Over the years I have received many emails from companies inviting us to join a free pitch. Being carefully selected, we were given the opportunity to present a few stunning ideas that would really push the brand or client forward. All of this effort was, of course, considered as pre-sales effort.

Because if we choose to work with you, a lot of money is coming your way.

These friendly invites have always insulted me enormously. Everyday I give my very best to grow a company that creates valuable meaning for brands and their customers. Every day I try to push my team further in designing the best possible product for our clients. Every day, my colleagues and I try to carry out a higher standard.

Because we care.

We take great pride in our work, our effort and our culture. I feel that there is nothing more disrespectful than expecting us to work for free. Because in all essence, it literally means being worth nothing.

So what do I do after receiving these kinds of invitations? I decline respectfully and look for other ways to connect. I’m honest about my opinion and explain feeling uncomfortable giving away our most valuable service for free. I challenge that a great client-agency relationship should be based on a few ideas, instead of approach, trust, commitment and culture.

I say I don’t want them to choose us because of an inspiring idea. Ideas are everywhere. I want clients to choose us because they believe we can make it happen, together.

As Thomas Edison once said: “Genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration.”

After 4 years of pitch-free — see what I did there — business development, I’m happy to say we not only have built great products, we’ve also built great client relationships. Clients who even chose us because we refused pitching. Clients who value our vision, belief, approach and culture.

For us, refusing free pitching was the fastest way to have others truly value our work.