Recently, I was working with a client on their proposal development. They were doing it all wrong. I thought, “I need to tell them what they need to hear, not what they want to hear.” But I also thought, “They may fire us. They think this proposal is the ‘gold standard.’” And it probably was—in 1992! However, I get paid to provide advice whether they want to hear it or not. That’s what we do at the Partnership Group – Sponsorship Specialists®! So, I spoke up. Jaws dropped. First, there was anger, then shock, then questioning, then acceptance—all in about 20 minutes. It was not an easy thing to do, but essential. Otherwise, I would not be earning my keep. When you have knowledge, experience, or insights that can help a partner—speak up! Don’t be afraid of the outcome. Do the right thing! Share your insights.

Over the years, I have had to do this many times. But as I said, that is what we get paid for. It’s what our team gets paid to do. Tell the truth, even when it’s not what the client wants. I remember resigning a major long-term consulting contract with a charity because I was providing advice and telling them what they did not want to hear. They ignored our counsel, but continued to pay us for “ongoing advice.” It was crazy. I had to sleep at night and taking that charity’s money when they were not listening was a waste. So, we walked from the account. They got another firm which told them what they wanted to hear. Their campaign and program failed. That charity is gone.

Early in my radio sales career, the same thing happened. A client wanted a specific buy. I told them it would be a waste of money and proposed something that would work better. They said that I should take the buy and do what they wanted. I told them I couldn’t do that in good faith. They went to another station and the rep took their money. They wasted a whole year’s budget on a 4-week campaign. Ten months later, they returned to me for advice. I got the buy and they did what they should have done in the first place. They were my client until I left radio.

So, what does this have to do with you as a brand or sponsor? Lots! Whether you are a brand or a sponsor (if you are an agency, I hope you are already telling clients what they need to hear versus what they want to hear), you have a responsibility to tell your partner the truth. As a brand, it might be letting your property know that the format they are using for tracking feedback is unacceptable. As a property, it might be that that the activation your sponsor wants will not work effectively with your audience. Remember, it’s important (and in my opinion, an obligation) to tell your partner the truth whether they want to hear it or not. Failure to do so may lead to catastrophic results for the partnership. Understand that telling them what they need to know may anger them or cause you to lose the deal, but it’s the right thing to do and will pay dividends in the long run.

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