Question by Jables: How can I pitch a marketing idea to a company without getting screwed?
I have ideas for several companies and I want to pitch it to them, but I don’t know how to go about it. I have no experience in marketing and I want to know how to approach it without loosing any credit for my idea. Any ideas?
Best answer:
Answer by brianjames04
It would be easier to win a 100 million dollar jackpot in the Powerball lottery.
Almost universally all companies do not want any unsolicited advice. They’ll practically cover their ears and run from you.
First thing you might think it’s good idea but they might not. And without a cost benefit analysis it’s hard to tell if your idea is workable or even profitable. Does it require an investment? Does it mean the company has to change its current business practices? Also many companies have vested interests that are not obvious to people outside of their management.
Second they don’t want to hear it because they might be working on something similar but don’t want to be accused of “stealing” your idea. Even if your case has no merit, it makes for bad publicity and they still have to spend money on lawyers to defend themselves.
Ideas are strange comodities and everyone from Hollywood studios to local businesses loath to pay for them. Every CEO and owner thinks they are smarter than the average person on the street and they already pay for creative thinkers -so why should they listen to you? If they want new ideas they will often sponsor contests or actually read what’s in the sugestion box, two regular sources of ideas at little or no cost to them.
The big question is -what is your idea? -can it be patented? -does it really give a company a real edge, or does it make the company more appealing to a niche market that they aren’t interested in? And once again few companies would buy a “naked” idea without a business plan; any idea without a plan is just speculation.
Can you put your pitch in 25 words or less and then back it up with a 50 page anaylsis? If not you’ll probably be turned away at the door. Anyway if it’s not all thought out other people will add or subtract from your idea and take some of credit for themselves.
I would sugest learning about the industry you want to improve. Maybe try to contact some of the company CEO’s but unless you’re working for an ad agency or a consulting firm expect to be screwed.
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