Both Sides of the Table: Navigating New Business
Both Sides of the Table: Navigating New Business
In June, the Chairs of our Senior Leaders and Founders community groups, Whitney Simon and Veronica Patton-Cemm, hosted a panel event Both Sides of the Table: Navigating New Business, bringing together founders and senior in-house leaders to discuss what they really want to see when it comes to pitching and positioning.
The heads were joined by Marianne Olaleye, founder of JAIKU, for an in-depth conversation with Whitney Simon on winning new business when you're selling and building at the same time
Clara Biu and Naomi MG Smith Chart.PR FCIPR, two senior in-house leaders, for a Q&A hosted by Veronica Patton-Cemm on what they're seeing and what they want to see from agencies
When Whitney and Veronica originally sketched out the idea for the panel they wanted to give founders and senior leaders an opportunity to have an open and honest conversation about the reality of pitching and winning new business in an increasingly challenging market.
Judging by the vibrant discussion and the energy in the room, it's clear these topics are resonating across the industry! A few takeaways from the panel...
As founders and advisors, we're only as good as we are at meeting client needs. Our success is ultimately determined by the value we create for clients and our ability to solve the challenges that matter most to them. That requires us to continually test our assumptions, stay attuned to changing priorities, and ensure our thinking, services, and solutions remain relevant in a rapidly evolving environment.
Stay close to clients, particularly through in-person events where possible, and engage to hear what they truly need. The most valuable insights often come from conversations outside of formal briefs and project discussions. Spending time with clients in person creates opportunities to understand emerging challenges and unmet needs, helping us move beyond what clients ask for today to anticipate what they may need tomorrow.
Buying decisions are influenced before a formal process even begins. Previous interactions – being seen in the wild – is where reputation and credibility start to form with buyers. When an agency goes into pitch, the buyer is likely to have seen you/ the agency already and started to form an opinion based on how and where they show up, how team members interact and what they have to say.
Seniority means presence – not performance. Junior team members with passion and knowledge will beat a polished senior team or CEO who will vanish after the pitch. For senior team members, it’s about reading the room, setting the pace and direction of the discussion and providing challenge whether its calling something out or providing reassurance.
Why decisions are slower everywhere. It’s not a lack of expertise – it’s caution and fear. No one wants to be the one who got it wrong, so the safe, tried-and- tested option wins by default. This is exacerbated by the rate of change and other downward pressures from agency consolidation to the impact of geopolitics – all reshaping who gets shortlisted at all.
Measurement is becoming a strategic requirement. The emphasis on outcomes, ROI, and impact continues to grow. Whether driven by economic uncertainty, increased scrutiny, or a desire for greater accountability, organisations are looking for partners who can demonstrate not just activity through vanity metrics, but value, sustainable impact and strategic expertise.
And this is only a fraction of what we covered in our time!
For us, the most encouraging aspect of the discussion was the openness of both our panellists and audience. The best conversations happen when people are willing to share what is really happening behind the scenes, and there was certainly plenty of that.