Introduction
As someone who has spent a career on the brand side of the table, I've been fortunate to build business relationships with amazing agencies and publishers that have lasted for years and continue to thrive to this day. These are day-to-day working relationships with people and teams that are completely in sync with our brand, and they are truly extensions of our own marketing team.
Of course, these types of relationships are needles in the haystack, which is why they are so valuable. Business relationships that could run amok are lurking at every corner. Sometimes publishers, or certain line items on a media plan, just aren't a fit, no matter who oversees the account. This is just a normal part of advertising that is easy to digest. The downward spirals that cause me to shrug my shoulders and shake my head are the relationships that go down the tubes due to lack of experience, lack of common sense, or pure incompetence.
I know what some of you are thinking: "That sounds a little harsh." But it's the current landscape of our industry. Some agencies, publishers, and vendors are good and have good teams -- and some agencies, publishers, and vendors are train wrecks in progress or about to happen.
Want to identify some of the most common perils that will cause your client to run away screaming? Keep reading, and try not to cringe if you've ever stepped into one of the following six sinkholes.
