“There’s got to be a better way,” said every agency ever at some point during a search process.
The fact is, just because agencies know what they’re jumping into doesn’t mean the entire endeavor is any less of a time suck or emotional dive to the Mariana Trench where the odds are forever 3:1 against, or worse. One agency’s elation is matched by multiple runner ups (“it was SO close”) left to wallow in the sunken place.
Valuing agencies for the benefit of all means changing the math.
It starts and ends with respecting an agency's time and energy. So even with the needle threading required to ensure that the client benefits from both due diligence and consensus, while at the same time minimizing agency lift, there are ways to satisfy both parties despite the inherent nature of the competitive pitch structure.
ONE: KILL THE RFI FOR GOOD. Sure, gathering the necessary facts about a potential partner requires some info: FTE’s, FTE’s in preferred office, ownership structure, relevant category experience, possible conflicts, revenue, avg. client size, a laundry list of capabilities to be checked off and one question perhaps about intent. But an RFI should NOT be a vessel for protracted questions about philosophy/approach and case studies. We assume you’ve got winning case studies - everybody does. Moreover, we already did our homework - we know who you are, what you've done, and subsequent meetings will be where the real insight and prospect-specific proof points show up. Oh yeah, a provided excel template for RFI answers saves agencies from an additional art direction lift.
TWO: SHOW UP FOR ALL. There’s absolutely no reason a pitch consultant cannot cater to agencies in the same manner they do with clients. Pitch consultants must: (1) Be accessible and responsive, not an aloof or coy keeper of secrets or MIA. (2) Push the client to share the heaviest possible load of primary data (after MNDA). The more you share, the more on-target the agency’s recommendations. (3) Ensure the agency receives proper and accurate feedback from every client interaction. (4) Above all, set every agency up to win with your experience and pitch insight, which of course is a win:win:win.
THREE: HONOR THY INCUMBENT. There is no forever in this business. Agencies learn to manage an acceptable level of client attrition. Yet, they still say “yes” when they should almost always say “no" and that includes signing on to defend in a review. Consider (a) the odds of retaining, which have been all over the board but as low as 8%, or (b) the fact that the incumbent is under review for a reason (hello), or (c) the sharpest knife cuts the fastest and hurts the least. Moreover, clients are simply not honoring the incumbent by dragging them through a rigorous process as an inevitable parting gift. So unless this is a regularly mandated review or unusual circumstance, agencies should know when to say when and clients should understand the difference between doing a solid and doing a disservice. But if the incumbent ends up in the mix, for any reason, then give them everything they need to fight for it.
FOUR: REMOVE ACCOUNT SERVICE FROM WITNESS PROTECTION. Polished agency leadership, genius strategists, and dynamic creatives show up and show up big in a search process, leaving the client scant time to really know their day-to-day counterparts. An RFP or client ask is always "we want to meet the team who will work on the business", which is also the very ask most often marginalized, especially when it comes to account service. But the winning search process has a separate 30-minute meeting solely with the agency's two day-to-day account leads and their client counterparts. No pitch dynamics or leadership oversight, just an opportunity for the right people to get to know one another. It doesn't just help drive a more informed client decision, it better assures the right working relationship over time.
FIVE: DOCUMENT THE SLINGS & ARROWS. Good agencies want to be better agencies. They will welcome feedback and copious amounts of it. It’s the pitch consultant’s job to document all client comments, rubs and nit pics so when it’s time to share a complete rundown to agencies who took an L, the gift of feedback is a generous gift indeed.
Bottom line: The what (competitive agency pitches) aren’t going anywhere. But the how can be different, better, fairer, a process that values the agencies involved. There will be losers, by whatever euphemism you choose, but that doesn’t mean the process can’t be winning.
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