Ghosting is Bad Business

Many are familiar with ghosting from the dating scene. You go out with someone, feel a connection, and reach out for a second or third date and never hear back. You know you have their correct contact information, but you don’t hear a thing. Nada. Zip. Total silence.??

Doesn’t feel too good. Leaves you wondering whether you’ve done something wrong or misread the signals. But what did you really invest in the burgeoning relationship? A couple of dates, perhaps. Some drinks at a bar, maybe a restaurant meal or two. Perhaps a home-cooked dinner. Or maybe a movie or a show at the theater. Not a huge investment in time or money. But it hurts.?

Now, think about what ghosting means for a business. And yes, I’m talking about advertising and marketing communications agencies getting ghosted by prospective clients. Not only does it hurt emotionally, sometimes very badly, but it is a tremendous waste of an agency’s time and resources. And that means a tremendous waste of an agency’s money.??

Is it that a prospective client doesn’t understand what it takes for an agency to show up well during a pitch? Is it that they don’t care? Whatever the reason, it is simply unacceptable for a marketer to ghost an agency.??

It’s not that hard to provide feedback. To tell an agency thank you, but no thanks. Even to tell an agency ‘we just didn’t like you.’ Not that these are great responses after connecting with an agency, or certainly after seeing an agency presentation. However, they are better than nothing at all. Yes, these might be difficult conversations, but a marketer needs to have the courage and conviction to have them as well as demonstrate a basic level of respect and appropriate business ethics and practices. Especially after an agency has done work related to a pitch. Or perhaps the conversations won’t be that difficult.?Either way, a prospective client owes the agency the courtesy of a response. Even if it’s just to say, ‘we don’t know yet.’

The 4A’s/ANA Agency Search Simplification Report, published this past October, calls attention to several areas in which clients and agencies are not well-aligned on aspects of the agency search process. It also highlights a number of areas in which they are very well aligned. One of these areas is “The client should establish communications procedures to maintain an open line of communication with the agency throughout the review process.” It’s the 5th most agreed-upon statement, with 96% of clients and 94% of agencies surveyed agreeing. And 78% of clients and 76% of agencies find it very valuable to the agency search process. Ghosting is the antithesis of an open line of communication - it is destructive to the process, and yet the practice continues.?

In a recent poll of 4A’s agency members who are part of the 4A’s New Business Community, out of 53 respondents, 91% were ghosted at least once by client prospects during 2022. Out of those who were ghosted, 48% were ghosted after an initial inquiry to the agency, 19% after submitting an RFI, 21% after submitting an RFP, and 12% after the finals. That is a total of 52% of those agencies being ghosted AFTER having done some level of work.?

Marketers, please do not leave an agency hanging. It is just an unconscionable, unprofessional thing to do. Here are three things to consider if you are considering a search for a new agency resource.

First, please understand how much agency time, money, and emotional energy goes into a pitch.?Rarely, if ever, is an agency’s response just ‘pulled off the shelf.’?It gets a lot of thought, a lot of craft, and can cost a lot of money.?The people behind all the work deserve to know what you think.?Good or bad.

Secondly, please take a look at the 4A’s/ANA Agency Search Simplification Report. Marketers and agencies agree on a number of key aspects of the agency review process, in addition to the need for open communications.?

And finally, read and familiarize yourself with the 4A’s Agency Review Participation Agreement. It is designed to help marketers and agencies align on a professional, respectful, and productive agency review process. If a prospective agency partner asks you to sign the Agreement, please consider doing so. Or at least discuss the Agreement with the agency. All the Agreement is really asking for is a commitment that the review be held in a professional manner, demonstrating mutual respect for each other’s time and resources. And that means a commitment to communicate.

#busttheghosting #respectthepitchprocess #betterpitchprocess

Lindsey McNabb Hover Rebecca Webber Bill Mattis Courtney Jones (she/her) Gina Gray Stephanie Sumner Joe Sciara Mary Beth Weil Amanda DeVito, MBA Michelle Tang Donna Wiederkehr Kristin MacDonald Douglas White Patrick Culhane Josh Lane Klaire Hensley Lauren Useda Law Patrick Kiss Ryan Linder Jody Sutter Steve Boehler Russel Wohlwerth Melissa Lea Dave Edwards