I hope you can join me in saying we’ve all had clients that were a complete delight to work with for one reason or another. Or maybe it was several reasons.
Either way, clients have a lot to contribute when it comes to getting good results in marketing and advertising. The best clients know what they want, quickly reply to our emails, and are eager to take our advice – the list goes on and on. Whatever the reason, these clients make it easy to achieve a positive outcome in a timely manner.
So with that in mind, this blog post is for all those clients out there who, because of the way they work with us, have our undying devotion and love.
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They’re Specific
Recently we received a request from a client for a set of ads to be used in a trade publication that was widely-read by one of their targets. We knew who the ad was targeting and thanks to the buyer personas we knew what their goals and challenges were. Based on this, our team had a pretty good idea of what the messaging should be. We just needed any mandatories that the client had for this ad.
I asked the client (via email), “Are there any elements that must be included in the ads?” Thinking that she might need some help identifying critical components, she quickly replied and identified specific logos, calls to action, and the web address that were to be included.
When I passed these key client instructions to our graphic designer, he smiled broadly.
When communicating the mandatories for a project – the more specific, the better.
Why? Because he knew he had everything he needed to create a great and effective ad. When providing instructions for elements that must be included in a deliverable, whether it be an ad, brochure, email, webpage, etc., it is extremely helpful when a client is specific.
Often, clients will avoid providing specifics because they wish to defer to our better judgment. My advice – don’t worry about it. Give us your mandatories and ideas. Even if we advise you against something you suggest, this is a jumping-off point for the conversation and the great ideas that are sure to follow.
They’re Responsive
We’d like to think that as a marketing firm we are maintaining a professional posture. Meaning, we are experienced, knowledgeable, and have a highly-responsive orientation to our clients. We are also VERY motivated by deadlines. So, when it’s time to get client feedback on a draft or mock-up our eyes will light up when we receive a prompt reply.
Great clients are always responsive. Even if they haven’t had a chance to review what we sent, they will hit us back and let us know they have received the file and plan to review it at some point in the not-too-distant future. This helps us keep our workflow organized and we absolutely love it.
They’re Open to New Ideas
I recently pitched a bold, unorthodox idea to a client and in response he told me, “I trust you, go for it. Hey, if I was any good at marketing then I wouldn’t have hired you.” Now, I have great respect for this client’s understanding of marketing and advertising, but I did appreciate his sentiment. He hired us for a reason and wanted to give us the space and opportunity to do our job. And because of his approach, we were in a better position to help him hit his goals and objectives.
The moral of the story? Take your guard down and be open to some new ways of doing things. We understand it requires trust and you may feel that pinch of risk, but these are the things great campaigns are made of.
