In the world of digital marketing, we often pride ourselves on being solution-oriented, always ready to say “yes” to a new challenge, a new campaign, a new client. But after more than a decade in this business, I’ve come to realise a hard truth:
Sometimes, the best way to deliver results for a client is to not take on the project at all.
It sounds counterintuitive, especially for a growth-focused agency. But not all briefs are worth your team’s time and effort; some can even quietly sabotage your team’s morale, profitability, and even your brand reputation.
Let me explain why.
The Hidden Trap of “Performance-Driven” Briefs
Recently, I had a chat with a marketing industry peer. We were trading war stories about clients and campaign expectations, and we both agreed that the most dangerous words in a marketing brief are often tied to performance guarantees.
These typically look like:
- “500 qualified leads in 3 months”
- “$5 cost per lead or less”
- “Guaranteed ROAS of 3x from month one”
If those numbers are based on historical data, great – we can build on what works. But more often than not, they’re arbitrary targets pulled from a boardroom wishlist. And that’s where the problems begin.
Two Types of Projects: Creation vs. Performance
Over time, I’ve found it useful to classify client work into two broad categories:
1. Creation & Production
- Branding, websites, content assets, explainer videos, etc.
- Clear deliverables, timelines, and processes
- Client expectations are usually well-defined
2. Performance Marketing
- SEO, paid search, paid social, lead gen, conversions
- Results depend on external factors: market readiness, offer strength, media channel efficacy
- Much higher risk and far more unpredictable
The latter requires tight alignment, data, and testing. And yet many clients want to skip all that and jump straight to guaranteed outcomes.
Why Pilots Matter: You Can’t Scale What You Haven’t Proven
At IMPACT, we now recommend all new performance marketing clients start with a 3-month pilot phase.
Here’s why:
- Validation: Does the product have market fit? Is the messaging resonating?
- Data gathering: What audiences convert best? Which platforms perform?
- Mitigating risk: Avoid burning budget before learning what works
Unless a client already has a solid ad account with a proven track record, a pilot is essential and cannot be overlooked.
According to HubSpot, only 82% of marketers believe their marketing strategy is effective. Without real-world testing, you’re flying blind.
Red Flags We Now Watch Out For
To protect our team and maintain high client satisfaction, we now qualify performance projects using a few key questions:
- Has the client run campaigns before?
- Do they understand the need for variance in early performance?
- Are expectations rooted in realistic TAM/SAM assumptions?
- Is the product easy to understand and buy, or does it require time and education?
If the answers aren’t clear, we pause. Sometimes, we walk away.
ALSO READ: Inside IMPACT’s Client Success Framework: Building Better Agency-Client Partnerships
Why This Matters: It’s About Long-Term Impact
Saying “no” to misaligned projects has made us a stronger agency. It:
- Preserves our team’s bandwidth and focus
- Allows us to deliver better ROI for the right clients
- Builds our reputation as a strategic partner, not just an execution vendor
And most importantly, it lets us stay true to our promise: Delivering Marketing Impact—not chasing vanity metrics or unattainable KPIs.
Final Thoughts
There’s a growing pressure in the agency world to always say “yes.” But the smartest agencies—the ones that last—know when to say “no.”
It’s not about ego or risk aversion. It’s about protecting your team, educating your clients, and delivering work that actually works.
If we want to raise the bar for digital marketing in Southeast Asia, it starts with having these honest conversations.
And sometimes, it starts with walking away from a brief that could do more harm than good to the organisation, so you can run full speed toward the right one.
About the Author
Donald Chan is the Founder of IMPACT! Brand Communications, a digital and content marketing agency headquartered in Singapore. With over 12 years of agency leadership and 20 years of marketing experience, he helps brands in B2B, technology, and emerging industries achieve real marketing impact.