Jonathan is the CEO and Founder of Ironpaper, a B2B growth agency that uses data-driven and creative processes to drive business results.
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Many factors affect an agency’s success, but one I don’t see many agencies considering enough is the type of clients they accept. While you do need to understand budgetary restrictions, industry verticals and the client’s goals, you also have to determine whether the client will help your team be successful.
As B2B marketers, we know that pushing as many leads through the funnel as possible and signing new customers at any cost is not the right strategy for our clients—so why would we adopt it for ourselves? Finding clients who are the right fit for your agency is key to building successful relationships and a successful agency.
Make Sure Your Offerings Meet The Prospect’s Needs
Ensuring that clients are the right fit starts with the sales process. Make sure your offering matches the client’s needs, or your relationship will be fundamentally flawed. An agency that provides high-level strategy and acts as a partner to their clients shouldn’t be selling to companies looking for a production house. If they do, employees will be relegated to a production role with no opportunities for meaningful, strategic work, and the relationship will suffer on both sides.
Similarly, if you sign clients who want a strategic partner while your team is only prepared to provide production services, you will be viewed as an underperformer and set up to fail.
While some degree of aspirational selling can be healthy and push your team to rise above their perceived limits, pursuing businesses that need something your team cannot deliver is not beneficial for your clients, your employees or your agency. Make sure your sales teams understand who your ideal clients are and know how to distinguish between a client that will challenge your team and one whose needs are incompatible with your company’s offerings.
Check For A Culture Connection
Long hours, employee burnout and high-stress client relationships are often accepted as “the way things are” in digital marketing, but agencies who thoughtfully and intentionally choose clients and proactively manage their relationships can short-circuit this unhealthy culture.
Too many agency leaders have the attitude that working in a client-service industry means their teams must put up with unrealistic demands or unkind treatment. These leadership teams set their employees, clients and agencies up to fail. In this environment, employees inevitably burn out and turn over at high rates, and there is little room for asking questions, innovating or experimenting.
When there is no mutual trust or respect, working relationships fall apart. Once this type of relationship is established, recalibrating is also extremely difficult. Evaluating for culture fit, and not just budget or service needs, is crucial.
The sales process is an opportunity for your agency and your potential client to evaluate each other and determine whether you’re a good fit—not just for you to pitch yourself. Consider whether the prospect is kind and whether they would be easy to work with. Ask yourself, “Would I refer this potential client to a friend?” If the answer is no, they’re not the right fit for your team.
Confirm That Clients Understand The Investment Required
Ensuring that potential clients understand what level of time and money they’ll be expected to invest in an agency partnership is a crucial part of the selling process. For example, if your agency requires clients to have a customer relationship management platform in place, that is a significant investment, and customers should know that before they make the decision to come on board.
In the same vein, be clear about the investment and time required to generate the results you’re touting. Setting these expectations upfront can help you avoid clients who see you as a quick fix and have unrealistic expectations about what results they can expect and when.
Also, be clear about what immediate results a client can expect. It’s unlikely that you’ll generate a $20 million lead on the first day of the relationship. What may be more realistic is that you can gather lead intelligence, home in on messaging that connects with buyers, and analyze existing data to extract insights and help the team move forward. Clients who understand the value of these outcomes (or are at least willing to be educated) can be strong partners and allow you to do your best work.
Focus On The Quality, Not Quantity, Of Partnerships
Ultimately, building quality relationships with clients whose culture and expectations are a fit for your agency is a better strategy than pursuing every lead at any cost. Agencies that are selective about who they decide to partner with can build meaningful, long-term relationships with clients that allow both teams to meet their goals and create consistent, sustainable growth.
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