The Art of the Perfect Pitch: Lessons from a Marketing Maverick

In a revealing episode of Financially Incorrect, Sally Sawe, co-founder and COO of Partnership Africa, shared hard-won insights about what truly makes a winning pitch in today’s competitive marketing landscape. Her philosophy? "Understand the consumer deeply—or don’t bother pitching at all."

Consumer-Centricity Over Virality

Sally dismissed the industry’s growing obsession with "racy" billboards and viral social media stunts. "If your creative doesn’t solve a real consumer problem, it’s just noise," she argued. Her approach is rooted in empathy: knowing what keeps clients awake at night, their financial constraints, and how they interact with brands daily. This focus on tangible results—like sales lift—has helped her agency stand out in a crowded market.

The Pitfalls of Chasing Multinationals

Many agencies in Kenya, she noted, are stuck competing for the same "tier 1" multinational accounts, a shrinking pie in a small market. Instead, Sally bets on homegrown African brands. "If you understand local consumers, no one can compete with you," she said, citing how her agency’s deep cultural insights have won long-term clients overlooked by rivals chasing global prestige.

Pricing Expertise, Not Just Hours

Comparing agencies to law firms, Sally emphasized selling expertise, not just time. "Clients pay for our ability to diagnose their real problems—often different from what they think their problems are," she explained. This value-based pricing allows her team to push back when budgets don’t align with KPIs, a stance many agencies avoid for fear of losing business.

The Integrated Media Advantage

Despite the hype around digital, Sally warned against siloed strategies. "A billboard alone won’t cut it, nor will influencer posts," she said. Her winning formula? Layered campaigns where traditional, digital, and experiential touchpoints compound impact. For example, a radio jingle reinforces a social media tease, which drives traffic to a retail activation—a holistic approach she credits for her agency’s rapid growth.

Leadership Lessons from the Trenches

Reflecting on her rise from Nation Media Group sales (where she earned KSh 1.5M monthly commissions) to agency leadership, Sally stressed humility and continuous learning. "I paid for strategy courses out of pocket to back my instincts with knowledge," she said. Today, she leads by example—joining her team in client meetings and sharing credit—a stark contrast to the "top-down whip-cracking" she witnessed in corporate roles.

Money as Freedom, Not Just Wealth

After two years without a salary to bootstrap her agency, Sally’s definition of success is pragmatic: "Money buys choices—whether it’s a family trip or the ability to walk away from toxic clients." Her journey underscores a truth often lost in Kenya’s hustle culture: profitability and purpose must align, or the grind becomes unsustainable.

For marketers and founders alike, Sally’s playbook offers a refreshing antidote to short-term thinking. As she put it: "Creativity without effectiveness is just art—and clients don’t pay for gallery pieces."