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Episode 80 - Stuart Dunk
Founder, Don't Forget to Look

Crack the Procurement Code

Stuart Dunk on building relationships, progressive pricing and when differentiation matters
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Today’s guest is Stuart Dunk, a former marketing procurement leader at the likes of Nike, Reckitt and Danone. He now runs his own consultancy, Don't Forget to Look.

Procurement remains one of the most misunderstood client-side functions. Stuart offers a rare insider’s perspective on what agencies get wrong and how they can engage more effectively with the people influencing buying decisions.

He explains why not all procurement professionals think alike, how agencies can diagnose procurement culture before entering a pitch, and when differentiation matters most. The conversation also explores specialist positioning, value-based selling and why agencies must build relationships earlier.

Insightful, generous and commercially astute, Stuart challenges common assumptions and offers a smarter approach to working with procurement professionals.

HIGHLIGHTS:

[02:30] 20 years of buying marketing

[05:19] Beyond procurement stereotypes

[09:09] Reading buying signals

[12:53] Where agencies have power

[19:03] The role of differentiation

[23:19] Winning every scorecard

[31:04] Staying curious

[32:43] Building pipeline differently

[40:24] Asking permission