Pitching has always been a part of how our industry works, but never has it been more brutal.
Nick Emmel recently wrote a piece on the heartbreak of losing hard-fought pitches, something to which every agency person can relate.
Giving away so much time, energy, passion and creativity (for free), with nothing to show for it, is a barbaric approach to business growth.
Mother supports any endeavours to make the process better for everyone. However, as the balance of agency relationships shifts from mostly retainer to increasingly project-based, new business has become everyone’s business.
Our changed reality is quick pitches, tight deadlines and roster relationships. Which means we’ve never had to think harder about how we win new clients, retain existing clients or make ourselves the favourite for clients juggling multiple agencies.
Agency and client relationships have therefore become waaaaay more complex. There are marriages, divorces, flings, rekindled romances, open relationships and a fair few throuples.
It’s no longer enough for agencies and clients to figure out what kind of brand strategy they need; we now need a strategy for our relationships too.
So, in the spirit of Snog, Marry, Avoid?, let’s look at our options.
The quick snog. The exciting short-term fling. The ones who don’t want to settle down – yet. Maybe they were burnt by their last partner, or maybe they’re holding out until it’s perfect. These relationships are tricky.
You lack context, institutional knowledge and trust. And yet you still want to get to an amazing outcome together. So you need a strategy to get intimate, quickly.
Be vulnerable with one another. Forgive the mistakes and misunderstandings that inevitably happen with knowledge gaps. Assume good intentions on both sides.
We’ve found that although these relationships can feel different from our cosy retainers, they can be equally rewarding. And who knows, after a few flirtations you might both wanna settle down.
Ahh, married bliss. The original archetype. An enduring client-agency relationship can feel similar to a marriage, with the same rollercoaster ups and down.
You talk, you fight, you finish each other’s sentences, you call bullshit on one another, you tell truths they might not want to hear, you get excited about your shared future, you become tempted by other partners before realising that the grass is not always greener.
In the end, you learn that a shared desire to be together is not enough on its own. It takes hard work to make it work. Day in, day out. But if the spark is still there, it’s always worth the effort.
And then, of course, there’s knowing who to avoid. Pie off or, occasionally, throw off a cliff. Look out for the early warning signs during the pitch.
A brief that changes halfway through. Working styles that misalign. Have an honest chat about budgets. Have an honest chat about creative ambition. And know when to walk away.
Even a partnership that looks perfect on paper can turn into a shared nightmare in the real world. Maybe the timing wasn’t right. Or creative tastes didn’t align.
Maybe it’s not them, it’s you. Or maybe it is them. What we do know for sure is that time and talent is precious. So while it’s always hard to walk away from any relationship, when it isn’t working, it’s a kindness to call it a day.
In the end, relationships are about chemistry. Which is why chemistry meetings aren’t just a creds meeting, but a genuine opportunity for you to work out what kind of relationship you might have together – considered from both sides.
We recommend developing a relationship strategy early, before you even start on the brand strategy. Setting boundaries, discussing expectations and having an agreed process for working things out.
Never go to bed on an argument. Have fun together. Communicate often. Share your dreams. And if in doubt, send a surprise gift to brighten their inbox or taste buds.
Neasa McGuinness and Matt Tanter, joint heads of strategy, Mother London
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