Business consultants in Singapore said that they often face resistance from clients to jazz up a business proposal, and that many small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs) prefer to take a more conservative approach when they make a pitch. Some failed to realise that the soft and seemingly insignificant aspects wield significant power in turning their pitch into a winner. Unlike big firms, SMEs often do not have a designated marketing team working on how to stand out, said UOB-SMU Asian Enterprise Institute Director Ang Ser Keng. The institute currently runs an SME consulting programme under which SMU students help the local firms with their business consultancy projects.