The Pitch: Choosing the right kind of partner for the Communications Waltz

By JOHN BISHOP


How should those organisations that use communications agencies pick their partners?

The agencies' biggest single complaint, particularly about the public sector, is that agencies pitching for business are expected to put in a lot of unpaid work for often very uncertain outcomes and are expected not to complain when they lose.

Mark Champion, of the Communication Agencies Association (CAANZ), says clients need to give agencies enough time and information to do their job properly.

That means being open about the size of the budget, what the agency is to do, who they'll be working with, who has the power to approve work and how this process will work.

"A good, detailed brief is vital and is the basis of a sound decision by the agency and by the client."

Clients unsure how to get this right can cause trouble for themselves and their agencies.

CAANZ represents 55 advertising, media, PR, and direct marketing agencies accounting for about 80 per cent of client expenditure through agencies.

Brett Sangster, director of corporate communications for the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, says clients must share budget information. "Agencies need this to make their business decision about whether to pitch or not and also about how much time to invest in the pitch."

Champion says there are two types of pitches:

* A review of an existing agency.

* New business.

If it's a review, clients should ask themselves whether the incumbent agency has had a reasonable opportunity to perform, whether they have had realistic deadlines and good briefs.

"Sometimes when a marketing manager changes, the first thing the new broom wants to do is change agencies. This generates a lot of activity and anxiety when there is nothing wrong with the work being done."

If it's new business, clients should be asking on what basis will they pick the new agency - will it be on credentials, do you want to go to a strategy pitch to see how much the agencies understand about your business, or do you want full creative?

"If the agency doesn't understand your business, they will not be able to translate it into good creative. That's the value of the strategic pitch.

"If you go to the creative stage, you should be comfortable appointing any of the agencies that are presenting, because they have all passed the credentials and strategy tests."

Champion says clients should expect to pay for creative work, but for agencies in PR, media and research a strategy pitch based on a good brief is fine.

Factors to take into account are: the contract itself, how will performance be measured, who is responsible for communications with the agency and who will manage the client's approval process?

That's a big stumbling block for agencies working in the public sector where last minute reworking is legendary, costing time and money.

Remember, says Champion, more client-agency relationships break down over money than over any other factor. So sort that out early.

* John Bishop is a marketing consultant, PR adviser and business writer who helps clients select marketing partners. He can be contacted at John Bishop


* The Pitch is a forum for those working in advertising, marketing, public relations and communications. We welcome lively and topical 500-word contributions.
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