Pitching for new business is a crucial part of agency work. It’s where agencies can show prospective clients their creativity, strategic thinking and expertise.
But there’s a common pitfall in this process: the dreaded “bait and switch,” where a rockstar pitch team impresses a prospect — only for the client to discover the team doing the actual work isn’t as exceptional.
At Method, we take a different approach. We believe the people who pitch your business should be the same ones rolling up their sleeves and diving into the work.
Here’s why:
The foundation of any successful client-agency relationship is trust.
We don’t just want to win business; we want to build a relationship that lasts for years. That’s why the team that shows up to the pitch is the team working on the program day in and day out. By fostering continuity, we’re able to establish strong, trust-based relationships from the very start.
And, as we work together over time, we’re building a deeper understanding of a business’ goals, challenges and vision. This allows us to become true partners, not just a vendor. As an extension of our clients’ teams, we can work collaboratively to solve problems, adapt to changing conditions and seize new opportunities as they arise.
Our teams are motivated to pitch awesome ideas because they’ll get to bring them to life.
When people who pitch new business know they’ll also be executing the work, they have a deeper level of enthusiasm. They’re not just selling an idea — they’re invested in making sure that idea becomes a reality.
Our teams are motivated to pitch creative, strategic and achievable ideas because they know they’ll be the ones bringing those ideas to life. We take personal responsibility for the success of every campaign, so the level of excitement (for better or worse) we show during the pitch is genuine.
We have senior leaders on every program. And they do ‘the work’ too.
We believe senior leadership adds value not only in shaping strategy, but also in the execution of a program. These leaders help navigate challenges, avoid pitfalls and provide a sounding board along the way.
And it’s not just during planning meetings or Quarterly Business Reports; our senior leaders are involved in all aspects of the program — yes, even building media lists.
More than an agency-for-hire, we’re a team of dedicated professionals who are committed to our clients’ success.
By ensuring that the people who pitch your business are the same ones who execute the work, we’re able to provide consistency, accountability and collaboration. We believe this approach builds not only trust and stronger relationships, but ultimately better results.