In the luxury public relations (PR) and marketing space, we pride ourselves on crafting stories that stir emotion, spark conversation, and lift brands beyond the transactional. But when it comes to tendering for new business, the process often feels like the antithesis of everything we stand for. It’s not about resonance, it’s about ratios. Tendering in the PR industry has become a numbers game. Not just in terms of budget, but in volume, visibility, and velocity. Agencies are increasingly judged not by the depth of their storytelling, but by how many boxes they tick, how many credentials they can stack, and how many tenders they can churn through in a quarter.The Metrics That Matter (Too Much)Volume over vision: Agencies are encouraged to submit for every opportunity, regardless of strategic fit. The logic? If you throw enough darts, one will hit the bullseye. But this scattergun approach dilutes brand integrity and burns out creative teams. Compliance over creativity: Tender documents often prioritise rigid criteria, insurance thresholds, team bios, risk matrices, leaving little room for the emotional nuance that defines great PR. Price over partnership: Competitive pricing is king. Even in luxury sectors, where v