Relationships are the most fundamental aspect of any business. Without a mutually beneficial relationship there is no trust, and without trust there is no success. At Inner Spark we value each and every relationship. We strive to be more than a vendor: a partner. Instead of solely offering services, the agency aims to be a partner to the client, guiding the them through the various processes and keeping an open flow of communication as it happens. In a perfect world, a client/agency relationship goes far beyond the fee. Instead, it is a relationship between two organizations with one common goal: moving the client’s bottom line. Because, at the end of the day, the client’s success means success for the agency as well. A strong, mutually beneficial relationship is the key to seeing both an agency and its client thrive and create something special together.
Collaborative Communication
A relationship is built on open-communication. It is important for both the client and the agency to be completely open through the process of working with one another to maintain a trusting, collaborative environment. By offering honest feedback and discussion throughout the strategy and creative development process, it will further establish trust in the relationship, which in turn, will lead to the exchange of creative ideas and business strategy. Keeping the communication channels open allows both sides of the partnership to feel comfortable enough to voice opinions and ideas without feeling out of place. In an agency-client environment, ideas should be collaborative and bounced off of one another, in order to ensure the best solutions are found and marketing goals are set, along with a formula to achieve them.
Listen
Beyond keeping an open flow of communication, a relationship thrives as the stakeholders involved listen to one another. From the agency’s point of view, it is important to be able to listen to your clients needs and wants, and create a strategy to provide solutions to their specific problems. An agency should take the time to listen to the life-story of a client’s company, so that no time is wasted pushing services on them that won't reach their targeted audiences. Knowing your client’s background and passions is often the first step to building a meaningful relationship. This goes the same way when it comes to a client listening to what the agency has to offer. No client should enter a partnership with their mind made up as to what they want to do and how they want to do it. That is what the agency is there for, to provide creativity, tools and solutions to the problems a client may be facing, in order to generate a successful result for both parties. By listening to one another and being open to each other’s ideas, a client and agency can continue to build on their relationship.
Transparency
Transparency is more than just making a commitment to a client that you, as an agency, will engage in open and honest conversations with them. It needs to be at the heart of your business. From the way you communicate with your clients to how your contracts are written to the core values your organization embodies, being transparent will help to create a strong relationship with you and your client built upon good morals. As your client-agency relationship evolves, it is important to stay transparent in order to develop a new level of trust. This means keeping your client in the loop when it comes to changes in the workplace - good or bad. Clients need to be open and honest with their agencies about key changes within their businesses as well. If they are feeling unsure about an idea or do not understand the way something is explained, they should feel confident enough in the relationship to speak up and say what is on their mind. For a partnership to grow, both the agency and the client need to keep one another in the loop and ask for clarity if anything does not seem right.
Here, at Inner Spark Creative, we believe that you deserve a partner that cares as much about your success as you do. Some advertising philosophies focus on convincing people to buy, but we know people want a genuine experience with people. Our client relationships are just that - a partnership where we are as committed to our client's success as we are to our own.
Throughout the years, we have seen how advertising has changed dramatically, from making a sale into making a connection between people and brands they can believe in. Our approach to building relationships with our clients stems from the people and the brands they care about. We could not imagine working for a client without knowing and caring about what they stand for, and we intend to help them every step of the way, offering solutions and guidance. Relationships form the basis of our agency and what we stand for. By developing an initial connection, we believe that the creative process and success of our clients will grow exponentially.
