Quoting Isn’t Free Work (and Other Things We Need to Say Out Loud)

At Vetta Creative, we’ve been around long enough to know that a good brief is like a well-packed suitcase. It makes the whole journey smoother, faster, and far less chaotic. It’s the difference between three rushed quotes scribbled on the back of a napkin and a proper creative partnership that leads somewhere meaningful. As a preferred supplier to government and purpose-led organisations at every level, we’ve seen just how much rides on the early stages of a project and how often that process is undervalued or rushed. So we’re saying what many in our industry have been thinking: quoting isn’t free work. And if we want better outcomes, we need to start with better respect for the process.

Let’s draw a line in the sand. If you’re asking a builder to design the floorplan, choose the paint colours, hire the tradies, and deliver moodboards — you wouldn’t expect them to do it all for free, just to win the job. Yet in the creative industry, that’s become the norm. We’re frequently asked to review the marketplace, build a strategy, develop multiple campaign concepts, and present a polished proposal — unpaid. That’s not quoting. That’s delivering creative work. And like any skilled trade or profession, creative thinking deserves compensation. A pitch fee isn’t a luxury; it’s a sign that the process is being taken seriously. If your campaign has weight and reach, offering a pitch fee shows that you understand the value of big ideas and that you’re serious about investing in the right partner to bring them to life.

Here’s something we wish more clients understood: sharing your budget doesn’t weaken your negotiating power. It strengthens your brief. A $50K campaign and a $300K campaign aren’t just different in size, they’re different in structure, expectations, staffing, and output. Budget transparency helps agencies design something that actually fits, instead of guessing in the dark and overshooting (or underwhelming). Even sharing a range helps. And being clear about whether the budget includes production, rollout or just creative? That kind of clarity means we can recommend the right ideas for the right scale and stretch the value where it matters most.

Clarity also applies to scope. We can’t build the house if we don’t know whether you want a single room refreshed or a full extension with a rooftop bar. The more detail you can provide — audience, objectives, deadlines, output formats — the better your outcome will be. You don’t have to have all the answers (that’s what we’re here for), but giving us the map lets us plot the journey. Vague briefs might feel flexible, but they often lead to misalignment, inefficiency, and disappointment on both sides. A basic communication brief or State of Agreement (SOA) order form can do wonders here. Not just for us, but for your own internal clarity.

And if your project timeline shifts or falls through — let us know. Suppliers invest time, resources, and team energy into quote preparation. We’re not asking for a parade, just professional courtesy. Let us know if you’re still in market, if you’ve gone quiet, or if things are delayed. Trust is built in these small moments and we remember them.

At Vetta, we bring everything required to deliver meaningful creative work: the credentials, the experience, and the insurances. But we also bring a human approach, built on honesty, clarity, and collaborative problem-solving. We don’t believe in smoke and mirrors. We believe in meeting you where you are and mapping out where we can go together.

So let’s stop pretending that quoting is just admin. It’s the start of the relationship. And relationships thrive when there’s mutual respect, clear communication, and shared intent. If you’re ready to raise the bar, we’re already at the table.