Even though my consultancy iFusion works primarily with start-ups, in our brief 5-year history, we have encountered all manner of management styles, value systems and personalities. Most successful tech start-up founders share common traits of intelligence, tenacity, desire for precision and a certain level of tunnel vision that allows them to continue on their journey despite the naysayers and constant rejection from would be investors. But unfortunately, many lack the “soft skills” necessary to motivate their vendors and especially their vendors from the marketing discipline.
Since I’ve been on both the client and the vendor sides of the equation, here are my five tips on how start-ups can transform marketing vendors into business partners.
1 – Clear Articulation of Objectives, Deadlines + Expectations
Clearly articulating the marketing objectives and the challenges that you want your marketing agency to help you overcome is the foundation for a productive relationship. If you have already decided on the actual tactics (I want a Facebook page, I want sales brochures, etc.) then make that known to your agency and let them know if you aren’t open to other types of programs. The agency will appreciate your honesty. Trust me.
However, the downside is that some agencies may not want to work on accounts that they perceive as overly tactical and may decide against working with your firm. Even if this does happen, there is an upside: at the very least you wouldn’t have spent budget on a relationship that won’t work for either party.
Then there is also the possibility that the agency may see your business as yet another revenue stream and takes your project anyway knowing that they either don’t have the personnel to fulfill . While this does happen from time to time, it is rare because as with any services organization, agencies die or thrive on their reputations.
2 – Developing Metrics Together
Have a more than five minute discussion with your agency about program metrics and expectations. Be open to listening to their point of view. If marketing is not your forte, and you need to understand some measure of the basics to have a productive conversation with your agency, the following will get you started:
www.seomoz.com – All things search
www.marketingprofs.com – General marketing
www.hubspot.com – “inbound” marketing
www.genius.com “b2b inbound marketing”
Resist your instinct of wanting to know how something is done unless you have an e-commerce company where the marketing function dominates.
Once you have a set of mutually agreed upon metrics, be sure to schedule regular update meetings or calls with your agency and hold them accountable during these calls. On the flip side, allow them to hold you accountable as well. Therefore, providing them with the technical information that they need or the customers that they need to interview (e.g. for case studies) in a timely manner is not only good for them but also for your company.
3 – Keep Clear Channels of Communications
No matter what an agency says, very rarely will an agency understand your business as well as you. Their value is in their functional experience and in the case of public relations, the relationships they’ve fostered that can be brought to bear for your company. So don’t assume that your agency knows how your industry works. Take the time to explain it to them. Take the discovery sessions that most agencies will have at the beginning of any new client relationship seriously.
A well informed agency is one that is better able to identify relevant competitive and industry trends and surface them to your attention.
4 – Recognize Performance
While agencies are technically “hired guns,” who are being compensated for their efforts, nothing makes a person work harder than positive reinforcement. The least used tip to turn a vendor into a partner is the proverbial carrot. Most agency teams work inordinately long hours under tremendous stress. A simple ‘thank you’ or ‘good job’ can sometimes yield you additional hours of toil. And if your team is comprised primarily of women, a delivery of chocolates after a particularly grueling campaign can get you a more than commensurate amount of goodwill which can come in handy whn you need something done that is out of scope or on short notice.
5- Treat Your Agency Team with Respect
There is nothing more demotivating than to have your efforts or achievements belittled or minimized. Or worse, have someone take credit for your efforts. Seems pretty straightforward but minimization or belittlement are signs of a lack of respect for another person.
If your agency is helping to build your brand awareness or generate leads, why would you want to put them down?
If you’ve gone to the trouble of reviewing agencies and selecting the one you deem to be the best fit, it would stand to reason that you trust them to execute on their promises. Second guessing them or telling them that what they are doing is easy work does not help them want to work harder or smarter for you. If you find yourself guilty of this, stop.
What are some of the things that you do to motivate your agency?
Photo by cottonbro studio
