The pitch went well - it’s worth a lot. Maybe a deal-breaking amount.

But what happens if you don’t win it? What’s your back-up plan?

What else is in the pipeline and what have you done about it?

We all get excited around pitches. Even more so when they come from a warm, well respected source.

BUT, we don’t know what is going on behind closed doors, what influences might affect the outcome, if an outcome is genuine? We can do all we can to qualify that lead and it’s hard to accept these things are out of our control.

If you don’t win this pitch, what is next?

Its not uncommon for new business chap/ess to be brought in to steer the ship from the iceberg and almost always, it’s a panic hire too late.

Questions such as “but exactly when do you think you will bring in revenue to the agency and how much?” make me wince; its loaded with nervousness and unrealistic expectation.

A strong new business consultant can bring you all the leads in the world but there can be a tonne of a lot of extenuating circumstances out of their control that can affect a new business conversion.

We will work together on what your Plan B, C and D is. Where is the next opportunity coming from if you don’t win that pitch? Does it have to be generated, or are there warm conversations already in existence?

No race was ever won by thinking ahead at the edge of a cliff.