5 tips for a winning client - agency relationship

Choosing the right digital marketing agency can be one of the most important decisions you’ll make as a business owner or key decision maker. 

It’s much the same as choosing a suitor - you want them to have the same interests, be interested and interesting and there to be a little spark when you first meet. You also want them to challenge you and make you a better person… or in this case, business. As Jerry Maguire would put it, you want them to complete you.

We could very easily write this blog with one tip, number one, choose Refuel Creative! But we want to give you a little more than that. Like we said, it’s an important decision, so write down your wish list, your pros and cons and take a look at what we think you need to look into before you make your decision and hand out that final rose.

1. Choose the right agency

If you choose the right agency and one that meets your needs and criteria, then you’ll have a partner for life. You want a team that is an extension of you, your team (if you have one) and your business. You want a team that cares about your business and equally wants you to hit your goals and targets.

You don’t want a cookie cutter agency that just ticks boxes and takes your money. You want someone that can grow and expand with you and is always open to ideas. 

The first thing to do is come up with what you think your problems and challenges are and see what agencies have experience in solving these types of challenges. 

If you’re struggling to find success with Google Ads or want to start creating Meta Ads, then look for an agency that has a reputation for delivering results for paid search. Check their website out for case studies, scroll through their social media and take a read of their reviews. This will give you an idea of what they do, the success they have had and who they have worked with before. 

Now you can rest easy knowing that you’ve chosen an agency that has a reputation for delivering the results you’re after. 

2. The key to a healthy relationship is communication

Just like a personal relationship, communication is key in a professional relationship too. If you want a strong and productive client-agency relationship, then you have to put the effort in when it comes to communicating what you need and want. You need to be comfortable to have difficult conversations and vice versa. The reality is that you are paying for a service so you are entitled to know what you’re getting and what results you are seeing. 

Healthy and meaningful communication can be shown in numerous ways but we think these four should be a staple, and are things that we instil here:

• Clear briefs
•  Regular meetings
• Timely responses
• Clear feedback

Regular meetings (we suggest weekly or fortnightly) are a chance for you and the agency to make sure you are on the same page. You can talk about the immediate tasks at hand and get project and task updates. It is also a good chance for you to make the team aware of what your priorities are. 

Timely responses from you and the agency mean they are more likely to stay on track, meet deadlines and hit key milestones. Where possible, you don’t want to become a roadblock. If you delay a response back to the agency by two days, then your project will more than likely have to be delayed two days too. You also don’t want a retainer being spent on the team having to email and phone you constantly because they can’t get through to you.

Speaking of feedback, making sure that you are giving clear and concise feedback that is easy for the team to interpret will save you all time in the long run. Clear briefs mean fewer questions along the way and fewer revisions mean more time to deliver the work.

3. Set your expectations before getting started

This style of relationship may be a two-way street but at the end of the day, it really is about you and your business… and making you happy. We’re all working together to achieve results for you so you need to set your expectations upfront. The more the agency knows about your expectations for them and for the project, the better off everyone will be. 

Before work gets started, make sure the agency clearly understands what your expectations are and what you need. From the agency standpoint, this can be done through a scope of work. This sets clear boundaries and guidelines for the work that will take place and everything that has been agreed upon. It means you both know what to expect and if anything differs then you must communicate that in advance. It makes communication easier as well as improving your return on investment. So make sure before you sign on the dotted line that you feel comfortable that the agency knows what you’re after. This will reduce friction and set the groundwork for a trusting relationship.

4. Know the whole team

While you should be given a central point of contact for your project, you should also want to know the rest of the team. If you’ve chosen the right agency, there will be a number of team members all with their specific expertise working together for you. Why wouldn’t you want to know who those people are?! Plus, if you have a social media question, why shouldn’t you be able to speak directly to the social media specialist instead of going through the account manager?!

This is something we strive for at Refuel Creative. Our entire team is available and open to talk through your project with you. Those that work on your project are the same people you will see in your meetings and can email to get your questions answered. We find that things are less likely to get lost in translation and your concerns, issues or answers can be addressed promptly.

5. Trust the agency... but don’t be naive

We get it, you’re in the honeymoon phase. You find someone fabulous and they are delivering everything you want so you start to let them in. You talk about them to your friends and family. You talk to them about the future and eventually meeting. You start to trust them. Then they need your help and they ask you for money. You trust them so you bank transfer it.  Then they disappear. Three months later, you realise that that dreamboat wasn’t real and you were catfished. Now, yes, that’s an extreme case. But we want you to trust the agency you pick but don’t be naive.

By this stage, you’ve done the research, met with the agency and decided to work with them. You’ve had some meetings and now have the scope of work agreed upon. You should be confident in their ability to deliver. It is at this point that you must relinquish some control and trust in the agency and their expertise. In any relationship, we know that can be the hardest part. So still tread carefully, especially if it’s a new relationship. If the agency suggests options you may not be comfortable with or are suggesting new ideas or something outside your budget, make sure you ask them questions. Have them explain why they think that is the best way forward for your business. If it’s new suggestions that aren’t in scope, ask them for success stories and previous results.

Speaking as digital marketing experts, marketing isn’t magic but it does require expertise. There is an art and skill to doing it well. There is also a science behind it. But we make sure to explain everything we do and have the proof (we have receipts!). We make sure that you understand every element of a data report or Google Ads stat. We use plain language so you have the full picture. Nothing should be hidden. Your agency partner isn’t a ‘wizard behind a curtain’. All results should be transparent and easily understood. If not, you might be getting  catfished. So go with your gut and ask lots of questions.

How to work with a digital marketing agency

Having to not worry about working on the relationship because you’ve done all the work before choosing means everyone can focus on providing you with epic results. If you have a mutual understanding built on trust, transparency and a shared goal then you will go far. 

Now back to our original number one tip, choose us! We do marketing differently:

• When you have a problem, you can talk directly to the person who can solve it
• We make sure expectations are set early 
• Scope of work is a given to ensure everyone is on the same page
• Results are transparent and easily understood

Just like any relationship, building a good one takes time and effort. Agency-client relationships are no different. With patience, commitment, communication and an open mind, great results and long term partnerships will follow.