The average marketing agency relationship in 1984 lasted more than seven years. Today, the average agency-client relationship lasts just about three years. The high CMO turnover rates, move toward agency specialization, and development of AI content creation tools are driving this decline and creating a world where short-term relationships are more common.
These short-term relationships come at a cost to both agencies and their clients — for agencies, it means a skin-deep understanding of a brand’s products or services, and for clients it means relying on more short-term, ad hoc marketing strategies that may be doomed to fail from the start.
We at Trekk have been fortunate to develop some strong, lasting client relationships — our longest client partnership currently stands at 11 years. When I reflect on what's been key to creating and sustaining these relationships, it boils down to five seemingly simple actions.
Define expectations.
You can't hit a target that doesn't exist. At the start of any new relationship, both parties need to take the time to discover and define their expectations. I start by asking a ton of questions:
- How do you prefer to communicate — phone, email, text?
- How often do you expect updates on projects, timelines, budgets, and results?
- How do communications flow within your team?
- What do escalation processes look like when something's not going as expected?
Asking these questions up front signals that you're focused on customer satisfaction and that you value a positive relationship experience.
Commit to a shared focus
According to Forbes, one of the top reasons clients cite for letting go of a marketing agency is that agency’s lack of understanding of their business. This means agencies need to take the time to develop a deeper understanding of a clients’ products, services, operations, sales cycles, competitors, internal teams, customers, and more.
A successful partnership requires a ‘we’re all in this together’ mentality. It’s not enough for that knowledge to live in the mind of the client's account manager; everyone assigned to the client's account needs to share it.
Constantly look for new ways to add value
Keep ideating. Share examples, case studies, articles that inspire new ideas, tools that help create greater efficiency, work that demonstrates you're keeping an eye on the industry and competition. But adding value doesn't always mean adding to the conversation; it can also mean removing obstacles, so look for ways to take something off your client's plate.
Think of yourself as an extension of their team. If they need help, jump at the opportunity just as you would if you sat at the next desk.
Don't fear the hard conversations
Like any relationship, the agency-client relationship is going to evolve, which means it's going to face ups and downs. Celebrate the ups. Embrace the downs. The downs are where you'll learn the most and discover new opportunities for improvement and success. As a marketer, if you don't love the quality of work, turnaround time, or results you're getting from your agency, tell them.
Agencies aim to please, and they should jump at the opportunity to work with you to resolve whatever issues arise. Scheduling routine evaluations opens up these conversations and says, "I value our relationship and welcome your feedback."
Show you care.
Fact: We all prefer to do business with people we like. It makes our work days more enjoyable, and we get better results. Learn about your client, their family, and their interests. Take time to ask how they're doing before jumping into business matters. (You might be the only one in the course of their day who does.) Remember their birthdays and important holidays or anniversaries. Simply stated, show that you care about and respect them. You'll quickly find they'll do the same.
None of this is rocket science, but I think we forget how important these simple actions are, especially when things get busy. But these are the small, thoughtful touches that make a world of difference in any relationship.
In the latest episode of our Sidetrekked podcast, we talked with Trekk Account Manager Jake Sellers about everything that goes into creating a productive partnership with a marketing agency. Listen to this episode to learn more.
About the Author
Laura Bennett puts her leadership skills to work every day to guide the Trekk team. Laura has more than 35 years of experience in concept and creative development, copywriting, account management, marketing, and media analysis — on both client and agency sides of the business. Prior to founding Trekk, Laura served as Advertising Director for Pierce Chemical Company, where she managed marketing and media planning and implementation for programs directed to Life Science researchers. Before that, Laura held copywriting and account service roles in a business-to-business advertising agency, working with clients that included Keebler Company, Taylor Freezer, Beatrice Food Ingredients, and Universal Foods. Laura has a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration.