What do you do when your agency produces some pretty sub-par work? Hitting the red button might seem a tempting option but Eric Faulkner, partner and chairman of MadClarity, writes that clients might need to have a think about what they’re offering as much as their agency.
A few months ago, we were asked a rather interesting question.
We had been running a coaching workshop for a fairly large client. They were a great bunch. Around 20 people, mostly quite experienced.
We were reviewing their agency’s strategy response to one of the client briefs. It was not a great piece of work. It has missed the most crucial part of the brief and the recommendation was unexciting.
So, what was the question?
It was: “So how long do we give the agency, before we fire them?”
Nobody wants to work with an agency that produces lousy work. But what can a client do to help that same agency produce great work?
Our response was to ask everyone to remember what we had talked about over the past two days… and for each person to answer the question themselves.
It’s nearly Christmas, so here’s an early present to any client looking to get fabulous work from their agency.
It’s seven of those answers. Seven ways you can get MUCH better work from your agency and avoid firing them:
- Write great briefs. Whilst the brief in question contained the core problem, it was well hidden and was easy for the agency to focus on the wrong goal.
- Be direct and clear with them about any problems. Having a good relationship with your agency doesn’t mean being soft and cosy. It means being honest and clear.
- Get the best people on your business. Be demanding, but not a pain in the arse. The best agency people want to work with clients who have high expectations.
- Have regular informal contact. The best thinking and ideas never come from formal interactions and PowerPoint presentations. Drink some coffee together.
- Make sure that the creative and media teams work together… don’t just ask and hope. A quick chat in the back of the Uber is not ‘working together’.
- If it’s not clear… ask… challenge… DON’T just nod and accept.
- Take responsibility for the outcome. It’s your money. It’s your job. If you don’t… why should your agency?
That’s it from me, for this year. Let’s all hope that 2025 isn’t quite as horrendous as 2024.
