Getting The Most From Your Marketing Agency

October 19, 2016

Advertising author Morris Hite once said, “It takes good clients to make a good advertising agency.” So what makes a client a good client? And why should it matter to you?
Good clients tend to have longer-lasting relationships with their agencies, which lead to better work. As agencies get to really know a client’s brand and its personality, they generate better ideas and also operate more efficiently.

Here are a few pointers on getting the most out of your agency:
1. Let the agency do what it does best. You hired them because you liked what you saw. Now trust their expertise and listen to what they have to say. Your input is invaluable—once you’ve given it, sit back and let the agency work its magic.
2. Be clear about your needs and expectations. The better we know where you’re coming from, the better we are at providing solutions.
3. Be accessible. If we can’t get in touch with you, we can’t do our jobs. Set up a regular communication schedule that works for you both.
4. Provide the thinking behind creative changes. Some clients think they have to fix what they don’t like. Usually, you’ll get a better end product if you tell us where we’ve missed the mark rather than dictating what the changes should be.
5. Take advantage of the agency’s strengths. You get a lot more out of your agency when you use the full breadth of its services. Sure, we’ll work with you on a project basis. But sometimes we then function more as your hands than your head. The more you involve the agency, the more you benefit from their perspective and innovative problem-solving.
6. Give us honest feedback. If you’re not happy, we want to know. We can’t fix what we don’t know is broken. Just like in a marriage or any longstanding relationship, it’s important to keep the lines of communication open!