<div class="gn-article"><div class="gn-hero gn-reveal"> <div class="gn-hero__image"><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/687a235da6861294eec73166/68a739525363c22d5e47176b_651d3d66ae5d77fe104be24f_64917f55780fa954eb6b3ca7_Ticking20(1)20(1).png" alt=""></div> <div class="gn-hero__head"> <span class="gn-kicker"><span class="dot"></span>Growth</span> <h1 class="gn-title">What You Need To Know About Running A Marketing Agency Pitch</h1> <div class="gn-meta"> <strong>The GO Network</strong> <span class="pip"></span> <span>21 June 2023</span> <span class="pip"></span> <span>7 min read</span> </div> </div> </div> <div class="gn-body"> <p class="gn-lede gn-reveal">Whether it's digital, creative, development, or PR, at one point or another we all need some extra support to deliver on our marketing strategy. But when everyone looks good online, and you don't just want to hire the first agency suggested to you, running a pitch process for your requirements might be the right way to go.</p> <h2 class="gn-reveal"><span class="num">01</span>Why run an agency pitch process?</h2> <p class="gn-reveal">The majority of in-house marketers looking to find a new agency partner will turn to their network. After all, asking around means you've got a recommendation from someone you trust, which lessens the risk of committing to a partnership that might fail in the long run.</p> <p class="gn-reveal">Whilst this might save you time short term, there are a few things to consider:</p> <p class="gn-reveal"><strong>Are you doing your due diligence?</strong></p> <p class="gn-reveal"><strong>Is this the best option for your way of working?</strong></p> <p class="gn-reveal"><strong>Are you following an unbiased process?</strong></p> <p class="gn-reveal">Running a pitch yourself may be slightly more time-consuming right now, but for appointments where you can't afford to cut corners, which is likely most of them, the benefits will far outweigh the costs.</p> <p class="gn-reveal">Recommendations from a friend may come with a level of personal accountability and expectation that can be stressful at best. At worst, a poor outcome of the relationship can lead to you being held uniquely responsible for wasted cost or resource.</p> <p class="gn-reveal">In the same way you'd likely manage any other large commitment, information gathering, <strong>risk assessment</strong>, and benchmarking against at least a couple of other potential options is crucial for ensuring you're actually getting a good deal.</p> <p class="gn-reveal">So, if you're running a large pitch or looking to make a significant appointment, a properly managed pitch process allows you to keep the process transparent, consider more than one agency, and get buy-in from your key stakeholders without any kind of bias.</p> <h3 class="gn-reveal">The primary stages of any Marketing Agency pitch process</h3> <p class="gn-reveal">There are generally 5 key stages to any pitch process:</p> <p class="gn-reveal"><strong>Brief development and defining your objectives</strong></p> <p class="gn-reveal"><strong>Planning of timescales and process</strong></p> <p class="gn-reveal"><strong>Agency search and qualification</strong></p> <p class="gn-reveal"><strong>Logistics and running the pitches</strong></p> <p class="gn-reveal"><strong>Appointment, commercials, and feedback</strong></p> <p class="gn-reveal">The actual timings, logistics, and requirements of a pitch process will vary massively based on what you specifically need, but the core stages will likely be consistent.</p> <h3 class="gn-reveal">The risks of a poorly-managed pitch process</h3> <p class="gn-reveal">Plenty of the in-house marketing leaders we work with understand the value of running an objective, independent pitch process, they just don't have the time to do it themselves.</p> <p class="gn-reveal">From shifting requirements to numerous video calls, running a pitch <em>can</em> be time-consuming, but a poorly-managed pitch process can also be inefficient, risky, and even damaging to those you engage. In fact, <a href="https://the-media-leader.com/pitching-now-affects-our-mental-health-agencies-warn/#:~:text=The%20report%2C%20titled%20Pitch%20Smart,pitching%20damaging%20to%20agency%20culture">a recent survey</a> found that <strong>64% of agency employees found the process of pitching to be damaging to their mental health.</strong></p> <div class="gn-stats gn-reveal"> <div class="gn-stat"><span class="gn-stat__num">64<em>%</em></span><span class="gn-stat__label">of agency employees found pitching damaging to their mental health.</span></div> <div class="gn-stat"><span class="gn-stat__num">25K<em>+</em></span><span class="gn-stat__label">agencies in the market, making objective benchmarking difficult.</span></div> </div> <figure class="gn-fig gn-reveal"> <div class="gn-fig__media"><img alt="Pitching now affects our mental health, agencies warn" src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/687a235da6861294eec73166/68a7395c27535859932eb19b_6491a658d2bd3b275747d67e_MediaSense-pitch-survey-data.png" width="auto" height="auto" loading="auto"></div> <figcaption><em>The recent MediaSense survey found that 64% of agency employees found the process of pitching to be damaging to their mental health.</em></figcaption> </figure> <h2 class="gn-reveal"><span class="num">02</span>Managing a pitch: What you need to know</h2> <p class="gn-reveal">Many in-house marketers learn these lessons the hard way before they come to GO!.</p> <p class="gn-reveal">So, in the interest of raising the bar of Brand-Agency relationships, we've compiled a few of the most important factors to bear in mind before you kick off any marketing agency pitch process.</p> <h3 class="gn-reveal">1 - Clarify your brief, especially your 'must-haves' from the agency you select</h3> <p class="gn-reveal">One of the most common contributors to any agency appointment process is drifting requirements. In the process of researching potential agency partners, it can be easy to be wowed by their experience, or get caught up in the creativity of it all. This is far more likely to happen if your brief isn't clear from the start.</p> <blockquote class="gn-blockquote gn-reveal">"A detailed brief is one of the most important things that you <strong>can't afford to get wrong.</strong> Not only will the agency need a comprehensive background as to what you need from them and why, but also KPIs, so they can create their strategies accordingly. Remember, it's the information given by you that agencies can combine with their insights and experience to help you reach your goals, <strong>a bad brief will yield bad results!</strong>"<cite>Nick Boyle · Head of SEO, The Audit Lab</cite></blockquote> <blockquote class="gn-blockquote gn-reveal">"This can cover <strong>marketing discipline expertise, sector experience, audience knowledge, and proven success stories</strong>, all the way through to <strong>agency location, age, size, turnover, ownership model, and ways of working</strong>. Conversely, you should be clear on the specifics that, even if the above criteria are met, would still <strong>definitely rule an agency out of the running</strong>."<cite>Russell Oakley · MD and Co-Founder, The GO Network</cite></blockquote> <h3 class="gn-reveal">2 - Instead of lengthy documentation, use the process to actually test-drive the relationship</h3> <p class="gn-reveal">With a huge amount of ongoing discourse around what's 'reasonable' to ask of an agency invited to pitch, it's worth considering asking for less of the technical detail, and more of the working relationship.</p> <aside class="gn-quote gn-reveal"><q>There's no better way to determine this than spending time with them.</q><cite>Matt Simpson · Managing Director, Candyspace</cite></aside> <p class="gn-reveal">As <strong>Matt Simpson</strong>, Managing Director of <strong>Candyspace</strong> shares, 'Selection processes that keep potential partners at arms' length and request lengthy documentation are unlikely to be as productive as, for example, allowing face-to-face Q&amp;A sessions or agreeing to short workshops. You need to quickly establish whether a potential partner has invested in understanding your business and your customers and has the experience and expertise to deliver value to both.'</p> <h3 class="gn-reveal">3 - Balance the 'ta-da' moments with the practical needs</h3> <blockquote class="gn-blockquote gn-reveal">"It takes a significant amount of work for an agency to pull together a response to a brief that is strategically sound, informed, and compelling to both the in-house marketing team and intended target audiences. Marketers often want to be wowed by creative genius that brings their brand to life and injects a new level of excitement into what they do. My advice? Take a balanced approach and <strong>look beyond the 'ta-da' moment in a pitch.</strong> Make sure <strong>the strategy presented is matched with an agreed scope of solid deliverables</strong> and meaningful KPIs to match to guarantee ROI."<cite>Bekki Bushnell · Associate Director, Whiteoaks International</cite></blockquote> <figure class="gn-fig gn-reveal"> <div class="gn-fig__media"><img alt="Download - The Marketing Agency Evaluation Checklist" src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/687a235da6861294eec73166/68a7390518f2085fdffae3b8_6107e761f4ae9367ea1cca79_Your%2520Marketing%2520Agency%2520Evaluation%2520Checklist.png" width="auto" height="auto" loading="auto"></div> <figcaption><a href="https://www.thegonetwork.com/resources/the-marketing-agency-evaluation-checklist" target="_blank"><em>Download: The Marketing Agency Evaluation Checklist</em></a></figcaption> </figure> <h3 class="gn-reveal">4 - Don't underestimate the importance of chemistry</h3> <p class="gn-reveal">Keeping a clear brief and objective criteria for scoring the agencies you meet is crucial to maintain the integrity of your pitch process, but <strong>it doesn't mean you should write off the human element of your relationship.</strong></p> <blockquote class="gn-blockquote gn-reveal">"<strong>Chemistry is everything.</strong> As much as you're observing &amp; judging the agency, they're doing the same to you, trying to work out what you will be like as a client &amp; to work with on an almost daily basis. If there's chemistry there and they get you &amp; your brand, <strong>then it shouldn't feel like you're being "sold" to</strong>. Instead, it should feel like you're about to acquire a whole load of new expertise, energy &amp; enthusiasm to your team."<cite>Daniel Swepson · Head of Marketing, Next Chapter</cite></blockquote> <h3 class="gn-reveal">5 - Benchmark, Benchmark, Benchmark</h3> <p class="gn-reveal">Agency pricing and structures are hard to come across publicly (for good reason), and without talking to every agency in the market (all 25K+ of them), it's going to be difficult to get an objective read on how much you should be expecting to get for your budget.</p> <p class="gn-reveal">Agencies have clear KPIs on themselves and will know what they need to charge to stay afloat. But depending on the resource you want, the results you're after, and the nature of the project, <strong>the 'best option' will differ greatly.</strong></p> <p class="gn-reveal"><strong>The fix for this is pretty specific. You need to speak to an expert.</strong></p> <p class="gn-reveal">Not necessarily a consultant, but at least someone who knows the industry, is impartial, and can tell you if you're working with the best option.</p> <p class="gn-reveal">The GO Network team <a href="https://www.thegonetwork.com/our-services"><strong>do this for free all the time</strong></a>, but if you're particularly against that, then try to speak to an ex-agency contact, or a senior professional that's dealt with projects like yours.</p> <aside class="gn-callout gn-reveal"> <div class="gn-callout__label">What this means for you</div> <h4>Five things to get right before your next agency pitch.</h4> <ul> <li><strong>Clarify your brief.</strong> A bad brief will yield bad results, so define your must-haves, including discipline expertise, sector experience, and ways of working, before you start.</li> <li><strong>Test-drive the relationship.</strong> Selection processes that keep potential partners at arms' length and request lengthy documentation are unlikely to be as productive as face-to-face Q&amp;A sessions or short workshops.</li> <li><strong>Balance 'ta-da' with practicality.</strong> Make sure the strategy presented is matched with an agreed scope of solid deliverables and meaningful KPIs to match to guarantee ROI.</li> <li><strong>Don't write off chemistry.</strong> If there's chemistry there and they get you &amp; your brand, then it shouldn't feel like you're being "sold" to.</li> <li><strong>Benchmark properly.</strong> Speak to someone who knows the industry, is impartial, and can tell you if you're working with the best option.</li> </ul> </aside> </div></div> <aside class="gn-related gn-reveal" data-auto="related-reading"> <div class="gn-related__label">Related reading</div> <ul class="gn-related__list"> <li class="gn-related__item"> <a href="/articles/top-10-signals-a-brand-is-about-to-go-to-market-for-a-new-agency" class="gn-related__link"> <span class="gn-related__category">Growth</span> <span class="gn-related__title">Top 10: Signals a Brand Is About to Go to Market for a New Agency</span> <span class="gn-related__excerpt">Spot a pitch before the brief drops. New CMO hires, mergers, and incumbent departures all flag an imminent agency review, if you know where </span> </a> </li> <li class="gn-related__item"> <a href="/articles/rebranding-common-mistakes-and-how-to-avoid-them" class="gn-related__link"> <span class="gn-related__category">Growth</span> <span class="gn-related__title">Rebranding: Common mistakes – and how to avoid them</span> <span class="gn-related__excerpt">Agency owners share the most costly rebranding errors, from rushed execution to vague briefs, and the strategic steps that keep a rebrand on</span> </a> </li> <li class="gn-related__item"> <a href="/articles/our-guiding-principles-for-brands-what-agencies-should-know" class="gn-related__link"> <span class="gn-related__category">Growth</span> <span class="gn-related__title">Our Guiding Principles for Brands: What Agencies Should Know</span> <span class="gn-related__excerpt">Brands confirm transparency, fair timelines, and IPA Pitch Positive Pledge alignment before any brief reaches your agency, protecting your p</span> </a> </li> <li class="gn-related__item"> <a href="/articles/saving-time-and-money-by-going-d2c-with-your-business-what-you-need-to-know" class="gn-related__link"> <span class="gn-related__category">Growth</span> <span class="gn-related__title">Is It Time To Go D2C With Your Business? Here&#39;s What You Need To Know</span> <span class="gn-related__excerpt">Brands cutting out the middleman need the right agency partners. Here&#39;s how direct-to-consumer works, its key benefits, and the challenges t</span> </a> </li> </ul> </aside>