An agency review is underway, and it is now time for a Q&A session for the agency with the prospect’s marketers.
This is an important moment for both parties!
The client gets to see how the agency team handles themselves and has a chance to hear the quality of the questions asked by the agency. The agency has an opportunity to gather critical information that can shape how they arrive at the most compelling recommendations.
Many clients and agencies consider this step a perfunctory and almost administrative effort. That is a mistake. The right approach to a Q&A can help a client better understand the quality of the agency team’s thinking and can help the agency team stand out.
How can marketers and agencies set themselves up for success?
Clients and agencies should approach the Q&A as a critical step in the process.
Tips for Clients
Marketers are best served if all the agencies vying for the business do their absolute best. The marketer should want to see the agencies at their best! A well-designed Q&A session can help.
Some guidelines and tips:
- Prepare in advance: familiarize yourself with the agency.
- Ideally each agency has their own Q&A session. This kind of session provides marketers with a clear view into the agency’s process, thinking and experience.
- The client should identify an emcee. There should be one key participant that determines who from the client team answers which question.
- The client team should each introduce themselves. Be brief! Just name and role on the business.
- Thank the agency team for their interest and enthusiasm for your business.
- Someone from the client team should provide a very brief overview as to why the review is underway. This does not have to be a long presentation with numerous slides; ideally key background information will have been shared in the RFP.
- Clients generally should refrain from asking the agency questions. This is the agency’s time to learn as much as they can about your business.
- Be friendly and considerate. Remember, this is dating! You want to look desirable as a client.
- Be sensitive to the agency’s allotted time. Provide one answer to a question; no piling on.
Tips for Agencies
Treat the Q&A as an important step in the review. Use this precious time with the client to highlight the agency’s strategic skills and expertise by asking really smart questions. Agencies that come prepared and ask important questions about the brand and its business and marketing will impress the client.
Some guidelines and tips:
- Prepare thoroughly: craft your questions in advance and share them with the client at least 24 hours before the Q&A session.
- Share a “placemat” in advance, with the agency pitch team’s pictures, role on the business and a brief bio.
- The agency team should each introduce themselves. Be brief! Just name and role on the business.
- Ask questions that aren’t easily discovered by secondary research. What advantages or disadvantages does the client’s brand have versus competition? What are business trends like? What has been working well in marketing and advertising, and what has not been working?
- Ask for access to recent research or analyses.
- For public companies, listen to the latest quarterly earnings call prior to the Q&A. Ask a question, if possible, while referencing the earnings call.
- Do not talk about your capabilities or past successes; this is time to learn about the client.
- Have assigned roles for the pitch team members during the call. Leadership should open and close; that’s all.
- Be brief. Put in enough prep time to ensure your questions are both strategic and simple.
- Know when to stop (don’t let Q&A go on too long).
- If time is short, ask “who wants to ask the last question” or something similar, to naturally lead the conversation and manage time.
- Ask permission to record the session. If you can’t record, assign a note taker and take detailed notes.
- At the end, thank the client team for taking the time to brief you on their business, and reiterate your desire to be their agency. If there is a consultant is involved, thank them for their help shepherding the process.
- Do not ask questions during the Q&A regarding the process or administrative issues. Rather, email the client or consultant and ask if you can have a quick call to review some basic process questions. If they decline, be gracious and acknowledge how tight they likely are on time and include the questions you have regarding the process in the email.
Remember that the Q&A session is not only about the questions and answers but is also about building a strong client and agency relationship. It’s an opportunity to connect with your prospective partner and establish trust, setting the foundation for a successful partnership.
