In this latest instalment of the Mad Reality Check, Mark Leone issues a straight-talking, no bullshit view on creds. Take note, perhaps?
I was having coffee with an old agency friend last week. They asked for feedback on their new credentials presentation. We hate credentials, and that’s what I told them. It reminded me of another conversation I had about credentials a few months earlier.
A C-level executive at a media agency in one of the holding groups had contacted us:
“We’ve noticed you run pitches; we haven’t been invited to any. We’d like to take you through our new credentials.”
Thinking once we saw their new sales pitch, there would be no way we could ignore them.
There is a reason we haven’t been recommending clients invite them to pitch. In recent years, we have seen a lot of issues with transparency and ethics involving this agency, more than all other agencies combined. Every one of our clients who has worked with them has experienced problems.
Why on earth would we recommend them?
Perhaps they think if we see them at their perfectly choreographed and art-directed best, everything will change. All issues will be forgotten.
It got me thinking again.
Is this how some of the well-known repeat offenders in our industry keep landing new roles, despite inglorious departures from their previous ones? Their LinkedIn persona is all anyone sees.
Or the pitch we lost where the reference given by the successful company recommended the client work with us instead? Which they then ignored. More about that another time…
Does anyone take references seriously? Or even bother to ask for them? Are we desensitised to them and can’t be bothered?
It seems the “perfect” myth that masquerades as life with youngsters on social media also passes as reality in the grown-up, professional world. Both for companies and individuals.
We don’t look at credentials decks. We suggest everyone else should ignore them too.
Here is what we do – why don’t you try it?
Have a chat with them, ask a few tough, direct questions and make up your own mind. Speak to some of their clients or people you know and trust, who also know them well. You will learn more than you ever will from any presentation about them, and it will take you less time.
We gave the C-level exec a simple, direct answer. Those who know us wouldn’t expect less.
“No need, we see your credentials every day in the work you do for our clients.”
