The Secret Sauce: What Makes A Strong Client-Agency Relationship
No content marketing agency is an island. Behind every successful one is a portfolio of clients willing to partner with them. The intersection of trust and compatibility is where the magic happens every day.
At Comma Copywriters, we’ve seen firsthand how these elements translate into strong client relationships that can mean better-performing campaigns and, ultimately, generate more sales. (How’s that for a win-win?)
In other words, it pays off as a client to put in the work to make the working relationship with an agency a healthy one. Other the years, we’ve found that there are a few key traits clients who are committed to this cause have in common. Here are a few of the themes that stand out to us.
They Set Realistic Expectations
Budget and timeline are two key factors in marketing, and we welcome your questions. Be open and honest about your needs, but at the same time, expect that we won’t over-promise and under-deliver. Give us time to deliver what we promised and on time or early — or it’s on the house!
In the meantime, you’re welcome to ask questions but be realistic with requests. It might be out of scope or take more time than you expect. Either way, we’ll be open and honest with you, so there’s no ambiguity about where things stand.
They Trust Our Expertise
When you hire us, you get access to our knowledge, expertise, and experience. That said, we welcome questions about the rationale behind decisions.
There’s room for dialogue in the relationship between the agency and the client. Don't shy away from frequent and honest feedback. A good agency will be willing to explain its position and work to provide a solution that works best for everyone. They must also be willing to explain when a request may not be a best practice and share what it takes to achieve your intended results.
They’re Active and Engaged
We do our best work with clients who are hands-on while maintaining healthy boundaries. They’re keen to participate in information gathering, check-ins, project reviews, and more. They also:
Communicate with intention: They provide in-depth responses. They make the most of phone calls or video meetings. They also keep us current on any internal situations that could affect timelines or responses.
Provide timely feedback: They return emails or calls in a timely manner. They review our work and voice any concerns early on so we can adjust the course.
Have a single point of contact: You’re likely familiar with the concept of too many cooks in the kitchen. That applies to our work. If there are multiple people representing the company and they have conflicting requests, we’re put in an uncomfortable position. For this reason, we prefer to keep it simple and recommend designating one person who serves as the liaison.
They’re Hungry for Knowledge — and Teachable
We like to think of our clients as partners. We work hand in glove to meet and exceed goals. One trait that sets clients apart is a thirst for knowledge. We’re energized and inspired by clients who immerse themselves in content marketing best practices but, at the same time, are willing to hear other viewpoints.
Bottom line: We love working with marketers who have a growth mindset. These individuals know that trial and error are part of the process and necessary for the outcome.
They Want to Succeed with Us
In our business, reputation is everything. When we exceed expectations, we want to know (and likewise, if something isn’t up to par, please let us know so we can make it right). A testimonial or referral is the best compliment you can give us. Your kind words help us grow our company and bring on more content writers, who, in turn, can provide for their families. That’s a goal we don’t take lightly. Our growing team of content writers has big hopes and dreams, and we want to fulfill them — with your help.
As the saying goes, “the only way to have a friend is to be one.” That holds true in content marketing. We do our part to be approachable, accommodating, honest, flexible, and professional.
As you evaluate your content marketing plans for 2023, we’d love to be along for the ride. Know that you have a friend in Comma. Will you be our next dream client? Book a free 20-minute call with us to chat with us about your marketing needs. We have a feeling it might be the beginning of a beautiful thing.