Tips for working with a marketing firm  

Over the past three-plus decades our Phoenix marketing firm has had numerous opportunities to work with firms, usually younger companies or startups,  that have not previously worked with a marketing agency, advertising agency or public relations agency in Phoenix or anywhere else.

Sometimes their approach to our initial meetings takes on the tone, “be gentle, it’s our first time,” or at least it feels a little like that.

Certainly, a cautious approach makes sense at the outset of any kind of new relationship, business or otherwise, and the fact that there are lots of stories of some rather aggressive marketing, advertising and public relations firms out there makes such a wary attitude somewhat understandable.

 That said, though there have been abuses, even cases of runaway budgeting, some even without taking the client’s circumstances or comprehension into account, a client/agency relationship has the best chance for success if it is built upon trust, openness from both sides and mutual respect. And, if the client has done their homework properly and thoroughly when going through the agency selection process, a feeling of comfort, satisfaction, even with a generous dash of optimistic anticipation would be more appropriate than anything even remotely approaching trepidation.

 Frankly, sometimes this overly cautious attitude has been borne out of a unwillingness on the part of the new client to have sought the kind of professional marketing help it needed until the step was finally taken more out of desperation than anything else. But, fortunately, such cases are not the norm.

 Here, then, are some guideposts for such relationships that we hope will be helpful in fostering healthy relationships between clients and their marketing agencies. Let’s call them .  .  .

 A dozen tips for working with a marketing firm:

 

 

1.     Treat them as insiders; share pertinent information liberally.

 

2.     Always keep them “in the loop” on seemingly trivial as well as important decisions that may have an effect on sales and your marketing success.

 

3.     Acquaint them with your corporate culture and key management staff.

 

4.     When practical, introduce them to other key outsource vendors, such as their HR or CFO counterparts.

 

5.     Have your staff members and other outsource vendors submit to them for review all internal and external communications that could have a possible impact on your corporate image and sales.

 

6.     Meet or communicate with them regularly, not merely in last minute or emergency situations.

 

7.     Neither discard, nor accept their advice, suggestions, copy-writing points or strategic advice without first understanding the rationale involved.

 

8.     Respect their marketing expertise and heed the advice that results from it when doing so seems inherently warranted.

 

9.     Read every communication they create carefully before approving it.

 

10. Never approve suggestions with which you are not comfortable.

 

11. Maintain what amounts to a “partner relationship” conducive to the development of mutual trust, constructive dialog, creative and strategic two-way input, and a level of synergy that promotes effectiveness. 

 

12. Have an overall strategic plan, and amend it as may be required.

 

 Allan Starr founded Marketing Partners in 1976. The Phoenix-based marketing, advertising and public relations firm that serves an extensive and diverse clientele comprised of Arizona, regional and national companies has won many awards for its innovative campaigns.

 

 

Over the past three-plus decades our Phoenix marketing firm has had numerous opportunities to work with firms, usually younger companies or startups,  that have not previously worked with a marketing agency, advertising agency or public relations agency in Phoenix or anywhere else.

Sometimes their approach to our initial meetings takes on the tone, “be gentle, it’s our first time,” or at least it feels a little like that.

Certainly, a cautious approach makes sense at the outset of any kind of new relationship, business or otherwise, and the fact that there are lots of stories of some rather aggressive marketing, advertising and public relations firms out there makes such

a wary attitude somewhat understandable.

That said, though there have been abuses, even cases of runaway budgeting, some even without taking the client’s circumstances or comprehension into account, a client/agency relationship has the best chance for success if it is built upon trust, openness from both sides and mutual respect. And, if the client has done their homework properly and thoroughly when going through the agency selection process, a feeling of comfort, satisfaction, even with a generous dash of optimistic anticipation would be more appropriate than anything even remotely approaching trepidation.

Frankly, sometimes this overly cautious attitude has been borne out of a unwillingness on the part of the new client to have sought the kind of professional marketing help it needed until the step was finally taken more out of desperation than anything else. But, fortunately, such cases are not the norm.

Here, then, are some guideposts for such relationships that we hope will be helpful in fostering healthy relationships between clients and their marketing agencies. Let’s call them .  .  .

A dozen tips for working with a marketing firm:

•  Treat them as insiders; share pertinent information liberally.
• Always keep them “in the loop” on seemingly trivial as well as important decisions that may have an effect on sales and your marketing success.
• Acquaint them with your corporate culture and key management staff.
• When practical, introduce them to other key outsource vendors, such as their HR or CFO counterparts.
• Have your staff members and other outsource vendors submit to them for review all internal and external communications that could have a possible impact on your corporate image and sales.
• Meet or communicate with them regularly, not merely in last minute or emergency situations.
• Neither discard, nor accept their advice, suggestions, copy-writing points or strategic advice without first understanding the rationale involved.
• Respect their marketing expertise and heed the advice that results from it when doing so seems inherently warranted.
• Read every communication they create carefully before approving it.
• Never approve suggestions with which you are not comfortable.
• Maintain what amounts to a “partner relationship” conducive to the development of mutual trust, constructive dialog, creative and strategic two-way input, and a level of synergy that promotes effectiveness.
•  Have an overall strategic plan, and amend it as may be required.

 

 Allan Starr founded Marketing Partners in 1976. The Phoenix-based marketing, advertising and public relations firm that serves an extensive and diverse clientele comprised of Arizona, regional and national companies has won many awards for its innovative campaigns.

 

 

99% of the time, words are ultimately what generates leads, motivates people to action and makes you money. The right words can produce an astonishingly better response. We all have the same words available for our use. It is how they are arranged that makes the critical difference. Make sure the words you choose “fit the picture you’re trying to paint,”  e.g. the point you’re seeking to make. Get it done right – hire a qualified wordsmith.

 

Life is a timed event. We have only a certain amount of time each day, week, month and year in which to accomplish our objectives. As my favorite college professor used to say, coming up with the right answer solves only half of the problem. The other half is to do so in a timely manner.

That familiar say, “Timing is everything,” while not totally correct is at least partially correct, and good timing is a very important item, at that. Timing can be pressure induced, but its more comfortable, and perhaps more effective, counterpart is good timing that results from good planning.

There simply is no substitute for a little self-analysis that results in timing things for maximum impact. So, while it is also the result of good instincts (thank God for those), it might be better to rely on good planning to produce the good timing from which your marketing will most profit.

Have you ever noticed how the NBA teams seem to kick it up a notch when the voice on the PA system announces, “Two minutes”? As small business owners and managers, we don’t have that luxury. We have to come out of the staring blocks each day and run hard right from the starting gun in order to make our way through our weekly to-do list.

I advise our clients to set up a self-imposed marketing deadline system in order to produce and disseminate their marketing materials and make those vital selling contacts in a timely manner. This just makes good sense and, like the airport control tower, keeps the ”work-to-be-done” traffic moving. Otherwise, as I have found in my own case, it is easy to become so involved in your clients/customers’ needs that you forget the needs of your own business – needs like those key marketing projects and other self-promotion activities.

 

 You probably have an appropriate and effective response to the hypothetical, yet critical question, “Why should we give you our business?”  One of our clients who is skilled at delivering those daunting “elevator speeches,” was nonetheless stumped when one of his was met with the challenging question shown above.

 If this should happen to you, you “post-elevator-speech” response may be the last opportunity you will ever have to sell yourself, so it had better be to the point, and laced with relevant – and supportable – claims. Here’s a clue: Build your answer entirely around things unique to you and your business. The only things your prospect is interested are those things through which you can be distinguished from your competitors.

Vague generalities and empty or meaningless claims are verboten. Be clear, specific and benefits-oriented, rather than features-oriented in your response. And never rely on emotion rather than facts.  If you can’t dazzle your questioner on the spot, at least try to entice them with something of substance in order to “buy” enough time to give more thought to their needs and concerns before giving a more comprehensive response at a future date.

The keys are brevity, clarity, pertinence, and, if more time is needed to develop a truly appropriate response, enough “enticement power” to facilitate a follow-up opportunity.

 

 

 

Since 1976, we’ve developed marketing plans for hundreds of businesses, from one-person startups to elite members of the Fortune 500. All have one thing in common: The fundamentals must be in place before developing strategies and tactics designed to accomplish a specific set of objectives.

We emphasize to our clients that a marketing plan should be “written in pencil,” in other words, subject to sensible change in response to changing conditions or if “Plan A” is not working quite the way we had intended.

Here are some basics of a good plan:

 

1. 1.     Know your position.

 

Determine the specific niche your business intends to fill (what you will be in the minds of your prospects and customers/clients).

 

In establishing your position, think in terms of –

 

a) Objectives

b) Strengths and weaknesses of what you offer

c) Perceived competition,

d) Target market, i.e. its needs

f)  Marketplace trends

 

Ask yourself these basic questions:

 

¨     What business am I in?

¨     What is my goal?

¨     What benefits do I offer?

¨     What are the competitive advantages?

¨     What do I fear?

 

1. 2.     Identify your target market.

 

Then, measure your position against four criteria:

 

¨     Does it offer a benefit that your target market really wants?

¨     Is it a valid benefit?

¨     Does it truly separate you from your competition?

¨     Is it unique and/or difficult to copy?

 

1. 3.     Create your strategy.

 

This can be accomplished with seven sentences:

 

• Know your purpose. (to maximize profits, etc.)
• Describe how you will accomplish  it

¨     Describe your target market(s).

¨     Outline the tactics you’ll employ.

¨     Describe your niche.

¨     Reveal the identity of your business 9what you want it to be known for)

¨     State your budget (if estimable).

 

1. 4.     Set your positioning statement.

 

The positioning statement reveals the identity of your offering; it explains what the product/service stands for ¾ why the offering has value and why it should be purchased. Unlike image, which is the impression you choose to make for your business, identity defines what your business is really about.

 

1. 5.     Develop your working marketing plan.

 

It will:

 

a) Identify the market

b) List goals

c) Address long-term and near-future vision

d) Consider (realistic) market share

e) Schedule timing

f) Makes projections

g) Provides promotional framework

h) Specify media and other avenues to use

i) Consider personnel issues and outsourcing

j) Reflects on potential obstacles/pitfalls,

k) Considers remedies

l) Estimate campaign costs

 

6. Consider the use of a situational analysis.

 

This should include information about your –

 

a) Key prospects and audience

b) Current and expected competition

c) The possibilities, probabilities and reality of the marketplace at (this) time

 

 

 

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