So either your friend, your representative, your production partner or your scintillating cocktail conversation finally has opened the network door.  You are on your very own phone, setting up your very own pitch meeting for your very own project!  Or you are on the phone with your show runner or production company’s development exec, getting meeting details for your joint pitch.  Before you hang up, be sure you:

• Thank them for scheduling the meeting.
• Confirm the date, place, time and approximate length of the meeting.
• Confirm parking details.
• Inquire who you will be meeting with at the network.
• Advise them if talent will be accompanying you.
• Inquire what format is best for a talent reel if you are providing one.
• Confirm your cell number and e-mail address for schedule changes.
• Request a current branding one-sheet if they have one to help you be current with your pitch (if you’re dealing directly with the network).

On the day of the pitch, I like to send a copy of my loglines, as well as any prepared one-sheets, to my representatives so they can, for starters, warn me about any pitches that are no longer appropriate (or that resemble a show that was just bought yesterday).  Also, if the net exec really likes any of my shows, they might call my rep right after the meeting, before I even turn my cell phone back on.  With my loglines in his e-mail inbox, my rep can immediately see what I pitched and speak with knowledge about that show to my potential buyer.

But let’s not skip ahead–you just got to your meeting!  Right now, you have parked your car 10 minutes ahead of schedule and are waiting patiently in the "holding area" for your net exec’s assistant to come retrieve you for the meeting.  May I just share some of the behavior I have observed in reception areas that I must urge you not to do?

• Don’t be rude or demanding to the receptionist.  Trust that s/he knows the net exec’s assistant and will rat you out in a heartbeat.
• Don’t talk loudly on your cell phone or to your pitch partner.  Too much interruption and information!  Bring a magazine to skim, read one of the trades on the table, or prep quietly with your notes or your partner or talent.  And be sure to turn your cell phone off when you are called into the meeting.
• Don’t wear sunglasses inside if you are not visually impaired.  You do not look cool, and far worse, you look high.  Take off your shades.  Donald Trump does not wear them inside, and neither can you. 
• Don’t wear a hat inside.  No, it is not the ‘50s.  It just remains unprofessional unless you are Ron Howard or Steven Spielberg and have trademarked the look.  You aren’t, you haven’t, no hats.
• Don’t leave a mess in the reception area.  Please do not leave coffee cups, water bottles and trash in your wake as you follow the assistant to your meeting! 

In general, imagine your grandmother is sitting with you and behave accordingly.  If your grandmother was an unbridled spirit, imagine my grandmother is sitting with you.  That will do the trick.  If you simply cannot believe I am writing this; if you are, in fact, offended by my condescension, just wait until you get into a reception area yourself. 

Okay, you finally are following the assistant back to the net exec’s office for your official pitch meeting!  Let’s deconstruct the coming meeting step by step.

 

The Introduction

When you meet your network exec, clearly state your full name (they may not even know who they are meeting with–remember how many meetings they take) and thank them for the meeting (no one does this–be original!).  Also, if a specific affiliation got you into the room (your agent, your professional organization, your friend) mention it to help the exec know why they should care you are there.

If there is more than one exec in the room, and that person’s name is entirely new to you (as in, not one of the execs you researched or any of the people you were told would be there), they should be introduced with their title.  If not, find out who they are before you begin.  You run the risk of hearing, "Uh, this is the president of the network," so be sure you have done thorough research before you ask!

I keep things simple by asking the assistant when I first arrive, "Will anyone else be joining Network Exec A in the room?"  That also gives you time to call your rep (or your roommate) and get a little background on any additional exec while you wait!

 

The Small Talk

When you are pitching a network exec, remember that you are one of dozens of meetings that week, and s/he is hoping, fantasizing, but sadly not necessarily expecting you to pitch a show that can be brought to the big bosses and get a "Yes."  So as much as it is nice to be personable and chatty, know that you are there to knock some terrific shows out of the ballpark.  Enjoy some brief small talk, especially if your research turned up common ground, a blurb in the trades praised a show of theirs, four Emmys are displayed on the desk, you are a rabid fan of their product, you are wearing identical outfits (and s/he looks better), etc.  Talk about network business only if it is positive and public knowledge, as opposed to, "I just heard your SVP of Alt Programming got fired yesterday!" 

What about personal questions?  Talk about personal things only to the extent they are publicly displayed in that office.  That includes pictures of cute kids and dogs, photos of a recent hiking trip to the Himalayas, etc.  Do not ask deeply personal questions or politically risky ones.  In fact, break the ice if there is an opening, but truly stay focused on your plan to pitch.  The danger here is that the exec settles into a fun chat with you, and the 5-15 minutes s/he had scheduled to meet with you vanishes, and the assistant buzzes in that the next appointment is here. 

So have your brief chat, then segue with a direct request like, "I’d love to run three show ideas past you; are you ready for some quick pitches?"  Direct requests are good; otherwise, it can be very awkward and time-consuming for both the exec and you to hint your way towards why you are there.

 

The Set-Up

When you start to pitch, immediately establish how many pitches you have brought and let the exec set any boundaries, like, "I’ll only take three today."  Then launch simply with "My first pitch is Catchy Title 1." 

 

The Pitch

Open with your one-liner, then pause for a response.  If it is just silence, move forward with your fleshed-out pitch, selling the strong stuff first.  If it is an instant pass, politely ask the exec to clarify why so you can cross other inappropriate pitches off of the list.

The best way to run a pitch meeting is to be prepared to do the whole show with zero interaction from the exec.  That way, there are no awkward silences or uncertain moments.  You always know what comes next because you are going to say it.  Of course, if the exec takes the lead, that is fantastic, and you can follow along.  Either way, relax, deliver your pitches with confidence and a fun attitude (unless a show’s tone does not warrant that) and know your shows well enough to adapt them in the room. 

Please adapt your pitches in the room.  Do not defend the brilliance of your work to the death!  If you love it so much, you pay for it.  (Seriously, Byron Allen became a billionaire off of "time buys.")  Otherwise, figure out why the network loves their take on it, and work with them.  You can always decide not to sell them the show if the revised version they offer to buy ultimately does not work for you.

Also, if your talent is with you for the meeting, do not forget to release them after their pitch, as you practiced earlier.

Be respectful of the exec’s schedule and mindful of the energy of the room.  If no limit was set on how many shows you can pitch, ask for permission before launching past your first three.  Then just enjoy your presentation.  Believe me, they will let you know what their time (and mental) boundaries are!

Now here is one final command:  as soon as you get a "yes" on any pitch, you are done with that pitch.  You are done with the pitch.  Simply say, "Terrific!  I’ll get you follow-up on that first thing tomorrow." Any additional discussion you launch into can only turn that "yes"…back into a "no." 

And remember, unless it is the Executive Vice President of Alt Programming or higher, a "yes" in the room only means: "Yes, I will bring this to my boss and champion it as a show we should buy."  Which is by no means a development check but is pretty powerful in its own right!

Let’s say you just heard, "Yes!  I like that one," about one of your pitches (happy dance!).  Gauge the room immediately.  Is the exec expectantly waiting for additional pitches or happily wrapping up a successful meeting?  Consider this.  If you pitched more than one show before you got the "yes," unless you have equally knock-out gold bullion on your pitch list, this is a great time to end with a thanks and a smile. 

On the other hand, if the "yes" comes for the very first pitch on your list, and you have some additional, well-crafted pitches remaining, select your top two and ask, "Can I run another couple of pitches past you that also might be a great fit?"  If those two get a "no," consider wrapping it up and revisiting the exec with the rest of your (refined) pitches another time.  You want to leave with the sweaty glow of that hard-earned "yes" all over you–and three or more follow-up bombs will quickly kill the buzz of a winning pitch!  Thank everyone and get out of the room as soon as is seemly so you can alert your representative and/or get back to your computer to adapt your one-sheet for submission by the next morning. 

 

The Close

At the end of your meeting, the network exec might ask you for a "one-sheet" or a "leave-behind" for the pitches you presented that they liked.  Unless this has been pre-arranged before the meeting, try not to do this.  Not because your ideas will be stolen, but because what you came into the room with is rarely the show you and the network exec now have so thoroughly "what if’d."  Thank them for their interest and let them know that your rep will send a one-sheet over to them by tomorrow. 

By the way, please say "rep" or "representative."  If you say "attorney," you will send fire alarms off in their heads.  (This is clearly a combative producer!  Run!)  If you say "agent," that is fine (that is, if you have one), but I say "rep" because it can be far easier to get an attorney to e-mail something the next day than an agent. 

At the end of a successful meeting, I like to review the pitches we all agreed I would send more paper on, thank everyone, request business cards and leave the room.  At the end of an unsuccessful meeting, you might want to challenge the exec to a duel on the rear lawn.  Instead, still thank everyone, request a card (and an open door to return) and leave the room.  Regardless of the outcome, do not dally at the end (trust that they have another meeting right behind you) unless the exec is happily dallying with you.  Just be gracious and go.

The Follow-Up

The day after a meeting, send a brief thank you note to each person who attended (don’t gush, just be gracious.  Again.).  Send any customized follow-up one-sheets you have promised to your rep.  Also send your rep the address, e-mail and fax information for everyone who gets a copy (that is what the business cards you collected are for).  Do not delay on your follow-up; with all those weekly meetings, execs easily can forget you and your pitch within two days.  Note everything you send in your Pitch Database for easy reference.  And until you hear back from the network, let your rep check with them once a week or so.  No daily pressure, but do not let them completely forget about you either (believe me, they can.  Nothing personal!  Just the sheer volume of meetings and business). 

As time passes, I also like to send occasional follow-ups that further the cause of any pitches that got a "yes."  If compelling news reports or articles about your topic or talent crop up, send a brief note and one-sentence summary with the information; the exec can use this in a development meeting to further push your pitch.

Ultimately, none of your pitches may have gotten a "yes" from the network executive, or none of the "yeses" may get the green light from the head of programming.  That is okay.  If you wowed them in the room, you now have officially opened the door at that network to return with future pitches.  And that means the possibility of a future sale.  Besides, that is only one network meeting, and there are dozens more doors to knock on with your well-drafted reality vision.  Do not give up on the first "no"…or the tenth!  You will need to rework your treatments to satisfy the brand and audience of each new network you approach…but that is a small task compared to creating an entirely new show. 

The other possibility is that you or your rep might get that unbelievable phone call that says, "We’re buying the show."  Or the production company might call to say, "We sold the show!"  Or you might be sitting right in the pitch meeting with your talent and a prayer, and the network exec might say, "Sold."  If any of those are the case, congratulations!  You have just sold your first reality show!

Aren’t you glad you have a lawyer?

 

"REALITY CHECK"

 

P	Pledge #7:  I will be thoroughly prepared for every pitch meeting with a developed treatment, practiced pitch, professional talent reel and upbeat attitude.  I will follow up every pitch meeting with a sincere thank you and supporting materials for pitches the network liked.