Top 3 Crucial Steps After a Media Agency Pitch

Many advertisers think that the hardest part of establishing a new media agency relationship is getting through the pitch process. 

If that's your perspective, think again.

The truth is, the pitch is only the beginning. And if you don’t nurture this new partnership from the start, it will fade and die.

Think of it like a new plant. If you don’t water it or give it sunlight, it’s not going to flourish. The same goes for a media agency relationship.

You can’t simply sign a contract and expect everything to fall into place automatically. Abracadabra - et voilà!

In my opinion, there are 3 key things that MUST happen after a media agency pitch is completed (and a contract has been signed) to ensure success.

1. Onboarding: Foundation of Success

The pitch process often feels like the finish line, but the real race starts with onboarding. This phase sets the foundation for everything that follows.

Both the advertiser and the agency need to be aligned in terms of goals, contractual terms and conditions, and expectations. If this doesn't happen, it’s like trying to build a house on sand - it simply won’t last long.

I have heard advertisers saying, “We’ve already been through the pitch; we know what they’re going to do.” That’s a mistake. The onboarding process is where you iron out all the specifics and ensure that everyone is truly on the same page.

Skipping onboarding or treating it as an afterthought leads to misalignment, which can cause miscommunication, inefficiencies, and a general breakdown in the relationship.

And worse, it can lead to unmet goals and frustration on both sides.

The first few weeks after the pitch are crucial - this is when the groundwork for a long-term, successful partnership must be laid. If you ignore this step, don’t be surprised when things start to fall apart.

2. PRF Management

Many advertisers think that once they’ve negotiated a strong PRF (Performance Related Fee) scheme during the pitch process, everything will run smoothly. This belief is a mistake.

A well-designed PRF scheme is only as good as how it’s managed. If you assume that having a robust PRF in place guarantees success, you’re being naive.

Here’s the reality: media agencies will test how seriously the PRF is being managed. If they sense that the advertiser isn’t actively overseeing it, they may look for ways to game the system.

And by the way, it’s not uncommon for agencies to suggest managing the PRF on your behalf and for free. Never let the agency mark their own work.

To ensure that your PRF scheme works as intended, it needs to be properly managed by the advertiser - or, if the necessary expertise or resources are lacking, outsourced to a third-party media auditor.

A media auditor can objectively track performance, ensure that KPIs are met, and prevent any manipulation of the PRF model. The point of a PRF is to drive exceptional performance, not just to check off boxes.

By keeping a close eye on the PRF, you maintain the integrity of the relationship and ensure that the agency is genuinely motivated to deliver results.

But if left unmanaged, the PRF can quickly become meaningless, turning what should be an incentive for outstanding work into just another piece of contractual red tape.

3. Ongoing Media Performance Tracking

Finally, media performance tracking is essential to ensure that your agency is delivering on its promises. It’s not enough to wait until the end of the year and conduct an audit. In today’s fast-paced media landscape, you need real-time insights into how your campaigns are performing.

By implementing ongoing media performance tracking, you can see what’s working and what isn’t as the campaigns roll out, allowing for adjustments and optimisations along the way. This is crucial for maintaining the efficiency and effectiveness of your media investment.

If you don’t have a performance tracking solution in place, you’re flying blind. You’ll only realise that something’s wrong after the fact - and by then, it’s often too late to fix it.

By tracking performance continuously, you not only hold your agency accountable, but you also create a more transparent, data-driven partnership.

This approach allows for agility, ensuring that your agency is held to the highest standards at every stage of your campaigns.

Why Media Agencies Should Embrace These Steps Too

This process isn’t just beneficial for advertisers. Media agencies should also welcome and actively participate in these steps. The common misconception is that these post-pitch processes are burdensome or unnecessary for agencies, but in reality, they provide structure, clarity, and long-term stability.

For agencies, onboarding is the opportunity to truly understand the advertiser’s business beyond the surface-level details from the pitch. It’s a chance to build trust, establish clear communication, and set realistic expectations from the start. Without this crucial step, agencies risk misunderstandings, unclear deliverables, and ultimately, dissatisfaction on both sides.

PRF management, when done right, isn’t just about holding the agency accountable; it’s about creating the right incentives for agencies to showcase their creativity and performance. When agencies are fairly compensated for exceptional work, they are motivated to push boundaries and deliver more value. A well-designed PRF scheme allows agencies to demonstrate their expertise and reinforces the idea that their success is directly tied to the advertiser’s success.

Finally, ongoing media performance tracking benefits agencies as much as advertisers. It provides agencies with real-time feedback on how their campaigns are performing, allowing them to make timely adjustments and show the value of their work. Rather than waiting for an annual audit (which often highlights problems after the fact) ongoing tracking enables agencies to proactively course-correct and continuously improve. This transparency and agility help build a stronger, more collaborative partnership.

In short, media agencies should see these steps as an opportunity to cement their role as strategic partners. By embracing onboarding, PRF management, and performance tracking, they can create a relationship built on trust, accountability, and mutual success. This isn't about micro-managing—it’s about setting both parties up for long-term success. A well-structured, well-managed partnership benefits everyone.

Conclusion and Next Steps

These three steps (onboarding, PRF management, and ongoing media performance tracking) are not optional if you want a successful media agency relationship.

They are the pillars of a partnership that can grow and deliver outstanding results over time. Skip them, and your relationship is almost guaranteed to fall apart.

I have seen it time and again: advertisers who neglect these steps struggle with underperformance, communication breakdowns, and ultimately, wasted investment.

The pitch is just the start. To truly succeed, both the advertiser and the agency must commit to these three actions. It’s a partnership that requires effort from both sides, like any good relationship.

So, if you’ve just completed a media agency pitch, take a deep breath and get ready. The real challenge starts now. You can either take the necessary steps to nurture your new partnership, or you can watch it slowly unravel.

The choice is yours.