After a quarter of a century in the marketing game, it’s fair to say we’ve learned a thing or two about how to create a really successful partnership with your agency. It’s a bit like any relationship really; you need clear expectations, honest communication, and effort from both parties. You only get out what you put in so to speak.
So whether you’re about to embark on a first date with a new agency, trying to rekindle a spark with an existing one, or thinking about a break-up, here are some top tips for creating marketing magic together.
‘The Talk’ – defining goals and expectations
The key to any successful relationship is to be clear about your expectations, and you shouldn’t be afraid to set this out during the very first date.
Ensuring your marketing agency understands your business ambitions is crucial. If everyone is on the same page, working towards shared dreams, you’re much more likely to get there.
If you’re feeling lost about your business goals, your agency should be able to help you define them. You’ll need these goals to measure success against later.
Money talks – the budget balance
It might feel uncomfortable to talk about money early in the relationship, but open financial discussions at the outset will save a lot of pain later on.
Being upfront about your budget, whether it’s high or low, helps your agency deliver the biggest bang for your buck, and avoids any nasty surprises later on.
Love letters or pre-nups? Creating the perfect brief
A good brief is the foundation of a lasting relationship. By providing a really clear and detailed brief from the beginning, you can make sure your agency fully understands what success looks like to you. And you can use it to hold them to account too.
Not everyone knows what a good brief looks like though, so here’s our love letter to you, with this handy template to follow. Using this type of brief has helped us create many long-term partnerships at EBY.
The art of communication
Good communication is key to keeping the spark alive in your relationship. Establishing regular check-ins and clear channels of communication from day one ensures client and agency remain aligned and informed. This ongoing dialogue is key to adapting strategies, overcoming challenges together and, most importantly, making sure the project continues to move forward.
It doesn’t always have to be a formal meeting, even a quick text or email is useful.
Honesty is the best policy
Honest and constructive feedback is essential for refining strategies and improving outcomes. Be specific, be honest, but remember it’s about the target audience, not you. A culture of open feedback helps fine-tune the approach to better meet your business objectives and ultimately delivers better marketing material. Think of it as helping your partner become the best version of themselves.
Data – the love language of marketing
Okay, so it sounds a bit transactional, but the best marketing strategies are based on data and insights. It’s how we find out exactly what makes your business tick. Be as open as possible, don’t keep anything locked away. Let your agency see what’s at the core of your business and you’ll get much better campaigns for it.
Audience – who’s your type on paper?
The more your agency understands your target audience, the deeper the connections they’ll be able to forge between your business and your customers. Detailed customer insights are great for match-making. Let them speak to your current partners, and if you’re feeling really brave, let them speak to your exes (your previous customers!) as well. We guarantee you’ll discover valuable insights that you never knew.
Respecting deadlines – don’t be a last-minute Larry
Acknowledging and respecting the time needed to deliver quality work is important. Just like when you’re planning an anniversary date or trip, you need time and thought to be able to deliver something truly special. And it’s the same for agencies planning campaigns. We know sometimes work is needed yesterday, but don’t brief the agency on the Christmas promotion at the end of November!
Keeping it fresh
In the ever-evolving landscape of marketing, being open to change and new approaches is crucial. The world is moving so fast and there is always something new to try. Working with your agency to explore innovative solutions can lead to breakthrough results and keep you ahead of the competition. Great ideas can come from anywhere – just throw it out there! It keeps things exciting.
Trust and empowerment
Giving your agency the freedom to bring their creative ideas to the table can take your business to places you never thought possible. Empowering them within the framework of your brand strengthens the relationship and allows you to take advantage of current topics and trends so you stay relevant in the market.
The power of patience
Strong relationships aren’t built in a day. Sure there will be quick wins, but effective marketing strategies, particularly in areas such as SEO and content development, need to be nurtured over time to deliver results. Exercising patience will allow for more substantial and sustainable success in the long run.
Celebrating successes
Every relationship story has its important milestones. Acknowledging and celebrating these achievements strengthens your bond with your agency and is vital for a productive and positive relationship. It’s always nice to get a quick ‘you rock’ message or chef’s kiss emoji – or even better, a case study or testimonial.
Fancy a first date with EBY?
Like any great relationship, your agency partnership takes work, understanding, and a bit of TLC. Lots of our clients have been with us for years – so we must be doing something right!
If you’re looking for a new agency and fancy a first date, just give us a call. You never know, we might just be ‘the one’…….