• Should you be charging for pitches?
• On one hand, pitching is a whole lot of effort for a piece of business that isn’t fully guaranteed. On the other, clients might not consider you at all if you add another extra charge. Does anyone have the answer?
• We’ll be taking a hot potato approach to this age-old conundrum. Come along to share your thoughts on pitching for free, as we debate whether it’s time to put a price tag on this process.

Should you be charging for pitches?

It’s a question that divides any room of agency leaders. 

On one hand, some say: “It should be an industry standard that you do not pitch for free.”

“You don’t get a kitchen fitter to build you three kitchens and then pick the one you like best, so why would you risk doing all that work for someone who hasn’t spent a penny with you?”

But then from others you hear: “We give free services and tools to our clients to differentiate from our competition and demonstrate how much we value them.”

“Not charging for certain things is an interesting route forward for growth. It sounds counter-intuitive, but it’s working for us.”

Whichever side you lean towards, it’s a known fact that pitching takes a lot of effort. It can also generate a lot of stress for your team – and if you don’t win, a bit of heartache too.

The worst-case scenario is when a potential client takes your ideas and uses them without paying you, which is much more common than you’d think. 

So, is it time to put a price tag on your pitch process?

We’re putting this to debate – and we need YOU to share your thoughts. 

Come along to discuss this problem with other agency folks and talk through what steps you can take if pitching for free no longer seems worth it.