For an ad agency, pitching a new ad campaign or concept for your client is nerve wracking. Ideas need to resonate. They need to use copy and imagery that will push the campaign or concept furthest, while simultaneously being the perfect harmony between edgy enough to stand out and comfortable. For something that can make or break a client relationship, finding the right balance of the aforementioned qualities is tricky. But maybe it doesn’t have to be.
Testing out your creative pitches before presenting them to your clients is a critical strategy that will put you in the position to win. Here are 3 benefits of testing concepts before pitching to a client:
1. Ensure Creative Connects with the Target Audience
Emotional storytelling is key in building brand affinity. What story to tell, however, depends on specific audiences. When you test campaigns and concepts before pitching, you can gauge the emotional response of your actual target audience before finalizing your pitch. This gives you the opportunity to tailor your creative around the likes and dislikes of your target, ensuring your client that your creative is the exact message that will resonate most with their audience.
2. Decide Between Two Ideas
Yes, “Image A” and “Copy A” will work. Yes, “Image B” and “Copy B” will work. The question is: which combination will work best? If you’re ever torn between options, testing the options with your clients’ target audience first, will you help you decide the best one. Assemble the audience the client wants. Ask them to rank the campaigns. Mark what they like and don’t like about each campaign, and ask them what they would change and how they would connect more. In turn, this will enable you to optimize your campaign before presenting it to the client and back your final decisions with actual audience insights.
3. Test the Limits of Edgy
As a brand, standing out among millions of ads is integral for growth. In a world of consumers being over sold to every single day, pushing boundaries is essential. But how far is too far? Testing your ideas with the target audience and getting their feedback is a great way to find the perfect balance of edgy and comfortable before a pitch. Present an idea and have the audience record and submit videos of their initial reaction. Set up private, live chat groups where you present the concepts to the target in a group setting for instant and live reactions. Ask them follow up questions, encourage them to interact with each other and share opinions. When it comes to pitching a campaign or concept, live testing a campaign ahead of time will make you confident that your idea will stand out in a positive way.
Pitching a new ad campaign and concept to your client is nerve wracking. It takes time, money, and can potentially make or break your client relationship. Fortunately, testing your ad campaigns and concepts before pitching can give you the confidence that your idea is the perfect fit.
To learn how Big Village can help you gain the audience insights necessary for your next pitch, contact us today below.