Don’t waste the agency pitch Q&A session…

By Steve Boehler – Founder, Mercer Island Group

Don’t waste the agency pitch Q&A session…

The pitch Q&A session is one of the most important interactions that agencies have with a prospect during a formal review. The client gets to see how the agency team handles themselves. The agency has an opportunity to gather critical information that can shape how they arrive at the most compelling recommendations.

Many agencies waste this opportunity to impress…

We recently facilitated a Q&A session for a large media agency review. In one Q&A, 62% of the questions the agency asked were technical, process related questions that were not about the prospect’s business or challenge. Only 38% – 8 out of 21 questions – were focused on the prospect’s business.

What a waste.

What are the biggest mistakes agencies make in the Q&A?

1. Poor preparation.

The effectiveness of an agency’s Q&A session is largely determined by what the agency does BEFORE the session. We often see Q&A sessions where the agency team is clearly “winging” it.

2. Talking about the agency.

We often will see agencies spend valuable Q&A time talking about themselves:
– sharing basic agency background
– walking the client through their process
– sharing a case study

The Q&A is the wrong time for any of that.

3. Failure to request additional materials.

The Q&A is the perfect time for an agency to request access to a wide range of helpful background materials that may not have been shared up to this point. Target audience research, competitive assessments, MMM results, marketing calendar, product research, awareness and usage research, etc.

4. Not sharing questions in advance.

We recommend that agencies send their questions in advance – at a minimum 24-48 hours before the Q&A. Many clients want to see the questions in advance. And most clients appreciate the energy and enthusiasm that is expressed when an agency sends their Q&A questions in advance.

5. Asking questions about the process.

Don’t waste such valuable time with your prospect by asking process questions that can be answered in a simple email.

The Q&A session is a high leverage touchpoint for both the client and the agency. It should be treated as such – it’s a key opportunity for the agency to put their best foot forward. Read much more in the article linked in comments below.