The Good Pitch

Finding a new agency can be exciting; offering new opportunities, new faces and new and innovative ideas. But it can also be daunting. Finding the right talent, chemistry and shared culture and values with an agency is no easy task, particularly for a busy marketing department. So while you may embark on the selection process with a spirit of optimism at the thought of a fresh start, ensuring the right decision is made will always be a concern. As a result, the search process may become overbureaucratic, lengthy and costly for both sides.

For an agency, pitching and winning a new client can be one of the most exciting and fulfilling aspects of agency life. There are financial rewards but also emotional and psychological benefits - winning creates momentum internally and externally. However, agencies are realistic and appreciate that the chances of winning every time are negligible. Therefore, they judge the likelihood of success and build this into their calculations, investing in the process accordingly.

This is why best-practice guidelines, to steer both parties, are so important. The recommendations in this guide have been created with the aim of helping to develop a pitch process which is focused on delivering a fair and transparent approach, that all parties will benefit from. We hope this guidance helps clients to create a bespoke process that enables the screening of the right number of agencies, at clearly defined stages, providing plenty of choice of talent without asking agencies to incur excessive costs.

A well thought out, defined process should also allow agencies to make informed decisions on which pitches to take part in, based on a clear understanding of the client’s requirements and the pitch process upfront – and enable them to invest their efforts accordingly.