After working as a Marketing Manager for several years, I have happily found myself on the other side of the agency-client relationship. Throughout the transition, I’ve thought a lot about my previous relationships with agency partners and how I’d like to leverage those experiences, embracing the qualities that I’ve admired in Brand Managers along the way (and running away from those I didn’t).
Based on my time as a Marketing Manager, I’ve come up with five principles that I feel are incredibly important to the success of any Brand Manager and ultimately, the agency-client relationship:
GTD
Getting things done? This better be at the top of any Brand Manager’s lengthy “to do” list. It’s incredibly important to show your clients that you’re working hard for them and doing everything in your power to make their brand successful. You may have the best of intentions, but unless you’re producing results, nothing else really matters. Meet those deadlines, bring new ideas to the table, and help your clients reach their goals and beyond. Let’s not forget to never confuse effort with results.
Honesty Really Is the Best Policy
Be honest. Period. It might be hard to tell your client that you’re not going to meet that deadline, found a mistake on a print job that’s already in the mail, or you recommend an approach that isn’t too popular back at the client’s office, but that’s your job as their partner. In the end, they will respect you for your honesty.
Call Me Maybe
“Hey, I just met you…and this is crazy”…but seriously, pick up the phone and call your clients. In a world of endless emails, texts, and Gchats, nothing beats a good old-fashioned phone call when it comes to connecting with your clients. Better yet? Have a regularly scheduled face-to-face meeting. While there are certainly benefits to emails, there is also great value in picking up the phone or scheduling an in-person meeting in order to focus and talk through more complicated issues or just be able to engage in a little relationship-building small talk.
T is for Teamwork!
Remember when I said my agency partners were always making me look good? Now that I’m a Brand Manager, it’s the internal team at Stone Ward that’s doing that. Project Managers, Creative Directors, Web Developers, Media Planners/Buyers…they are doing the hard work behind the scenes that allows me to wow my clients and consistently meet their needs. Be respectful of the team by giving them a heads up about upcoming projects, providing as much direction as you can for assignments, being organized, and giving them credit where credit is due. Your client wants to know that they have a unified team supporting their efforts so don’t let them down!
The Bottom Line
At the end of the day, great agency-client relationships are built on trust and respect. All of the ideas outlined above are about gaining these two things, and as Brand Managers, we are on the front line. Clients will be much more receptive to our recommendations and be a whole lot more understanding when we (gasp) screw up if we prove to them that we are, above all things, trustworthy and deserving of their respect.
