Show me the budget

I had a really interesting conversation today with one of our larger clients about budgets. They often find themselves working with agencies, very much like us and they struggle to pin the agency down to a budget and this is an attitude that I have always struggled with. The logic goes something like this:
If I tell you my budget you will spend it all!

This sentence is 100% correct, that is not my issue, my issue is of course we will spend all of your budget, because it's your budget. If you don't want to spend that much then surely it isn't your budget!

I know our instincts tell us to try and drive down prices, strike a deal but why? What's the point if in your heart of hearts, or your FD's wallet the will is not there to spend the money, just set the budget lower. I can't see the point in us playing budget tennis for four weeks when we could be working on your project... This is not the same in a tendering process of course, I'm referring to the situation where you are the chosen company.

So creatives and marketing directors stop playing games and let's just get working quicker... I only want to know the real budget and I promise to always over deliver - because that's what we always do at Giggle.


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