As agency search and selection folk, we see a lot of marketing agencies make it -and break it- and know what it takes to get hired.

While some will inevitably fall at the first hurdle, others damage their chances with avoidable mistakes during the initial stages or even during their pitches.

We on the FindGood Marketing Blog want you to succeed in all your pitches, naturally, so here is what you shouldn't do, or perhaps some of the reasons you're not winning the work you should be. As always, let our little birds know what you think via Twitter or chat to our blog badgers via the comment section below.

#1: Hounding prospects

We get it. A prospect! How exciting! But the first, and arguably earliest, mistake agencies tend to make is calling or emailing clients too often.

Take Julie. Julie is Head of Marketing for a ripe-for-the picking SME, and she has expressed interest in your marketing agency. How encouraging.“Call me next week to discuss,” Julie suggests on Friday. “Sure thing, Julie!” you excitably agree.

Come Monday, you are understandably eager to reach out again, lest her interest wains. But alas. Julie is away from her desk (damn it, Julie.). Tuesday brings another opportunity for a call, so you try again. And on Wednesday. Twice. Yet still you miss her.

Unfortunately, thanks to your over-communication, when Thursday rolls around your missed call is no accident. Julie sees your agency's name on a post-it and shudders at the thought of a long-winded conversation. Indeed, talking to Marketing Agency Inc. now seems like a chore that must be ticked off her list, or a call from an overzealous suitor...

Julie, sadly filters you out of her agenda and bang! The opp is gone.

So what's our point (other than maybe our copywriters need to lay off the caffeine and get over Julie)? Agencies that win -of which we know a few- tell us that often they don't need to chase clients or leads because they have enough work to be getting on with. They're naturally busy, thus appearing sought after and successful, which in turn makes them more appealing to potential clients.

“The worse thing for an agency to do is sound desperate or like they need the business,” says our client-agency matchmaker, Annabelle. Now, we're not proffering that your should be the industry's Danny Zuko, too cool to call back those who express an interest, but we certainly suggest you consider this concept when in the initial stages of client courtship.

Of course, outbound marketing techniques, such as calling or email marketing are useful but if overdone they can turn a warm opps cold as a Siberian winter.

Inbound marketing is an intelligent choice for many marketing agencies as not only do you attract potential clients, but tools like inbound marketing sites and platforms or even blogs (oh, hello) are proving useful and perhaps less overtly aggressive.

#2 You talk too much about yourselves

Look, the agency search and selection process, as we've said before, really is a lot like dating. From lengthy emails and documents to droning pitches and chemistry checks that never end, talking solely about your agency isn't going to cut it.

We think it's great when marketers are so impassioned about what they do that they want to share it, but it's important to offer insight into what you'll offer the client, citing relevant experience, tactics for change and, most importantly, asking questions. These questions will not only engage the client but they'll help you equip yourselves to nail the meeting.

It also makes talking to you a bore.

#3 Clients are unclear on what your marketing agency actually does

Cute copywriting is nice and all, as well as beautiful and unique sites that communicate striking and intelligent propositions. But sometimes, agencies can just get a bit too clever for their own good.

When it comes to long-listing in the agency search and selection process, many marketing agencies miss out simply because clients just have no clue sure what the agency is offering or what they actually do.

Here are some great examples of agencies being, what we in-house like to call #ShoreditchSmug, or if you prefer, a little too creative, courtesy of Agency Wank.