7 Things Your Clients Are Grateful for This Thanksgiving
As Thanksgiving approaches, it’s important for everyone to take a few seconds out of their busy days to remember everything (and everyone) they are thankful for.
Whether it be taking the time to acknowledge the guy in the office who always offers to bring people back a coffee in the morning or thanking your manager for always having your back (even in the stickiest of situations), making sure that you recognize everyone that makes your life a little easier is important and rewarding.
But it isn’t just us digital marketers who are feeling grateful this time of year – your clients are also experiencing that warm fuzzy feeling inside. After all, you’ve helped grow their business exponentially over the past year (hopefully).
So, while many digital marketers may not realize it during the busiest time of the year, it is important to recognize a few of the things your clients are thankful for (and continue to meet expectations in the following year).
Getting More Brand Awareness Than They Ever Thought Possible
One of the main reasons businesses hire marketing agencies is because they want help increasing their brand awareness. Every business dreams of being the Nike, Apple, and Coca-Colas of the world. However, achieving that brand awareness is not easy and takes time. Here’s where marketing agencies come into the picture.
Through building a brand’s social media presence, getting them ranking higher in the SERPs, and getting featured on highly authoritative sites with a large following, marketing agencies help brands achieve more awareness than they ever dreamed of. So, next time you’re feeling bogged down by work, just remember that your hard work isn’t going unnoticed. Your clients are witnessing firsthand how your work is affecting their business and are incredibly grateful.
Open Communication And Transparency
When it comes to transparency, it helps to think of your relationship with your client as a friendship. You can’t really be friends with someone unless there is some level of transparency. Transparency cultivates trust. And, as we all know, trust is the foundation for any great friendship.
…It’s no different with your clients! Just like we like to befriend people we know we can trust, clients like to work with agencies they know they can trust. With so many companies nowadays preaching transparency, but not necessarily practicing it, it is a breath of fresh air to work with a company who values open communication and is honest about results and strategy.
“Be transparent about the good and the bad. It builds trust and helps accounts get through rough patches. Celebrate wins and take accountability for mistakes or poor performance.” – Austin Randall, Director of Paid Media
Team Members Who Take Initiative
Your clients hired you for one reason: to get them results using your expertise. Make sure you are delivering on that! Be proactive by looking for answers to problems that may arise in the future. The client will appreciate the fact that you’re focused on the big picture and are on the lookout for any troubles that may lie ahead.
Related: Score Your Digital Marketing Agency [QUIZ]
Clients also appreciate your creativity. Your ability to analyze the company’s overarching goals and take a critical look at your current strategy to develop new ideas and strategies to bring in even more business is priceless. This shows them that you truly care about their business objectives and are doing everything possible to exceed them.
“Always try to understand the client’s organizational structure. Who are the decision makers? What sort of KPIs are they being held responsible for? This understanding will allow you to deliver results that are more in tune with their expectations and can help you prevent any potential miscommunications.” – Hans Tveten, Paid Media Account Manager
Getting The Most Bang For Their Buck
In other words – taking the time to explain your strategy to them, keeping them updated on the process on a weekly or monthly basis, and reporting on the results. Results are not always instantaneous in marketing, which sometimes causes companies to question what they are even paying their marketing company for.
However, by keeping your clients updated on the status of your marketing initiatives and portraying the results in a clear, consistent fashion, you will help your clients understand what they are paying you for and alleviate any concerns they may have.
Attention To Detail
Your clients are busy (yes, just as busy as you, believe it or not). Even though you may be juggling multiple accounts on any given day, your client is busy juggling managing marketing plus operations, finance, and everything else that comes with running a business. Therefore, it makes sense that they would get a little frustrated about being sent work riddled with typos and spelling errors.
Related: Agency Life – Managing Stress in a Fast-Paced Work Environment
Although something small like running your deliverables through Grammarly or getting a second set of eyes on them before you send them over may seem trivial, they can be the difference between a happy client or an unsatisfied customer.
Respect For Their Time
I repeat: your clients are very busy people! Therefore, if you have a meeting scheduled, it is important to be prepared. Nobody likes sitting in meetings that aren’t organized and don’t have a real purpose. Your clients are no exception.
Related: Best Practices for Strategic Account Management
As a result, when you come to a meeting with an agenda, a clear purpose, and a prepared team, you set yourself up for success in more ways than one. Not only will your clients appreciate the fact that you are respectful of their time, but your team will also leave the meeting with a better understanding of what is expected of them on future action items.
Working With Smart, Friendly People
This is pretty obvious. Nobody likes working with people who are incompetent, disorganized, or just plain mean – your clients included. Start the relationship off on a good foot by getting to know your point of contact and what matters most to them. Not only will this help you in your marketing initiatives, but getting to know the client on a deeper level will help foster a long, healthy relationship.
Make sure your client feels like their voice is being heard and collaborate with them on strategy to ensure that both parties are getting the most out of the relationship.
“Make sure you are responsive and always getting back to clients quickly when they share their ideas or concerns with you – even if it’s just to tell them you’re looking into it.” – Britney Schroeder, Content Director
And there you have it – the top seven things your clients are thankful for this Thanksgiving. If you are already delivering on all seven, keep up the good work! If you think your team could improve on a few, consider incorporating it into your New Year’s Resolution. Your clients will thank you for it come next Thanksgiving!
Happy Holidays!
