In June I sat down with Robin, author of ‘Market of One’, on his excellent podcast
In Rob’s own words, here’s what we dived into:
“Most agencies qualify briefs.
But very few qualify procurement.
That’s a mistake.
In the latest episode of The Immortal Life of Agencies, marketing procurement specialist Stuart Dunk, Founder of Don’t Forget to Look, explains how agencies can better diagnose the buying environment before committing resources to a pitch.
For one, it turns out procurement isn’t the enemy – I mean, who knew! – but also, not all procurement functions think alike.
Drawing on his 20 years of specialist experience, Stuart shares practical tips for understanding how brands buy, what they value and how procurement influences decision-making.
What you’ll learn in this episode:
🔍 The hidden tells for procurement priorities
🧠 Why understanding internal culture matters
📞 Questions to ask before the pitch process starts
⚖️ How to assess whether an opportunity is a good fit
Here’s a taster of the practical guidance Stuart shares:
Your influence is often greatest *before* a formal pitch process starts.
Once it begins, fairness and governance naturally take over.
That’s why the agencies that invest time engaging procurement *early* (as part of their outreach and comms strategy) gain a better understanding and therefore make smarter commercial decisions.”
Have a listen / watch!
Here:
