Marketing can be done right if the client and the agency work well together. Collaborating with the right agency can help clients achieve their marketing objectives, but communication is essential, as with all good relationships. Here are some tips on how to make the client-agency relationship work from both the client's and the agency's perspectives. 

Six things clients want from their agency

1. Customers first
   Clients want their agency to know their industries and customers well, whether it is a banking customer, an insurance customer or an FMCG consumer. 

2. Breaking down the Silos
   Clients want one voice from the agency and expect different divisions in the agency to speak to one another and give them a single point of view for their marketing challenges. 
    
3. Clarity of Goals
   The client knows what they need and will tell the agency what is required. But sometimes, it is good for the agency to look at the bigger picture to offer advice that would meet their business objectives.
    
4. Regular communication
   Clients need clarity on how they can work with their agency, especially if the agency has just been newly appointed, so it is necessary to have frequent sessions and face-to-face meetings.
    
5. Stakeholder commitment
   The agency must know that the client has many organisational stakeholders to communicate with and convince. 
    
6. Think big, start small and scale fast
   Clients will want their agency to be agile, to move and adapt quickly and efficiently to their changing needs.

Six things the agency wants from their clients

1. Impact on business
   The agency wants to know how the campaign performances impact the client's business or make an influence internally, so having the client articulate that is really useful to them. 
    
2. Breaking down the Silos
   A single point of contact from the client allows the agency to work faster and more streamlined because this point of contact will ensure that the client’s business units communicate well and are aligned. 
    
3. Clarity of Goals
   Managing the agency is one of the 50 things the client needs to do, so the agency should not create more stress for them. Instead, the agency needs to ask for a clear brief and direction. Sometimes, it is about educating the client, so there is a more precise brief. 
    
4. Ways of Working
   In an ideal world, the client and agency discuss how they will work together, but sometimes it is difficult for the client to articulate a clear approval process to the agency. 
    
5. Stakeholder commitment
   The agency wants to know whose buy-in is needed and who is the decision maker to work together more efficiently.
    
6. Think big, start small and scale fast
   The agency wants to be efficient and accurate, so it is important for clients to set clear expectations and KPIs.

Conclusion

There are nuances between what clients and agencies want, but they are not that far apart.

In conclusion, a client-agency relationship is all about a mutual respect. It is about respecting and understanding people’s opinions, time, and expertise. It is also about working together as a team with shared successes and failures and putting the clients’ customers first.