Our services at a glance
Pitch consultancy for agency selection, agency management and public tenders
FRANCIS DRAKE is an independent pitch consultancy for businesses and public sector clients. We support marketing, communications, procurement and contracting authorities in the selection, commissioning, remuneration and management of advertising agencies and communications service providers.
Our consultancy covers the entire lifecycle of an agency relationship: from defining the right agency model and the agency search, through selection processes and public procurement procedures, to agency contracts, remuneration, management and optimisation of the collaboration.
With more than 50 years of combined industry experience, having supported over 200 agency selection processes, and with comprehensive knowledge of the German agency market, we advise companies and public sector clients independently and impartially.
Agency search and selection: How do you find the right agency?
You won’t find the right agency through rankings or reputation, but through a structured selection process that matches your individual requirements with the expertise of suitable agencies.
FRANCIS DRAKE supports companies in the search for and selection of advertising agencies, creative agencies, digital agencies, media agencies, PR agencies, social media agencies and specialist communications service providers.
We support you every step of the way – from needs analysis and defining the agency profile, through market screening and shortlisting, to chemistry meetings, workshops and pitch presentations.
The aim is an objective and efficient agency selection process that identifies exactly the agency partner that is the right fit for your organisation in professional, financial and cultural terms.
More informationen under Agency Search & Agency Selection.
Public procurement procedures: How do public sector clients find the right agency?
The public tendering of marketing and communications services combines formal and procurement law requirements with a particular challenge: agencies with the appropriate expertise must be identified, approached and objectively assessed.
FRANCIS DRAKE supports public contracting authorities in the communication-related preparation and implementation of tendering procedures for advertising agencies, media agencies, digital agencies and other communication service providers.
Our consultancy services include, amongst other things, needs analysis, service specifications, market research, eligibility and award criteria, evaluation matrices, agency briefings, price lists, tender evaluation, competitive presentations and negotiation meetings.
Having supported over 70 public tenders and procurement procedures, we possess extensive experience at the interface between public procurement, marketing and communication.
More information under Public Tendering.
Agency fees: How much does an agency cost, and which fee structure is right for you?
A market-driven agency fee structure must strike a sensible balance between performance, quality, resources and the commercial interests of both the client and the agency.
We advise companies and public sector clients on hourly and daily rates, retainer fees, project flat rates, performance-based models and bespoke remuneration systems. This also includes benchmarking agency fees and hourly rates, reviewing agency cost calculations, and developing transparent and comparable pricing and remuneration models.
The aim is to achieve fair, market-driven and economically sound agency remuneration.
More information under Agency Remuneration & Cost-Benchmarking.
Agency contract: What should a good agency contract cover?
A good agency contract establishes clear rules regarding services, responsibilities, remuneration and day-to-day collaboration between the client and the agency.
FRANCIS DRAKE advises companies on the communications-related requirements for agency contracts, framework agreements, retainer agreements, project contracts and other contractual models.
In doing so, we draw on our experience in agency selection, agency remuneration and the practical collaboration between companies and agencies.
We do not provide legal advice. Legal review and the drafting of contracts are the responsibility of your legal department or your procurement unit. If required, we can also recommend specialist partners. (See also Partner Network).
More information under Agency Contracts.
Agency management and agency models: How can multiple agencies be organised efficiently?
Many companies today work with several specialist agencies and communications service providers. This places greater demands on roles, responsibilities, interfaces and management.
We analyse existing agency portfolios and develop suitable agency models. In doing so, we consider, amongst other things, lead agency models, integrated agency models, specialist models, and the distribution of tasks between in-house teams and external partners.
The aim is to establish clear responsibilities, efficient processes, reduce the need for coordination and improve collaboration between all agencies involved.
More information under Agency Management & Agency Models.
Agency performance: How can collaboration with agencies be improved?
An agency relationship should be reviewed regularly to ensure that quality, processes, costs and collaboration still meet the company’s requirements.
We analyse existing agency relationships, identify specific areas for improvement and develop measures to ensure more efficient collaboration.
In doing so, we consider, amongst other things, the quality of strategic advice, creative output, processes, interfaces, resources, costs, communication and mutual expectations.
The result is a concrete basis for decision-making: optimising collaboration, changing the agency model or seeking a new agency partner.
Process Consulting: How can marketing and agency processes be made more efficient?
Good agency work also depends on good processes on the client side.
We analyse the collaboration between marketing, communications, procurement and agencies, and identify unnecessary coordination, unclear responsibilities and inefficient workflows.
From this, we develop clear roles, processes and interfaces for day-to-day collaboration with agencies and communications service providers.
More information under Process-Consulting.
Marketing Training: How do marketing teams collaborate professionally with agencies?
Our training courses and workshops equip marketing and communications teams with the practical knowledge they need to collaborate professionally with agencies.
Topics include agency briefings, agency management, evaluating agency performance, agency contracts, agency remuneration, cost control, media and digital services, and the fundamental principles of an efficient client-agency relationship.
We tailor the content to the tasks, experience and requirements of each team. You can find more information under Marketing Training. More information under Marketing-Training.
Why choose FRANCIS DRAKE for pitch consultancy?
FRANCIS DRAKE advises clients exclusively and maintains no business relationships with agencies. This enables us to search for, compare and evaluate agencies independently and impartially.
Our consultancy is based on:
- more than 50 years of combined experience in the communications industry
- over 200 agency selection processes supported
- over 70 public tenders and procurement procedures supported
- comprehensive knowledge of the German agency market
- experience with companies and public sector clients
- expertise across various industries and communications disciplines
- ndependent and impartial advice
Which communication disciplines do we advise on?
We provide support in the search for, selection, tendering and evaluation of various types of agencies and communication service providers, including:
- Advertising and creative agencies
- Digital agencies
- Media agencies
- PR and communications agencies
- Social media agencies
- Performance marketing agencies
- Content agencies
- Branding and design agencies
- Shopper marketing agencies
- Specialised communications service providers
What kind of pitch consultancy service does your company require?
Are you looking for a new agency, wishing to review an existing agency relationship, compare agency fees, optimise your agency model, or put marketing and communications services out to tender?
Talk to us about your specific requirements. FRANCIS DRAKE Pitchberatung provides independent support to companies and public sector clients on all key issues relating to working with advertising agencies and communications service providers.
