“Knowledge of yourself will preserve you from vanity."– Miguel de Cervantes

Here’s a case study illustrating why, despite having reasons to be confident in our intuition about how customers view the world, relying on that intuition can lead us astray. (Names have been changed.)

How well do you know your client? I mean really know them and their offerings? The gut reaction we usually hear is "of course, we know them." But often, there is an opportunity to differentiate your agency by demonstrating that you know them better than the other agencies you're pitching against.

Whether it’s Jeff Bezos (Amazon), Sam Walton (Walmart) or any other founder who managed to build a multi-billion dollar operation, the question will inevitably come up: “What was the secret?” While these entrepreneurs may mention timing, innovation and hard work as the reasons behind their success, they all emphasized the importance of focusing on the customer first.

There are about 14,000 marketing and advertising agencies in the US.

Just like the brands they are hired to develop marketing plans for, agencies need to find new ways to stand out from the competition. In order for an agency to prove itself better and different from the rest often comes down to creating an excellent first impression. In the world of marketing agencies, this means presenting the pitch of a lifetime. How can you show the prospective marketing team that you understand their business? What makes you able to deliver a superior pitch versus other agencies?

As an agency, a great way to stand out -- but also one of the most nerve-wracking -- is to start taking chances and not be afraid to really rethink your clients' messaging. Even though it can push both you and the client out of your comfort zones, with great risk can come great reward.