Market First, Not Last

What's happened to marketing during this long economic slowdown is painful to watch, and even more painful to experience. Across the board, budgets have been slashed. Programs have been shelved. Staffs have been eliminated. It's about as sensible as trying to grow a garden without water. Yet many companies operate in a state of perpetual marketing drought. Often, marketing is the last department to get resources and the first one to be shrunk with the slightest inkling of bad news. Of course, companies need to reduce costs during tough times, but why is marketing such an easy target?

There are two basic reasons why marketing suffers most when business wanes. First, few people understand what marketing does. Second, as marketers we may have fallen short of our responsibility to inform, inspire and influence decision makers on how marketing, when done well, is pivotal to their success—in good times and bad.

Smart marketing paves the way for new customer relationships. It nurtures existing relationships. It creates demand, preference and loyalty. Without it, products don't have focus. Markets don't have direction. Prospects don't have an emotional reason to buy. As marketers, we sometimes overcomplicate the process. Sometimes, we forget to sell the tangible and intangible merits to our own management or clients, and even to ourselves. Nothing happens until something sells. And very little selling goes on without marketing. Here's how to put marketing first:

• Develop a marketing vision for the company
  
• Position the company clearly. What do you want to stand for and why?
  
• Bring your marketing team long before the engineers complete product specs!
  
• Get marketing and sales to talk to each other
  
• Ask your customers what they want and what they think
  
• Don't worry about elaborate marketing plans
  
• Pull together the best information and ideas. And get into action.
  
  

Whether you are an entrepreneur, CEO or department head, place the right emphasis on marketing. Then, back it up with budget, resources and staff. Your payoff is in added revenue.

Five Keys to Effective Client/Agency Partnerships

It's easy to pick an agency. Find one that knows your industry; check out their work to be sure they do what they claim; be sure there's chemistry with your account team; and create a clear agreement to cover the planned work. Then, hold your breath. Because the hardest part has just begun—making the relationship work.

In our 10 years of business, we've discovered five critical elements that drive great client/agency relationships.

1. Commitment

Like a marriage, agency and client must commit to the goal and to each other. Whether it's a new brochure, a new PR campaign or the challenge of a new product launch, nothing will happen until there is total commitment to succeed. With commitment, all kinds of benefits flow: energy, passion, creativity. Indeed, never hire an agency that isn't passionate about your engagement. And, if both sides treat the relationship as a long-term bond, real rewards will result. Always be partners in the process.

2. Communication

More client/agency relationships dissolve over miscommunication than for any other reason. Be specific about what you need, when you need it, how you want it and why. Listen to all opinions and value input. Be merciless about clarity. Commit agreements to writing—no matter how small the change in assignment. Establish clear goals, timelines and budgets. Without good communication, there can be no trust. Without trust, there can be no relationship.

3. Expectations

Every client wants to be in Fortune. Every client wants world-class work for less money in less time than is often possible. And, why not. It's a fiercely competitive time and agencies need to work harder than ever to attract, keep and grow great clients. Smart ones will help educate clients early on so that their expectations are realistic. They won't overpromise. When it comes to PR, clients need to be newsworthy. Reporters are busy people; they want to know what's new and different about you. A good PR team will know how to position your company, product or service to help generate coverage. But in the end, it's about real substance, real news.

4. Honesty

Both the agency and client must act with impeccable honesty and integrity. If critical information is withheld on either side, or if inaccurate information is provided, it could cause undue harm to customers, the marketplace, and to the brand. Agencies need to work in a climate of openness and be willing to speak the truth, even if it means risking loss of client business. Because a client believes his new Web site will revolutionize the industry, doesn't make it so. Of course, clients must be free to give the tough feedback when agency work does not hit the mark, and have it received by the creative team with open minds.

5. Respect

When you hire an agency or agree to represent a client, respect them for the experts they are. The worst thing a client can do is second guess the agency by becoming the defacto expert on all things graphic or copywriting or media placement or whatever. The worst thing the agency can do is tell the client how to run his business. Respect the agency to do what it does best. Ask yourself: "Why did I hire these guys if I am doing the work?" Exactly. Either you've got the wrong agency or you need to step back and let them execute the plan.

In upcoming "IDEAS" pages, we'll talk about the nitty gritty of managing projects; making presentations shine; doing effective press interviews; avoiding brochure snafus—and more. See you then!