Book excerpt: The book focuses on the special nature of winning significant business in competitive markets in pitches involving several formal stages. It will: Review the essential processes of making complex sales and the role of core techniques of persuasion Show how to handle initial contacts and meetings and obtain a clear brief regarding customer/client needs Demonstrate the process of analysing client needs and putting clear and persuasive proposal documents in writing Sunday: What is a pitch? Monday: Initial contact Tuesday: Planning a powerful response Wednesday: Putting proposals in writing Thursday: Preparing a formal presentational pitch Friday: Making the presentation Saturday: Follow-up action and the power of persistence