I’ve noticed a common thread across agencies who do well in new business pitches. They always map back to their process. I don’t mean showing slides of charts and graphs with “our process” at the top, but through actual demonstration. Successful final pitches allow the agency team to map back to who they are and what they do, at various points in the presentation, as a tangible way to answer the client’s criteria.

With this kind of framework, agency teams present confidently. Everyone gets it—their role in the presentation, how their capabilities, culture and experience relate to the client in front of them, and how to connect their strategy, creative and measurement back to client objectives. Likewise, using your process as a guide creates a linear path that’s easy for a client to follow.

It cannot be underestimated how much information a client consumes in a pitch. Agency differentiation is a true challenge. But this isn’t about spending an inordinate amount of time on your unique positioning or value prop. (Unfortunately, those can blend together, too.) Rather, use your process to bring your agency’s story to life. It’s the best way to show how you innovate and solve problems, and how you can help potential new clients move from point A to point B.