This article was written by (or edited by) Brian Morrissey for Digiday Confessions, which seems to be a "column-like" component of the main website/blog "Digiday". It was originally published on July 9th of this year. If you're not already familiar with Digiday (and especially the "Confessions") I think you'll be thanking my friend Jack, who originally sent me this article.
This is by far, the most common sense and accurate overview of this incredibly expensive, antiquated and exploitative process, which will only succeed with a serious dose of "dumb luck" (or beaucoup dollars!). As I started reading it, I started thinking about the CEOs and client Presidents I wanted to send it to . . .
then, I realized that everyone I know in this business would probably like to read this take on the "New Business Pitch". So, with that in mind, I proudly share this with you. I'd love to hear your thoughts on it!
"The agency life cycle is defined by winning clients. That’s because the minute after an agency strikes up a new relationship the clocks starts ticking to when it will end. With short chief marketing officer tenures and a highly competitive environment, the end is coming sooner than ever.
In this week’s Confession, Digiday spoke with a veteran new-business executive at a digital agency. This exec expressed frustration over how agencies again and again devalue their ideas through a dysfunctional pitch process that’s increasingly driven by procurement, sometimes just for show, and seemingly at odds with cultivating a successful, long-term partnership between client and agency. View all entries in our Confessions series here.
What’s wrong with the new
business process?
We devalue ourselves from the beginning. A client puts out an abstract problem
to solve. We put everything into solving it. We give away everything in the
beginning and we wonder why clients don’t value us. Imagine a restaurant where
the customer asked to sample everything and then chose afterwards only to have
an appetizer. It doesn’t reflect how to work together. Agencies put a ton of
money into it, pulls its best people and then the client hides behind a veil of
procurement to ensure a level playing field.
But that’s not how you work together. In the end, you’re a vendor of ideas or execution. It sets everything up in the wrong way. A client might fall in love with an idea or a team member, but that doesn’t get you past month two.
Continue reading "The Agency-Client New Biz, The Pitch is Dysfunctional!" »