A good client for a marketing agency retainer is one who is invested in building a strong partnership with the agency and is committed to working collaboratively towards shared goals. In order to be a model client for a marketing retainer, we tend to look for the following:
1. Setting clear and realistic expectations
A good client should have clear and realistic expectations about what they want to achieve through their marketing efforts. They should be willing to work collaboratively with the agency to set realistic goals and timelines for achieving them. It’s also important to be realistic about how much time you’ll need to input – especially at the start.
While the team working on your retainer are tech and industrial marketing experts, you know your industry and your business better than anyone else. Therefore, the team working on your retainer will need to lean on you at times for information and input.
2. Good communication skills
Effective communication is essential for a successful partnership. A good client should be able to clearly articulate their needs and goals and provide timely feedback when needed. Being allusive and avoiding providing feedback will hold-up the process.
3. Willingness to invest in the partnership
The success of your marketing retainer will be impacted by your willingness to invest in the partnership. Your marketing retainer should be seen as an extension of your team and marketing efforts.
Investing in the partnership can require a significant investment of time, effort, and resources. A good client should be willing to invest in the partnership and provide the necessary resources to achieve their marketing goals.
4. Open-mindedness and flexibility
While it’s really important to have a clear plan for what you want your marketing retainer to achieve, it’s also important to be flexible. Marketing success is accelerated by making decision based on data and at times, the data may tell you something that you weren’t expecting. Perhaps your audience has reacted in a different way, maybe users are tripping up at a certain point of your campaign or algorithm changes affect how people see your content. All of these are reasons for a strategy to change shape.
Your marketing retainer should always focus on achieving your objectives but sometimes the road to reach those objectives might need to change. Therefore, it’s important to remain open minded to new ideas based on the new data and insight on your campaigns and industry.
Overall, a good client for a marketing agency on a retainer is one who is committed to building a strong partnership based on clear communication, mutual respect, and a shared commitment to achieving marketing goals. By working together in a collaborative and constructive manner, both the agency and the client can achieve their goals and drive long-term success.
