Your clients expect you to have an intimate knowledge of their business and marketing objectives. Read on to find out what else big brands want from you.
Given the nature of our ever-evolving industry, it's important to always keep a fresh perspective on where the marketing currents are taking us. While certain rules of the road are etched in stone, there are a few new conventions that might surprise you.
During the opening keynote address at the iMedia Agency summit in Scottsdale, Ariz., a panel of heavyweight brand marketers, led by moderator John Durham, CEO and managing partner of Catalyst S+F, discussed what big brands want. Here's what they said:
Understand the business that you're pitching to
Know your potential client's business before you try to woo their partnership.
"I've heard 18 agencies over the last 20 months, and 75 percent of them didn't understand the business they were pitching," said Beverly Jackson, director of marketing and social media for the Recording Academy/The GRAMMY Awards.
If you don't know what brands do, how can you expect to help them to achieve their marketing goals? Furthermore, if you don't know the businesses you're pitching, how do you expect to earn their trust?
Collaborate well with others
Agencies can no longer expect their big brand partners to be monogamous, as brands are now hiring multitudes of agencies to handle their ever-growing needs. Keeping that in mind, it is important that agencies not only work well with others, but are also capable of adapting to the delicate system that's already in place.
"We work with multiple agencies, so we must be sure that the agencies are coordinated and that the roles of the agencies are distinct," said Linda M. Cronin, director of media and interactive integrated communications for Coca-Cola North America.
In addition to working well with others, agencies must also be willing to give up their technology partners and work with those already attached to the brand.
Lastly, you must understand that collaboration is a growing trend within the business -- and don't be threatened by it.
"We have a large consolidation of agency partners that we work with," said Nick Sheth, senior director of global business development for Gap Inc. Direct. "What I tell my friends at all the agencies is... 'be confident.' We don't talk to other folks because we want to cut you out of the loop."
Focus on what you do well first
Concentrate on what you were hired to do, and do it well before attempting to take on more challenges.
"You've got to know your role, and be good at what you've been asked to do first before you begin to spread your wings to push others out," Jackson said.
Find out what your clients think is important
While it's safe to say that every brand is looking for innovation, scale, and measureable ROI, agencies should be aware of specific client needs and concerns.
For example, Sheth takes privacy very seriously because a breach of consumer trust could "rapidly tarnish" a brand like Gap Inc. Sheth wants partners who value privacy and who have a strong understanding of the business and how his brand's massive database can be analyzed.
Jackson's primary concern is engagement. Given the GRAMMY's strong push toward social, Jackson wants to know how many people transfer from TV to online and what social avenues have the strongest influence over viewers. Jackson wants to "engage people beyond the four corners of their television screen."
The folks at Coca-Cola want to be able to measure the effectiveness of their marketing efforts. "How do I know if what I am doing works -- any information that can provide that is useful to me," Cronin said. "It's about co-creating... it's about the consumer journey."
Jennifer Marlo is associate editor at iMedia Connection.
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