@the_contentstrategist

What they said

1. Pyramid Principle: answer first, reason second, data third. The CEO often leaves after about 15 minutes, so if the core recommendation is on slide 22 she may never hear it.
2. Applied to every slide: titles carry the answer, not "market overview" but e.g. "Tier 2 markets are going to unlock your next phase of growth". Reading only the titles gives the whole recommendation.
3. Fairness to agencies: building to the idea is fine, creative reveals are like punchlines and need a setup. But the setup is generic ("Gen Z wants authenticity", "consumers want convenience"). If every agency has the slide it is not an insight.
4. Fix: agencies sit on data from many clients. Say something only you can say, e.g. "across our last 10 campaigns, one-day delivery beats a 10% discount in terms of clicks". (Caption admits this stat is illustrative; the point is to use your own campaign data, and ask the client for their numbers before pitching.)
5. Who is in the room: in consulting the engagement manager runs the deck and the partner owns the room, frames stakes, takes pushback; presence signals it matters. In agencies seniors speak up only when juniors can't answer, which feels like a rescue.
6. Client servicing people who know the client best are relegated to "we'll send the deck by EOD"; they should say "we know you tried this in 2023, but here's why it will work this time". Caption: decide beforehand who answers what so a senior stepping in looks planned.
7. Consultants can learn from agencies: agencies make a room feel something, consulting firms make a room decide something.
8. Pre-wiring (the point "most people don't know"): the big meeting is usually the one before the big meeting. Each stakeholder sees findings one-on-one first because a first-time public objection from someone senior can sink the meeting. Everyone who matters has already seen the deck.
9. Agencies need not give away the idea: do one 15-minute call before the pitch: who will be in the room and what has killed ideas in the past. Caption: keep the idea a surprise, don't be surprised by objections; the CFO vs CSO (or digital marketing manager vs brand head) care about different things.
10. Close: "Agency folks, tell me I'm wrong, but be polite."

Try this

• Agencies and consultants: Make decks answer-first. Put the conclusion in each slide title, so reading only the titles gives the whole recommendation. The reel notes decision makers may leave after about 15 minutes.
• Agencies: Replace generic setup slides ("Gen Z wants authenticity") with something only you can say, based on data from your own campaigns. The caption says its example stat is illustrative.
• Agencies: Before the big meeting, do a 15-minute call with each decision maker, such as the founder, marketing head and finance. Learn past failures and objections.
• Pitch teams: Decide beforehand who answers what, with one senior person owning the room, so a senior stepping in looks planned and not like a rescue.
• Account managers: The people who know the client best should speak, for example "we know you tried this in 2023, here is why it will work this time".
• Creators: A contrarian hook plus a numbered on-screen counter is a reusable script structure.

Links

• Pyramid Principle (Barbara Minto's consulting writing framework; a commenter references "Marlin Minto", sic).
• "Ghost deck" technique (caption): write all slide titles before analysis, then let data prove or kill each.
• Firms/tags named: McKinsey, Bain, BCG, Leo Burnett, Ogilvy, DDB Mudra, Dentsu, Grey, JWT, McCann. No URLs.