Super stars are hard to come by, but for Stone Ward there has been plenty of opportunity to rub shoulders with clients we would place in this category.  Here are nine things our super star clients do to keep us Building Good on their behalf.

  1. Super star clients are visionaries.  They have done the hard work to understand the circumstances of their brands.  They have looked beyond the obvious.  And they have created a vision for what the future will look like if their vision is accomplished.  These are the clients who start by sharing their vision with the agency, who provide us with measureable objectives they want to meet, who give us the resources to work with them to accomplish the vision and who celebrate with us when we get there together.
  2. Super star clients learn that we are trustworthy and share everything with us.  There is no information hoarding here.  Our super star clients give us unfiltered access to the data that drives their decisions.  They give us the opportunity to go inside their companies to understand their people and operations.  They share their dreams and their biggest concerns.  They let us know how we are doing and what we can do to create mutual success.
  3. Image source: Shutterstock

  4. Super star clients are equally good at collaboration and communication. The clients we love are the clients who understand the importance of collaboration coupled with respectful communication.  These are the men and women who believe in the power of collective thinking, invite us to the table early, and keep us involved through good communication and feedback.
  5. Super star clients take an integrated approach to their marketing communication.  They think across traditional and non-traditional channels alike, and are not afraid to challenge the market status quo.  More importantly, they demand their agency do the same.  And that makes for a rewarding relationship.
  6. Super star clients will champion good work at the agency and inside their companies.  The clients who have the authority to say yes and no are the ones we value most.   These are the clients who can look at the work strategically, through the eyes of the target and not their own, determine whether or not the work is great and if it is, defend it as it goes through the approval process. These clients do not create advertising by committee.  They are accountable for the work and if they agree it is on target, they are willing to fight for it.
  7. Super star clients know when they are asking their agency to go the extra mile and don’t forget to say thank you when it’s all over.  Agencies love to be heroes for our clients.  At Stone Ward we are always willing to work the extra hours to make sure our clients get what they need to succeed.  Often our super star clients will take a minute to acknowledge that extra-mile contribution, and when they do it makes the whole team feel warm and fuzzy.
  8. Super star clients are real people who are fun to be around.  Agencies spend considerable time with their clients.  To us, having a client that shows us their fun side now and again enriches the relationship and brings balance to the partnership.
  9. Super star clients choose agencies whose values they share.  This is very important to Stone Ward.  We’ve found that when our clients’ values are aligned with ours the relationship is stronger and more able to stand the test of time.
  10. Super star clients want their agencies to make a fair profit and to succeed in their business.  We have been so fortunate over the years to have clients who work with us to create partnerships that are win-win.  These clients understand that to keep the good people to do their work, to staff their teams appropriately, and to get results from the agency, the agency has to be able to be a successful company in its own right.