3 Tricks for More Productive Agency Partnerships
Unlock the secrets to successful client-agency relationships with Jared Belsky’s latest book, “You Get The Agency You Deserve.” Discover practical advice, industry insights, and a roadmap for building and maintaining productive partnerships. A must-read for anyone in the agency world or working with one.
I’m constantly reading. I enjoy discussing business books I’ve read and hearing about those my friends, colleagues and clients (who are usually often friends) have read. Recently, one of our clients mentioned Jared Belsky’s, “You Get The Agency You Deserve,” just published this year. It reminded him of how we work with him and his company.
That was all I needed to hear: I picked it up the first chance I had.
In this book, Belsky, who owns his own agency, explains various agency models and demystifies the creative process. He provides numerous anecdotes, real-world examples and insightful lessons for establishing and nurturing productive client-agency relationships. He compares these relationships to marriages, explaining they require collaboration, trust and open communication.
Belsky also emphasizes the pivotal role a strong agency-client relationship plays in the success of marketing campaigns. Relatable and easy to digest, it’s a must-read for anyone who works with agencies (or works at one). You’ll find practical advice, industry insights and a roadmap for building successful agency-client relationships.
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3 Tricks for More Productive Client-Agency Relationships
How to Forge a Productive Client-Agency Relationship
According to Belsky, successful campaigns start with transparency and trust between clients and agencies. Belsky encourages clients to share their goals, challenges and expectations openly with their agencies. Similarly, agency service team members need to be forthcoming about their capabilities, limitations and the reasons behind the strategies they recommend.
Here are 3 ways to foster productive clients-agency relationships:
1
Take the time to onboard your agency partners
Onboarding allows the agency to truly understand the client. It can take up to a month but should cover culture and values, historical work, organizational overview, economics of the business, goals for the year and your executive point of view.
2
Create space for all your agencies to succeed
Your agency partners are not tributes in the Hunger Games. Give specific swim-lane assignments for each or your agencies, so they play well together. Provide ground rules, so they know how to treat each other and don’t try to step into another agency’s territory
3
Be open to tough love
Hire agencies that mesh with your corporate culture but don’t hire people-pleasers. Most people want to grow. That means you need honest feedback, not just yeses. You may not always like what you hear, but you’ll appreciate it later if it helps you improve and get the results you’re seeking.
Other takeaways for getting the agency you deserve:
- Data-Driven Marketing: Belsky underscores the significance of data in modern marketing. He discusses how agencies can leverage data to make informed decisions and drive results. This includes using analytics to track the performance of campaigns and make necessary adjustments.
- Creativity and Innovation: While data is crucial, creativity remains the heart and soul of marketing and advertising. Belsky advocates for a balance between data-driven strategies and creative thinking. He provides insights on how to foster a culture of innovation within agencies and why it’s essential for staying competitive.
- Evolve or Die: The book highlights the need for agencies to stay adaptable in a rapidly changing industry. He suggests agencies need to continuously evolve, embrace new technologies and adapt to shifting consumer behaviors to remain relevant.
- Measuring Success: Belsky emphasizes the importance of setting clear, measurable objectives for marketing campaigns. He discusses various metrics and key performance indicators that clients and agencies should use to assess the success of their efforts
Check It Out
In the book’s conclusion, Belsky says he was worried that he might sound preachy or biased in writing about how to be a great client. But the purpose of the book ― to illustrate how you can get the most value out of your agency-client partnership ― really shines through. If you work with marketing or advertising agencies, this quick read (it’s just over 100 pages) is sure to provide some helpful nuggets.
About the Author
An omnichannel measurable marketing professional, Rob Trecek has served as Director of Business Development for over 20 years. He works hard to identify prospects and cultivate relationships that are mutually beneficial and can have a positive impact on organizations. In his free time he enjoys spending time with his family, hiking the trails with his wife, hitting the golf links with his friends and cheering on his beloved Green Bay Packers and Marquette Golden Eagles.
