Pitches are a reality for agencies. But do you ever consider the true cost of pitching in terms of quality of work and client-vendor relationships? This whimsical presentation helps point out some of the hidden costs of pitching -and provides some solutions to help clients and agencies pitch smarter!

1. A tale of two Agencies
How pitches affect the bottom line
Presented by Douglas Kaufman, Cocoon Group

2. A tale of two Agencies
Let’s talk about pitches!
Let’s face it, pitches erode value from client-agency relationships and quality of work. In the last few
years in particular, pitches have become a part of our business that we can’t escape. But hopefully this
presentation will help you see them differently and give you some ideas for mitigating some of the
adverse effects that pitches can have on your work.

3. This is the story of two hypothetical agencies. We’ll call them agency A which ALWAYS works through
pitches; and Agency N which NEVER works through pitches.
Another pitch?
We’ll do it!
I’m sorry. We
don’t work on
pitches.

4. So Agency N always gets a fair
day’s pay for a fair day’s work

5. Agency A
While Agency A basically gives a
lot of its work away.

6. Agency N can forecast profits and make
adjustments and investments accordingly

7. While Agency A cannot because it is
impossible for Agency A to forecast what
resource will be used against what
revenue will be coming in.

8. Agency A also has to live the repeated
nightmare of seeing ideas and work
which was not approved in the pitch,
somehow finding its way onto projects
that were realized by other agencies.

9. But this presentation isn’t about Agency A’s moribund worldview,
growing sense of injustice, or fragile mental state…

10. Rather, let’s talk about how pitching
affects clients and the work that clients
get when they work with agency A.

11. First of all. Let's be clear.
Agency A does not care
about your brand. Like all
businesses, Agency A has
salaries and rent to pay.
Until the agency knows where
that money is coming from, all
other considerations are
secondary. Maybe if they get the
job, they will care about your
brand or your goals.
But for now, Agency A cares only
about winning the project.

12. Agency A
Preparing for a Pitch presentation…
Considering what is
in the best interest
of the client and
their brand.
So, rather than thinking about what’s
best for your brand or your project,
Agency A is using its resource to figure
out the best tactics to give it an edge
over the competition.

13. Rather than being the focus, work quality is just another
means toward that end. If Agency A feels that amazing quality
will give them the edge they need to win, (and the additional
investment has a good chance of paying off in the long run)
then you might just get amazing quality work…
However, more often than not, you’ll
get ’good enough' or 'we'll figure
that out later'.

14. That's not to say Agency A isn't expert in brand building…
They have tools.
But there's no reason to invest further
in the client until they win the project.
They have methodologies.
They have experience.

15. The irony of course is that most of the work will be done
finished before the agency knows they've won.
At which point, the opportunity to use strategic and creative tools will have passed.

16. Questions about the objectives?
Concerns about the approach?
Red flags regarding the strategy
being used that the agency can
point out based on its extensive
experience doing 100 projects just
like this one across multiple
categories and brands?

17. Not worth bringing up.
Questions about the objectives?
Concerns about the approach?
Red flags regarding the strategy
being used that the agency can
point out based on its extensive
experience doing 100 projects just
like this one across multiple
categories and brands?

18. Not worth bringing up.
There’s that chance the client won’t
understand or think the agency doesn’t
understand–or just think the agency is
difficult. Which will prompt him to
choose someone easier to work with.

19. Not worth bringing up.
So Agency A just keeps their mouths shut. They can always bring this stuff up after they win.
There’s that chance the client won’t
understand or think the agency doesn’t
understand–or just think the agency is
difficult. Which will prompt him to
choose someone easier to work with.

20. The client initiating the pitch is
completely on his own when he
works with Agency A. Unable to
tap into agency knowledge and
experience, he must come up with
the strategy, criteria, objectives,
etc. completely on his own.
Once the agency and concept have
been chosen, he is essentially
invested in this work. He becomes
de facto responsible for it more
than the agency.
Through the pitch process, he has
essentially bought the work rather
than a partner agency.
If, midway through the project,
he’s not satisfied with the direction
the work is moving, he is pretty
much out of luck. The agency did
everything it was asked.

21. They can decide what pitches to put effort into and
what pitches and what pitches they can coast on.
If they’re on the agency roster, Agency A knows that regardless of how
this project goes, on the next project, there will be another pitch. Another
phone call. And they get to start the process all over again.

22. The trade off in additional responsibilities and
lack of quality far outweigh any advantage they
may think they are getting.
So, the client thinks he’s getting a deal…
Lots of creativity
‘healthy competition’
Butt coverage
However…

23. Now, what about agency N?

24. With Agency N, we have a partner who is focused
on your brand and your success –because they know
their work will be judged based on whether or not
YOU achieve YOUR objectives.

25. Their commitment to the project begins the moment you hire them
and lasts until the project is on the shelf (and often beyond)
Agency N understands that future work and continued cooperation with this client
relies on a successful project (not winning the tender).

26. Commitment means…
Calling out red flags
and asking questions
Dialogue with the client
Looking at the big picture

27. Agency N can be called long before
the project even kicks off.
Their knowledge, experience, and tools can go toward defining
the strategy and helping create the brief, becoming a much
appreciated resource for the client.
At the end of the day. It really depends
on what kind of relationship the client
wants with his agency…
I’ve got a
problem and I
need a
solution, fast.
I’m your man.
Let’s figure
this out!

28. The client-vendor relationship with
Agency A is, at its core, adversarial.

29. So they are always on guard against giving too much away or revealing more
than they might get in return.
Agency A is always worried that their thinking and
ideas will be wasted or go to another agency…

30. Agency A is always worried that a
wrong word or bad meeting will result
in termination.
So they avoid asking questions or raising
issues that might be off-putting*
*even when those questions might be
for the benefit of the project!

31. There is no incentive for the client’s other agencies
(such as advertising or PR) to sit with Agency A and
discuss how they might cooperate.
As far as they know, Agency A might
be gone in a week.

32. The client-vendor relationship with Agency N however is truly collaborative.
Both between Agency N and the client…
…and all other client agencies.

33. Agency B wants what is
best for the brand.
Because brand success = their success.

34. Agency N wants to grow and
nurture the relationship.
Because a smooth relationship means better workflow and environment

35. Agency N has incentive to invest in the client
because the client has invested in them.

36. Incentive to work together with other agencies.
Sharing knowledge and sharing tools.

37. Incentive to provide additional value-added services

38. Incentive for raising concerns, having
discussions, asking questions, maintaining
an ongoing dialogue about what is the
best way forward.

39. It's a real strategic partnership. With a sense of both security and accountability and fairness.

40. Of course this story is a…

41. Fantasy
Of course this story is a…

42. There is no such thing as an All-Pitch agency.
And Never-pitch agencies are becoming more and more rare.
So, in effect, every agency is a little bit Agency A and Agency N. We don’t lock away the
‘good stuff’ –but we do think long and hard about whether or not we use it with a pitch
client. We don’t spend most of our time picking out our lucky clothes –but we probably
spend more time than we would thinking about presentation formats.

43. C
The real question for agencies is ‘how can we be
more like agency N and less like agency A?
And for clients, ‘How can we ensure we’re
getting the level of value given by Agency N
rather than Agency A?

44. C
The answer is to PITCH SMARTER!
Clients, before calling a bunch of agencies for a
pitch, check the following…
Agencies, before agreeing to a pitch from a
client, check the following…

45. C
How many agencies
participating?
More than 3 suggests the
client is just fishing for ideas.
Clients, if you can’t limit the pitch invitation to
3 agencies, it implies you don’t really know what
you’re looking for and you just want ‘free ideas’
Agencies, with 2 other competitors, you have a
33% chance. Any more and it just doesn’t make
mathematical sense to participate. There are just
too many factors outside your control!

46. C
Are the deliverables
clear and universal?
Clients, ‘just give me what you think will do the job’ is not a
brief and it’s not fair to agencies that have different
approaches to concept presentation. Give deliverables that are
clear and will allow agencies to decide if they are the right
partner for the job.
Agencies, how can you trust the client to judge you fairly or
competently if they can’t even tell you exactly what they’re
looking for?

47. C
Is the evaluation
criteria clear?
Ditto for everything I said on the previous slide, clients! “I’ll
know it when I see it” is not a briefing! This isn’t a lottery
where you get dozens of hours of free work from other
businesses just so you can decide on a whim what you like or
don’t like.
Hey agencies. If they can’t tell you how they’re going to judge
the work, run –don’t walk –in the other direction. You’re going
to devote your employees to this project and the client can’t
even tell you clearly what he’s looking for? I’m afraid not.

48. C
Are you dealing with the
real decision-makers?
Clients, please make the real decision-makers available to the
agencies participating in your pitch. Otherwise, it’s very much a
waste of everyone’s time.
Agencies, if you don’t have access to
decision-makers, just say no.

49. C
Is this a paid pitch?
Clients, Now we’re talking! Paying for pitch work –whether it’s
sketch fees or first stage –shows you are serious about treating
your pitch participants like potential partners and that you
value their work.
Agencies, If they’re paying, then you
are officially agency N!

50. Thank you
No,
Thank YOU
d.kaufman@cg-eu.com
www.cg-eu.com