full transcript here.

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About the Digital PR Podcast

Hosted by our very own Heads of PR, Lou and Steve, we recorded our first episode of the Digital PR Podcast back in December 2022, and have had some fascinating conversations with movers and shakers from the PR industry in the UK and further afield, sharing their knowledge and experiences.

To let us know about any topics you’d like us to cover or guests you’d like to see (maybe you’d like to be a guest yourself?) drop us a line at dprpodcast@propellernet.co.uk. If you’re really enjoying the show, make sure to rate the podcast 5 stars and leave us a review.

The Digital PR Podcast is brought to you by Propellernet and sponsored by Coverage Book. You can also watch on Youtube as a video podcast.

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