It takes a client with a great service or product and an agency with innovative strategy and ideas to create a solidified team. Without that, how would a client’s business take off? And without clients, a marketing agency can’t … well, market. So let’s dive into the pillars of creating and maintaining that strong client-agency bond.
Honesty
It sounds simple, but be honest. When you have a different recommendation, see a potential risk, or have a unique opinion, share it.
Being direct with your client, then aligning with them and ultimately supporting them, you start to form an understanding of one another.
Honesty is respectful. To everyone involved. It’s important to stay objective, direct, and kind, which is easier to do when you understand personal, marketing, and business objectives. Respect doesn’t exist without honesty — and respect is the ultimate goal.
Trust
Each of those previous factors foster trust, as well. With that, you can truly build a meaningful relationship and begin operating as an extension of the in-house marketing team.
Clients have ongoing marketing challenges that you can help solve, and objectives you can help accomplish. You have to understand their needs, while remembering the value of your support to their business.
From there, it’s like any good relationship. You have to constantly act in the interest of the client. When you are focused on delivering and creating value for your clients. Which, in turn, creates natural transparency.
To further build upon trust, however, you must be willing to learn. Seek knowledge and opportunities to become one with your client. Learn their language and learn their business. You don’t simply want to fulfill marketing asks.
Support
Clients are counting on the marketing agency to support them. The best clients crave transparency and collaboration — with a true exchange of ideas. It’s not all about the client evaluating the agency work. It’s about understanding what audience problems need solving to lift their business. Then identifying where skills come together for the best work to be developed.
In understanding their business, industry, audience, and goals, you’re able to share your honest and best calculated solutions. Without double-sided honesty, clients won’t end up with the best possible work. So understanding up front that this is a relationship and not a transaction is important.
Connection
Stay connected. If you are only focused on the project at hand, you lose sight of what’s next for the client.
Communication is part of how you add value to the relationship. When the client knows that conversation is always an option, they feel supported. And when they can see the future projects lining up around the corner, there’s a layer of ease added to the work you do together.
Be present in the now, near, and the far. Keep tabs on all of the upcoming projects. And remember to reach out to the client so you’re on the same page.
Humanity
While companies have business challenges to solve and marketing objectives to meet, clients are still human. Connecting at a human level first helps you tailor your approach to communication, strategy, creative, and your overall impact.
If you truly integrate yourself with your client, you will inherently push the internal work further. Through your intimate understanding of their market, competitors, products or services, as well as them as people, you create a meaningful connection. Which will allow your agency to create even better work.
At the end of the day, client-agency relationships are about establishing mutual understanding. And once you build that rapport, you can focus on how best to help them shine.
If you’re looking for an agency that understands building healthy relationships — internally and externally — we would love to chat.