After years of offering advice to agencies on how to command a room during a pitch, here we are—pitching virtually. With agencies in home offices, client teams in separate locations, and kids, dogs and cats making unscheduled guest appearances.

We’re managing several virtual pitches right now. With technology that’s been there for years. For clients who chose to move forward over video.

So, if you’re an agency, find the good lighting and embrace the current normal. Here are a few learnings for your next virtual pitch:

Send the video conference link, and any video links, well before the start of the meeting.

Assign one person from your agency to open the meeting and quickly remind/review speaker view vs. gallery view.

Advise clients to use the chat feature for clarifying questions.

Ensure each person on your agency team has a clearly defined role.

Simplify your content.

Have fun with backgrounds, BUT only if they relate to the client/content.

Remind everyone to mute.

Provide the option to clients to turn off their cameras—might be less distracting. They are there to focus on your team and content.

Be aware that the energy of a virtual pitch could come off as a lack of engagement. We should all challenge ourselves not to think of it that way. Pitching virtually is different.

Recognize that this will take some getting used to—on both the client and agency side. However, in time, a short amount of time, people will be chattier, ask more questions, and feel more comfortable with the camera/at home.

It’s remarkable how quickly we’ve had to adapt to all of this in just a few short weeks. Allow for just a little more time for virtual pitching to feel “normal,” because soon enough it will.