Yours could be the best agency in the world in terms of results, but if your clients find it difficult to work with you, or you don’t align with their philosophy and culture, the working relationship is likely to fail.
At Aprais we know stronger relationships build stronger businesses. It’s also true that for agencies, creating good working relationships can reap wider rewards – more than 50% of digital marketing agencies say their main source of new business is from client referrals.
It shouldn’t always be the case that the client chooses the agency. The agency should also be clear that the client is a good fit. Sometimes it’s a better business decision to pass on projects. Beyond this, there are a few basic principles to follow to build and maintain positive relationships.
Quick Takeaways:
- Positive agency-client relationships are the key to business success for both parties.
- Good communication is vital, as is having clear expectations on both sides.
- Evaluation improves relationships and can even save failing ones.
1. Build trust with transparency and accountability
Be realistic about what you can achieve and hold yourself accountable. If you’re unsure, it’s best to err on the side of caution. Look at it this way, if you complete a project a week ahead of the deadline, your client will be delighted. If you deliver a week late, you’re risking losing their business.2. Set clear goals and measure success
Ideally goals are set as a team, but if a client doesn’t set them this doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t. Research by the Content Marketing Institute shows more than 50% of B2B content marketers either don’t measure ROI or are unsure if they do or not. Further to this, only 4% of respondents stated that they were “very proficient” at using metrics to measure the results of their content marketing success. This presents a clear opportunity for agencies to differentiate. Setting clear goals for success and presenting the results of campaigns in the form of measurable figures demonstrates value. It builds trust, boosts communication and accountability, and helps challenge by identifying future improvements.3. Communicate regularly and effectively
It’s important for your clients to be actively involved in their campaigns and projects, and have the opportunity to ask questions and request changes. You should make it clear from the start how your clients can contact you and how frequently they should expect to touch base. This might include:- Answering emails within a set time
- Having scheduled weekly phone calls to discuss projects
- Setting up regular review meetings
- Sending reports and results of campaigns on a monthly basis.