From recycled pitches to "secret sauce" mysticism, leaders share how broken trust, not bad work, costs agencies clients.

Miami, Florida--(Newsfile Corp. - October 3, 2025) - On episode 109 of the DesignRush Podcast, Prashant Puri, Co-Founder & CEO of AdLift, and Cliff Skelliter, Founder & Creative Director of Sky Story Creative, unpack the hidden mistakes that cause agencies to lose clients before they've even won the pitch.

Source: DesignRush

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Drawing on years of experience leading global campaigns and creative storytelling initiatives, Puri and Skelliter reveal that the real reason agencies lose clients is broken trust.

The episode tackles a critical challenge for agencies today: why do so many brands walk away from pitches, even when agency credentials are strong?

According to Puri and Skelliter, the four most common deal-breakers are:

• Generic, copy-paste pitches that erode confidence before the conversation even begins
• "Secret sauce" mysticism that hides strategy instead of building transparency
• Selling clicks and vanity metrics instead of tying work to business outcomes
• Unclear processes that create doubt, even when results are strong

"What are we trying to do here? We're just trying to build rapport. Once we have connection, we can build from there," says Skelliter.

Puri emphasizes how foresight and clarity set agencies apart: "Having foresight becomes really, really critical… that's what makes the differentiating factor."

Key Takeaways for Agencies:

• Lead with client-specific relevance, not recycled slides
• Be transparent about strategy and process
• Tie work to measurable growth outcomes
• Use structured systems and high-touch communication to build trust

Want to be a guest on the DesignRush Podcast? Email spotlight@designrush.com to get featured.

About the Prashant Puri

Co-founder and CEO of AdLift, Puri helps Fortune 500 and growth-stage brands. He distills complex performance marketing into clear, scalable strategies and is a regular speaker at BrightonSEO, Pubcon, and Digital Summit.

About Cliff Skelliter

As founder and creative director of Sky Story Creative, Skelliter blends cultural insight with creative storytelling to build brands that resonate. His approach, rooted in interpretive design, emphasizes community knowledge and authentic brand narratives.

About DesignRush

DesignRush is a media platform and a B2B marketplace connecting businesses with agencies through expert reviews and agency ranking lists, awards, knowledge resources, and personalized agency recommendations for vetted projects.

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