There are a number of reasons a business might choose to work with an agency. Many times, it’s because they’re unable to achieve the magnitude of marketing efforts that they desire internally. Sometimes it’s because a business might not have the resources such as time and talent. Regardless of the reason, here are a few easy guidelines that will make your agency partnership better, and more mutually beneficial than ever.
Start Strong
Making sure you’re choosing the right agency is the obvious first step. Frankly, there are a lot of agencies out there that don’t care about your business’ success, only their own. This can and should be very noticeable in the sales process. Are they pushing hard for products and services to you that you don’t actually need without any sort of reason as to why? Are they listening to your actual needs and wants? What does your gut say? Do they have references from current and past clients?
An agency’s work can make or break your business. Find one that works alongside your already established goals, and pushes you closer to where you want to be.
Be Honest and Open
The more information you can give your agency from the get-go, the better. This includes everything from discussing your current vendors, past vendors, running campaigns, goals, and even past initiatives. For example, if you or someone at your company was buying leads at any point in time, your agency needs to know. Information like this can explain traffic fluctuations and patterns, and even allow the agency to build out a more optimized program for you.
Your agency should be on your side. If you’ve found a trusting and reliable partnership, there should never be any hesitation regarding transparency.
Talk Often
Consistent communication is key to keeping your programs optimized. Committing to a monthly, biweekly, or weekly meeting can be intimidating – we get it. However, the value in solidifying a routine time is enormous.
Throughout the span of your programs, your agency should be sharing their optimizations and observations frequently. However, the hassle of scheduling a call can sometimes make those conversations few and far between. Having time blocked off each month to address these items can keep your program on an upward trajectory. When an agency monitors and implements your programs, you still need to stay involved to ensure your goals are being met. Talk often and keep an open line of communication.
Play Nice
Communication is a two-way street. Although your agency will take care of researching and executing your programs, it’s still important for you, as a business, to play a role in the partnership. We as an agency make earnest efforts to be as prepared as possible for each client call, site launch, and reporting reviews. This means preparing information, action items, and benchmarks – we expect the same due diligence from our clients.
We love questions! It allows us to better educate and explain our processes and industry-wide best practices to our clients; which in turn further develops our trusting partnership. Whether it’s a question about a specific product or service or a question about monthly reporting — bring it on! Keeping clients educated and understanding their programs is the best and most mutually beneficial decision an agency can make. Do your best as the other side in the partnership to be invested and curious about your marketing programs.
Find Your Perfect Agency Match
Every agency handles client relations differently. But, regardless of how it’s done, building a mutually beneficial partnership is key. As you enter a new agency partnership, remember that trust, transparency, and communication are vital to the long-term success of your programs.
