The Win Without Pitching Manifesto

The problem it solves

Many services firms spend a large share of their time on proposals they never win. A buyer sends a brief to several firms, each does unpaid creative or strategic work and the cheapest or most charming wins. The buyer gets the benefit of the ideas and the seller bears the cost. Enns argues that this system is bad for everybody, and that firms can step out of it.

The manifesto sets out how to do so, in twelve short proclamations.

What changes in how you work

You change the first meeting. Instead of waiting to receive a brief and race to respond, you ask questions, find out what is wrong and offer a view on what to do. You begin to behave like an expert with a point of view.

You also change how you describe yourself. A firm that does everything for everyone looks like all the others. A firm known for one thing can charge more and spend less time on selling.

When to read it, and when not to

Read it if you lead a creative, consulting or professional services business and you are tired of pitching. It is quick to read and is best used with your partners, so you can agree on a policy together.

It will help less if you sell products, or if your market is one where tenders are mandatory, such as parts of the public sector. In those cases you may not be able to refuse pitching, and the advice needs adjusting. Be ready for the fact that a stricter policy may lose you some work in the short term.

How it connects to running and growing a business

A rule such as no free pitches is a decision you can write down, with the reasons, and review after a year. The record shows what it cost and what it gained, so you can defend it to the team.

The advice also points to turning your approach into a playbook. How you diagnose, how you qualify and how you price are all repeatable steps. Writing them down means anyone on the team can run a sales conversation in the same way, and the process improves with each one.

Enns writes for agencies and consultancies that give away their best thinking in competitive pitches. His manifesto is a set of twelve proclamations, short and direct, on how a firm can win work without pitching. The argument rests on three ideas: specialise so that you stand out, sell your expertise as advice and take control of the sales process instead of leaving it to the buyer.

The problem with pitching

The book begins by describing how pitching works against the seller. Several firms are asked to produce ideas or plans for free, and the buyer then picks one. This puts the buyer in charge, treats the work as a commodity and rewards whoever gives away the most or charges the least. Enns says that firms accept this out of habit and fear, and that the cost is high in time and in margin.

Differentiate by specialising

The way out begins with being different. Enns argues that a firm known for a particular skill, industry or problem has a clear place in the buyer's mind. Generalists compete on price because buyers cannot tell them apart. A specialist is sought out, and can set terms. He treats choosing a specialism as the strategic decision on which the rest depends.

Sell expertise as advice

The central image is of the doctor and the patient. A good doctor does not hand over a treatment plan before diagnosing. Enns says that a firm should do the same: ask questions, find the real problem and offer a recommendation. This puts the firm in the role of adviser, not supplier. Buyers pay for advice, and they trust a firm that tells them what they need to hear.

Qualify the buyer

Not every prospect is worth pursuing. Enns says to find out early whether the buyer has the need, the budget and the willingness to work with you on your terms. Spending time with poor fits wastes it. A firm that qualifies carefully wins a higher share of the deals it chases.

Price on value

He argues against selling by the hour. Pricing on time makes your income depend on how slow you are and invites the buyer to compare you with cheaper options. Pricing on the value to the client lets you charge for the result, and it shifts the conversation to what the client gains. The principle is that the more you can show you affect an outcome, the more you can charge.

Take control of the process

The manifesto is firm that the seller should lead the sales conversation. That means stating how you work, declining requests that undermine you, such as unpaid speculative work, and teaching buyers how to buy from you. Enns says that buyers respect firms that have a clear process, and that firms with confidence attract them.

What to say when asked to pitch

The practical question is how to respond when a buyer asks you to pitch. Enns suggests meeting the request with a conversation about the problem and a clear description of how your firm works. You can offer a paid first step, such as a diagnostic, in place of speculative work. If the buyer insists on free work from several firms, you may decline. Some buyers walk away, and the ones who stay are usually better clients.

Why this suits small firms

A large firm may be able to absorb the cost of pitching. A small studio or consultancy cannot, because every unpaid week is a week not spent on paying work. For a small firm the discipline of qualifying, specialising and saying no is a way to protect time and margin. It also builds a reputation for being selective, which draws better enquiries.

Proof and reputation

A firm that sells advice needs evidence that its advice is good. Enns points to your track record, your point of view and the clarity of your thinking as the things buyers weigh. Sharing what you know, in talks, articles and conversations, lets buyers see how you think before they hire you. That is the opposite of a pitch: the proof comes first, and the buyer comes to you.

Shifting the power balance

Behind all of this is the question of who holds power in the relationship. When you pitch for free, the buyer has it. When you are a specialist offering diagnosis and advice, you do. The shift takes time and may cost you some work at first, and Enns says that is a fair price.

What to do with it

• Count how many unpaid pitches you did last year and what they cost in time and in wins.
• Decide with your partners on a policy for free speculative work, and write it down.
• Choose a specialism, by industry, problem or skill, and say it in one sentence.
• Rewrite your first meeting as a diagnosis, with the questions you will ask and the advice you will give.
• Move one service from hourly billing to a price based on the result for the client.