Why not all agency pitch processes are equal

TrinityP3 Agency Search & Selection Process

Another Pitch Consultant’s Process

Market Search Brief

The first step is to make sure there is an agreed definition of success. Beyond the selection of the agency, what is the reason for the pitch and what other options are available to the marketer to achieve the same outcome.

We have developed a comprehensive and structured briefing format that takes the conversation through all of the important considerations before undertaking the disruptive and time-consuming process.

It also defines the requirements of the process and an agreed successful outcome as a reference point as the process progresses.

And finally it will define the participants in the selection process and the agreed process and timeline.

Apparently on appointment the consultant met with the CMO and his Marketing Manager and they discussed the need to review their creative agency.

In the conversation they discussed some of the capabilities they required and how long the process would take.

Market Search Report

The Market Search Brief is used to define the Search Terms used on the TrinityP3 Agency Register. With more than 3,000 agencies of various types on the database it provides a comprehensive list of suitable agencies.

But we also check with the TrinityP3 consultants to make sure there is no agency option overlooked.

We then confidentially have the agencies clarify and provide further specific information. The report provides detailed information on the recommended agencies, but also those agencies with conflicts and the rejected agencies and the reason they were not recommended.

Depending on the category and the number of suitable agencies the recommendation list will be between 6 – 12 possibilities of which the marketers will be encouraged to select six to either maximum for any particular discipline.

Later in the same meeting the consultant offered the names of six agencies that the CMO should consider as the consultant’s recommendation based on the conversation.

Credentials Brief

Rather than having the agencies providing generic credentials we develop a credentials brief requesting very specific information aligned to the requirements detailed in the Market Search Brief.

This will be case studies, examples and very specific information to assist the marketers assess the suitability of each of the agencies.

We can also review the credentials when presented and provide the marketer with a summary of each of the agency credentials to ensure that the details are suitably considered if the marketing team do not have the time to read all of the credentials.

This will be used to assess which agencies the marketing team will meet with for Chemistry Meetings.

There is a scorecard process to ensure the marketing team are able to fully consider all aspects of the credentials response.

On agreement with the CMO on their recommendation list the consultant contacted the six agencies and asked for copies of their standard credentials documents, which were supplied to the consultant, who shared these with the CMO and his team.

Chemistry Meeting

Chemistry Meetings are designed to allow the agencies to present the reason they are the ideal agency partner and for the marketers to be able to question the agency on the details of their credentials document and develop an understanding of the agency strengths.

It is also an opportunity for the agencies to ask questions of the marketing team. This is often an area where the agency can be found wanting.

Again, scorecards are used to ensure that the marketing team has considered all aspects of the chemistry process to shortlist the agencies to a list of three for strategic workshops.

All six agencies where invited to attend a chemistry meeting with the CMO and his senior marketing team. The meetings were one hour long and basically a one-hour conversation.

Strategic Workshop

This is an innovation we bought to the process following a global review of best practice in 2007.

The strategic workshops provide the shortlisted agencies with the opportunity to work with the marketing team on a specific strategic problem.

The workshops can be between a half day and a full day with the marketing team and the agency working through a problem together.

The benefits of this process have been shared previously here and our clients who have used this approach find it incredibly helpful in test-driving each agency.

A scorecard is used to ensure the client fully assesses all aspects of the workshop and the agency’s performance as well as the outcomes.

Often the marketers will complete this process and have a clear preferred agency at this stage.

No strategic workshop.

Creative Presentation (Optional)

This step is only included for two reasons: either the marketer is still unable to separate two agencies for final selection or they require some tangible output for internal presentation of the preferred agency.

Either way the process is carefully limited to preparing creative work directly form the strategic workshop and then only a limited number of creative expressions to minimise the level of time the agency is to invest.

Because the brief is from the workshops, much of the strategic work has been developed and agreed with the marketers input and therefore the creative process is faster and more focused.

The scorecard is used to focus the marketer not just on the preferred creative output but also the agency approach and the creative process.

Four of the six agencies were progressed to the creative pitch stage. All six were provided with a creative brief and asked to come back and present their speculative creative work four weeks later on which they were judged.

Agency Fee Proposals

This process usually commences at the time of the Chemistry Meetings with the marketer asked to provide the proposed Scope of Work that they would expect the agency to deliver in the first year of appointment.

Using the Verificom Agency Fee Calculator we then calculate the level of resourcing and the cost, from the Verificom Agency Rate Benchmarking System, based on the category benchmarks and the quality of the agencies. This provides the marketers with an indication of the value of the Scope of Work.

A remuneration template is prepared for each of the three shortlisted agencies to complete to allow like-for-like comparison.

The completed agency templates are analysed and assessed to determine the value and the results provided to the marketers once they have completed the selection of their preferred agency.

This ensures that the final selection is not based on cost but on value. It also provides the basis for any negotiation against the fee and resource mix calculated by the Scope Monitor and the Ad Cost Checker benchmarks.

Once the preferred agency was selected the consultant requested a remuneration proposal, which the consultant reviewed and provided feedback on based on their experience.

Negotiation & Contracting

While often the marketers or their procurement team will want to manage the negotiation process, we prefer to support this to ensure the optimal and sustainable outcome.

TrinityP3 is never incentivised with a percentage of savings. Therefore, we can ensure the negotiation is undertaken in a way that ensures the outcome is fair to all parties and represents value for the marketer and is sustainable for the agency.

At the end of the negotiation process, we record the outcome of the negotiation and make sure the agreed details are captured in the contract.

Also, at the end of the process, we prepare a report that documents the process and outcomes at each step of the process. We have managed to provide the due diligence and governance required for a major procurement decision.

At each step, when any agency is removed from the process, we provide a detailed feedback session to ensure the agency understands where and why they were unsuccessful.

It did not appear there was much required in way of negotiation as the agency provided their ‘standard’ agreement for the client to sign.