CHAT BACK: The rules of pitch attraction

You Google them and like what you see. Then begins the flirtation – the casual call that sets pulses racing, the much-anticipated first date, the intoxicating thrill of the chase. Is the chemistry right? Will it go any further? Will you consummate the relationship?

Then the pitch document arrives and you discover that your would be client, who has been charming the pants off you, has been putting it about with all your competitors and expects everyone to work like stink for no money.

I’ve been in this business long enough to know that the mating ritual is a convoluted and calculated act no matter how assiduous the initial advances or how many endearments are exchanged in the early stages.

But I find increasingly that clients are demanding more – and more and more – for less.

No one can blame them for negotiating hard – we all do it – or for continuing to exploit the global

economic downturn to push further still, even if the Australian economy is looking pretty good. But are some marketers taking things a bit too far?

Yeah, we think so. One of the pitches we walked away from recently was a global gig that required us to invest US$150,000 to participate. Seriously.

We’ve turned down other pitches because we can’t see how to make enough money from the job. Sure you have to go out on a limb sometimes for a greater long-term goal and, yes, we all know that money isn’t the only reason for taking on a project.

Some jobs you do for fun because we are all creative people and we all need to have a good time doing what we do.

Some you do for fame because nothing motivates creative’s like recognition and awards are good for business.

Some are the not so simple matter of fortune because we all have to ensure the stability and security of our agencies as businesses, for everyone’s sake.

Clients need their suppliers to be good, strong businesses, efficiently managed, sufficiently liquid and able to attract and retain the top talent. Agencies need a degree of security with their key clients in order to plan and manage their own businesses effectively. Agencies treated as valued long-term partners offer much more than those dealt with like a one-night stand.

We offer continuity of brand strategy, brand guardianship and design integrity management, in-depth understanding of the brand and its market, and a greater sense of involvement that leads our best thinkers and most talented doers to be ever more willing to go that extra mile or seven.

Loyalty and commitment are repaid handsomely with superb creativity and outstanding service. What’s not to love?

We are lucky enough to have some wonderful long-term relationships with clients. We’ve also had some intense, passionate affairs that have lasted a few months and been mutually rewarding.

The common factor is in being treated as a valued, valuable partner. Shopping around for the best price rather than the greatest value is an easy mistake to make, but a costly one for marketers. Placing short term saving over long-standing loyalty can be even costlier.

To be continued…