How To Win A Pitch – Top 10 Tips Pitching for New Business
April 24, 2025
Updated 19 May 2026
How do you win a pitch? What makes a winning business pitch? How do you pitch a client to win? What strategies are there to win pitches? How can Benjamin Ball Associates help you win your next pitch?
Meet the Author: Benjamin Ball
Ben is the founder of London-based Benjamin Ball Associates and leads the presentation coaching and pitch deck creation teams. Formerly a corporate financier in the City of London, for 20+ years he’s helped businesses win with better pitches and presentations, particularly investor pitches. He is a regular speaker and a guest lecturer at Columbia Business School and UCL London. Follow Ben on LinkedIn or visit the contact page.
Why Pitching for New Business Is So Hard
Pitching for new business is tough. That’s because you’re not just selling a product or service—you’re selling yourself, often under intense pressure.
How to win a pitch? You have to quickly build trust, prove your expertise, and stand out from competitors, all while navigating your client’s unspoken expectations.
Mastering Pitching Skills in Business
A great pitch isn’t just about presenting facts; it’s about storytelling, using persuasion and connecting emotionally.
Confidence matters, but authenticity matters more—people buy into people first, then ideas. The best pitchers don’t just talk; they listen, adapt, and respond to their audience in real time. Like any skill, it improves with practice.
Whether you’re pitching to a boardroom or over coffee, your ability to sell a vision can be the difference between success and missed potential.
CASE STUDY – Pitch Winning Coaching for Augentius
THEIR PROBLEM: When we worked with Augentius (now part of IQ-EQ), the fund administration business faced a high-stakes moment. One of their largest clients had restructured and put all their fund administration out to tender. The team needed to protect a major relationship — and stand out from strong competitors.
OUR SOLUTION: We helped them simplify and sharpen their key messages, restructure their pitch to be more client-focused, and coached the global team to deliver a clear, confident story in both New York and London.
THE RESULT: Augentius not only kept the business but expanded it, strengthening their client relationship across multiple offices.
“The support from BBA was practical, insightful and invaluable. In a short time they helped re-shape our pitch, making it much easier to highlight the value we bring.”
— J.P. Harrop, Co-Founder and Group Head of Sales, Augentius
How to Win a Pitch
We’ve been coaching new business and investor pitches for 15+ years. These ten simple but essential tips on how to win new business pitches will transform your pitch win rate.
Each tip might seem like simple advice, but these are some of the new business pitch skills that people regularly forget when pitching.
10 Ways How To Win New Business Pitches
1. How to win a pitch? Build a relationship with your client
Your number one goal when pitching is to build a relationship with your client. Building a relationship with the client before and during the pitch is essential. People are much more likely to buy from someone they know and like.
How do you do this? You want to be curious. That means asking questions and listening. Show genuine interest in them and their business.
2. To win new business pitches, understand your client’s needs
OK, that sounds obvious – it is essential to understand your client’s needs and what they are looking for. But too many pitches we have seen put the supplier at the centre of the pitch rather than the client.
So don’t boast about how good you are. Instead, make sure everything you say is about your client and what they need and want. And use the techniques of tip 1 if you don’t understand exactly what the client really needs.
3. Winning a pitch means creating a compelling proposal
A well-written, well-organised and simple proposal is most likely to succeed. Too many proposals are too complicated. When writing a pitch you want to make it easy for your client to read your pitch.
Beware of just making claims. Instead, use data and case studies to back up your points so that your proposal is as persuasive as possible. And don’t underestimate the power of stories to win new business pitches. If you want help writing great pitches, we’d be delighted to assist.
4. New business pitch skills: Practise, practise, practise your new business pitch
It is tough to win pitches without practice. Don’t just rehearse your presentation. Instead, role-play the meeting. Get feedback from colleagues or a coach to improve your delivery AND your content.
Make sure that everything you say will make your client feel good. And simplify what you say so that your messages are clear and concise.
Each pitch is an opportunity to improve, so take note of feedback and adjust your approach as you go. Following these steps will help you craft a pitch that not only captures interest but builds confidence in you.
5. Be prepared for questions during your pitch
Anticipate potential questions and have answers ready. You will get asked questions during the pitch – so it is important to be prepared to address them.
Showing that you have thought about their concerns and can provide solutions will increase your chances of winning the business. Practise your Q&A as much as you practise other aspects of your pitch.
6. Pitching to win: Use visuals effectively
PowerPoint will not win you a pitch. You’d do better to send some materials to read beforehand, and then follow-up with a tailored pitch after the meeting, when you know more about their needs and wants. Instead spend your meeting listening and solving their problems.
But what else can you do to go beyond PowerPoint? Think props, video, demonstrations, graphics and charts. Make it fun and interesting.
7. To win pitches differentiate yourself from the competition
Show your client why your company is the best choice for their business. Highlight your unique selling points and any competitive advantages you have over others. But don’t trash your competitors.
Build your winning pitch around a compelling story. A great pitch should do more than list facts; it should help the client understand clearly what you offer and how it will help them.
8. Follow up after your pitch
After the pitch, follow up to thank them for the opportunity and reiterate your interest in working with them. Use this as a way of sending additional information the client may have requested. Keep your company top of mind to increase your chances of success.
9. To win a pitches you must be flexible
Practice your delivery so it feels natural and engaging. A good thing to remember is that your behaviour makes as much impact as the content itself. By keeping your pitch tight and all about the client (not about you) you set the foundation for a great relationship.
No matter how well you prepare, there will be unexpected challenges. The whole point of practising is that you want to be flexible, adaptable and confident when faced with the unexpected. Again, that is why practising with a professional coach can be so powerful.
10. Winners don’t give up
Even if you don’t win new business with a particular pitch, it is important to take the experience as a learning opportunity and use it to improve your future pitches. It can be disheartening to lose out on a potential client, but it is important to stay positive and continue to pursue new business opportunities.
After every pitch always ask yourself three questions: What did we do well? What could be better? What shall we change next time?
By following these tips and putting in the effort to thoroughly prepare and deliver a compelling pitch, you can increase your chances of winning new business pitches and growing your company.
How to Win a Pitch With Expert Support
These are some of the basics you must get right to win new business pitches. We work day in day out helping companies create compelling, persuasive pitches and presentations. And we’d love to help you.
If you want help to polish your new business pitches, contact Louise Angus, our client services director. She’d be happy to discuss how we might be able to best support you.
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What you should do next
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Call our client services director Louise Angus on + 44 20 7018 0922 or email info@benjaminball.com
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Why Choose Us:
Transform your pitches and presentations with tailored coaching
We can help you present brilliantly. Thousands of people in the UK, Europe and the Middle East have benefitted from our tailored in-house coaching and advice – and we can help you too.
“I honestly thought it was the most valuable 3 hours I’ve spent with anyone in a long time.”
Mick May, CEO, Blue Sky
For 15+ years we’ve been the trusted choice for leading businesses and executives throughout the UK, Europe and the Middle East. We’ll help you improve corporate presentations through presentation coaching, public speaking training and expert advice on pitching to investors. And we stand out because you benefit from our tried and tested PitchPointTM Process to make sure you make fast and lasting improvements.
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Speak to Louise on +44 20 7018 0922 or email info@benjaminball.com to transform your speeches, pitches and presentations.
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FAQ: How to Win a Pitch
1. What is the most important factor in winning a pitch?
Building a strong relationship with your client is crucial. People buy from those they trust, so show genuine interest, ask insightful questions, and demonstrate your understanding of their business needs.
2. How can I make my pitch stand out from the competition?
Demonstrate that you can help your client. Highlight what makes you the best choice without criticising competitors. Use compelling stories, case studies, and visuals to reinforce your points.
3. How do I structure a winning pitch?
Start with a strong opening that grabs attention. Clearly outline the client’s problem and how your solution addresses it. Use data, case studies, and visuals to support your argument. Conclude with a compelling call to action. Make it all interactive.
4. How much preparation is needed before a pitch?
More that your competitors’ preparation! Thorough preparation is essential. Research the client’s needs, rehearse your delivery, and anticipate possible questions. Role-play with colleagues or a pitch coach to refine your approach and gain confidence.
5. What role do visuals play in a successful pitch?
Effective visuals can help simplify complex ideas and make your message memorable. Use clean, well-organised slides with key points, infographics, and charts. Consider incorporating props, videos, or live demonstrations where appropriate.
6. How should I handle questions during a pitch?
Expect questions and be prepared with clear, concise answers. Demonstrating that you have thought through potential concerns reinforces your expertise and builds trust.
7. What should I do after the pitch?
Follow up promptly to thank the client, reinforce key points, and provide any additional information they requested. Staying engaged keeps you top of mind and increases your chances of success.
8. What if I don’t win the pitch?
View every pitch as a learning opportunity. Ask for feedback, assess what went well and what could improve, and refine your approach for next time. Persistence and continuous improvement are key to long-term success.
9. How can I improve my pitching skills?
Regular practice and professional pitch coaching can significantly enhance your pitching ability. Working with a coach can help refine your messaging, improve your delivery, and boost your confidence.
10. Where can I get expert coaching for business pitches?
Benjamin Ball Associates has over 15 years of experience coaching business professionals to deliver compelling, persuasive pitches. Contact us for tailored coaching that helps you win more pitches and grow your business.
If you want help winning pitches, get in touch. We’ve been helping teams win pitches for over 15 years. Our coaching and advice has saved many a great business pitch.
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