When teammates move the goalposts
By Can Gezer
Communication partnerships are like walking a dog. Most of the time, it’s a pleasant and rewarding experience. But every so often, you’re confronted with a mess you hadn’t anticipated. Recently, that happened to us not once, but twice.
In one case, a podcast secured an interview with one of our clients. The recording went well, expectations were clear, or so we thought. Then came the surprise: the partner requested a fee to air the segment, something that had never been discussed beforehand.
A few days later, a similar story unfolded with an influencer. The request seemed straightforward: we offered a product sample for review, they accepted it, they received it. That’s usually understood as a barter deal, the product in exchange for visibility. Yet fast forward two months after the sample was delivered, the influencer returned with a different ask: budget for a sponsored advertising slot in a longer piece of content.
In both cases, the rules of the game changed after play had already begun.
The agency caught in the middle
When situations like these arise, agencies find themselves squeezed between two sides. On one hand, we are negotiating with a partner whose professional standards are questionable, whose sudden demands feel opportunistic at best. On the other, we are facing a client who is understandably frustrated: Why didn’t you see this coming?
It’s an uncomfortable position, but also an unavoidable one. Even with rigorous due diligence, no agency can anticipate every last-minute change of terms. Some partners are not as transparent as they should be, and sometimes you only discover this when you’re already too far along to turn back without consequences.
You can always learn from a curve ball
How do we avoid stepping in it?
The first approach is radical and systematic transparency. We ask direct questions early: Is this barter or paid? Are there any fees attached? What exactly do we get in return? There is, of course, a paradox in this approach. By raising the topic of money proactively, we sometimes risk giving the partner the very idea that a budget could be requested. But this is a risk worth taking. Clarity early on saves far greater frustration later.
Second, every agreement, however informal, should be documented. You call a journalist, you chat with an influencer on an event… A quick recap email after the fact may not feel like much, but it anchors the conversation in writing and protects everyone’s expectations.
Finally, and preventively, there is the responsibility of education, especially toward clients. Agencies can minimize risk, but we cannot eliminate it entirely. We can’t stop a partner from suddenly moving the goalposts. What we can do is shield clients from unnecessary stress, absorb the tension, and resolve the situation with their interests front and centre.
They rubbed our nose into it, what now?
So what do you do when a partner suddenly changes the deal? The answer isn’t one-size-fits-all.
In the specific case of our influencer, our decision was simple: after validation by the client, we politely declined, enclosed a shipping label, and invited them to return the sample they had valued so highly. Sometimes the cleanest answer is also the snappiest one, and it sends a clear signal that such practices won’t be rewarded.
But not every situation is so black and white. A podcast with a highly relevant audience might still be worth paying for, even if the way the fee was introduced left a bad taste. In those cases, the recommendation to the client may be “Proceed, but with eyes open”, and to the team “Make sure everyone remembers how we got here”.
The key principles are:
Call out the lack of transparency. Not aggressively, but firmly. Partners need to know this is not acceptable practice.
Document the incident internally, so the team doesn’t fall for the same trap twice.
Evaluate the opportunity on its merits. Sometimes the right answer is to walk away; other times, reluctantly, it may be to pay up. But either way, the partner’s behaviour should be noted for future dealings.
A word to clients
This is perhaps the most delicate point: when these situations arise, don’t get angry at your agency. The fact that we sometimes step into a mess does not mean we failed in our duty. Even the most experienced dog trainer can’t guarantee to prevent every bark on the street. What matters is not whether surprises occur (narrator voice: they inevitably will) but how quickly and effectively your agency handles them.
#BabaLaika says…
Every communicator will eventually face a partner who changes the rules after the fact. The question is not just push back, pay up, or pivot?: it’s how you do it.
Be firm, be clear, and above all, don’t let bad practice go unchallenged. Because if you reward it, you invite more of it. And as space dogs, we’re not here to roll over for every bone that’s thrown our way. 🐶