If you ask an agency to pitch, you owe them the truth

There’s an unspoken rule in the agency world that almost everyone understands and almost no one consistently follows: if you invite an agency into a pitch, you are responsible for how that process ends.

Don’t get me wrong, I have always thought the pitch process for comms agencies is totally flawed. Multiple agencies pour weeks of senior thinking into new business pitches. Money, time, and effort is invested. Strategy, creativity, and experience are given freely, as we all show our best work.

Yet, almost every peer in the industry that I have spoken to is well versed on receiving a vague email or no explanation. No context. No learning. And in some cases, no feedback at all.

Feedback after a pitch is critical. Value is exchanged whether money is involved or not, and honest feedback is the only way anyone improves.

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“We went in another direction” is not feedback

Most potential client partners think they’re being polite by keeping feedback light. But when you tell an agency nothing beyond the outcome, you’re not protecting feelings—you’re avoiding the truth. Agencies don’t expect to win every pitch – we are all well-versed on the process, but we want to know whether we lost on price, chemistry, experience, ideas, or timing. Those are all legitimate reasons and reasons that we are completely ok with hearing.

If the truth is that the agency felt too senior, say it. If their strategic thinking was solid but you couldn’t picture working with them day-to-day, say that too. If the decision ultimately came down to an internal preference or an existing relationship, be honest about that as well.

Agencies are professionals. We can handle the truth, and I would argue we can handle it far better than ambiguity.

Transparency isn’t about being nice. It’s about being fair.

There’s a myth that transparency requires long explanations or uncomfortable conversations. It doesn’t. It just requires accuracy.

You don’t need to sugarcoat feedback or dilute it with compliments you don’t believe. In fact, false positivity is often more damaging. Telling an agency they were “brilliant” while choosing someone else creates confusion.

Clear feedback sets expectations, closes the loop, and allows everyone to move forward and learn. It also signals something important about you as a client—that you value time, effort, and professional respect.

Feedback is an essential element in the pitch process

If you hire the agency, transparency matters even more

Winning a pitch also doesn’t mean feedback becomes optional. In many ways, it becomes more critical.

If there were concerns during the pitch — about structure, pace, cost, or capability — this is the moment to surface them. Pretending everything is perfect at the start only guarantees friction later. Agencies would rather know what made you hesitate than discover it three months into the relationship.

Same goes for daily operations; tell us what you want and we will endeavour to make it happen. It’s a simple formula – be honest with us and we will do the same with you. That’s where we get the best outcome.

Honest feedback doesn’t weaken a partnership. It strengthens it.

If an agency gave you their best thinking, then this is my ask from you. Not a script, not a generic email, not silence. Just honesty.

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