Dear client: please give us a budget

Written by Alice Littleboy, Client Services Director

When we analyse the pitches we’ve ‘lost’ due to the work being cancelled or client going cold on us (yep, we get ghosted), the most common theme is that the brief doesn’t have a budget. This means it’s a whopping red flag when deciding whether to put our hat in the ring not.

The strange thing is that this coyness around putting a number to things extends to clients we already have too. I’ve tried to understand why…

If it’s because they don’t know how much something would cost, that’s one thing. I can help you define how much you ought to spend. We can go on that journey together, work through some options to help you get to the work and investment you’re comfortable with.

But if it’s because you’re trying to pay as little as possible by not being up front about how much you may have to spend, then I promise you won’t get the most out of your agency.

There are several reasons why you won’t get the most out of us:

• We spend valuable time costing up umpteen options rather than thinking about a great way to solve your problem/promote your product
• Giving us a budget means you trust us – we’re a partnership and its human nature to want to go that extra mile for someone you’re on the same team as.
• The creative solution to your brief could be enhanced by understanding the financial parameters you have. Our response is likely to be better.

One of our agency values is commerciality – we spend your money as though it’s our own. We would never be frivolous or extravagant. We want you to come back because you know our value and effectiveness; its far easier to keep a current client than to win a new one. And if you feel like you’re being ripped off you aren’t coming back for more.

If you are not sure what budget you might have, or really don’t know how much a project should cost, be open about that. We can help you outline what you should spend by working together and defining the scope of what you need. You might even come to us saying you think you’ve got £50k to spend and we come back and say you only need to spend £40k. It’s not unheard of. Obviously we’d then try and spend the extra ten grand on something else we want you to do with us; our ‘wouldn’t it be cool if…?’ idea.

And that’s the kind of priceless thinking you’re willing to pay for.