Would you risk losing a new client by being "too honest" about their numbers?

[Dopious]

I recently came across a scenario that perfectly captures the tension between being a "yes-man" and being a trusted advisor.

Imagine this: You’ve just started your agency. You’re sitting in Zurich for a first meeting with a major potential client. They want to run 300,000 inserts in a massive women’s magazine to drive new subscriptions. It’s a huge play.

But as you look at the creative, your gut sinks.

• The offer is weak.
• The layout doesn’t drive action.
• The placement feels misaligned with the audience.

The client looks at you and asks: “So, what kind of response are you expecting?”

The "safe" move for a new agency is to talk about "brand awareness" or "testing and iterating." But in this case, the consultant went for brutal honesty: "I think you’ll land at about 50 subscriptions."

Total silence. Shock.

Then, the reveal: The client’s previous run had only hit 70.

By refusing to sugarcoat a failing strategy, the consultant didn't just give an estimate - he won their total trust. He showed that his value wasn't in his "positivity," but in his ability to see the reality they were ignoring.

The takeaway: In marketing, courage isn’t about shouting the loudest; it’s about standing by your expertise even when it’s uncomfortable.

I’m curious to hear from the group:

1. Have you ever given a "brutally honest" low forecast to a prospect?
2. Did it win you the deal, or did they walk away to find someone who would tell them what they wanted to hear?

 

[RiskyStuff]

Why not ask about their numbers first? You can just be more like... Sherlock Holmes. Maybe it won't induce suck shock, but it'll be okay...

 

[notNewB]

On top of that being courageous, you'll also help yourself acquire a returning customer by being honest.

 

[roydan]

I'd tell it how I see it, but also offer some inprovements to they can actually his a goal they're happy with.

Just saying "50" doesn't help the client understand how they get to 5K subscriptions.

But if it's just this or that, I'd go with being honest because my reputation is more valuable than one client.

 

[GoldenGlovez]

Yes, I've always been brutally forthright and straightforward when discussing risks and forecasts in any client project prospectus. It's both cost and won me business, but most importantly it lets me sleep easy at night knowing I'm not trying to weasel money out of people by promising the moon and delivering a rock. Unfortunately, it is far too common a client will go with the company that over-promises... it's great when those ones come back knocking at the door later on though.

 

[Dopious]

I'd tell it how I see it, but also offer some inprovements to they can actually his a goal they're happy with.

Just saying "50" doesn't help the client understand how they get to 5K subscriptions.

But if it's just this or that, I'd go with being honest because my reputation is more valuable than one client.

Yeah, the "50" was an example only, to make the context of the post.

 

[roydan]

Yeah, the "50" was an example only, to make the context of the post.

Yeah I figured, just wanted to make my case.

 

[t0mmy]

Always been a stance of mine to be upfront.. sometimes to a fault to be honest, I've turned away more clients than I can count due to this stance.. if I feel it's going to be a cluster fuck later on I'll straight up say it. Some things just aren't worth the hassle, the clients that are worth having though will appreciate the honesty I've found.

 

[Rem]

At work
I always go for brutal honesty.
I did earlier today in a meeting during one of our strats on customer remaster.
I'm not interested in working on something that is doomed to failed just to redo it again after again.

 

[t2van]

Honest and tactful blunt for the win.

I'm not tactful.