Marketing Yourself: Client - Agency relationship

“It ain’t what you do, it’s the way that you do it. That’s what gets results”By Deon Binneman
The Rapport (South Africa) newspaper last year reported that the use of consultants by the Government cost taxpayers more than 2.5 billion rand (approximately US$278 million) since 1998. The article quotes Minister Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi in saying that “there will be an urgent look at whether the Government is really getting true value in the use of consultants”.
On June 4, 2001, The Business Day reported "SA Airways has cancelled its contracts with a range of consultancies...in a bid to save the airline millions of rands going forward."
Whilst these cancellations mainly affect large consulting firms, the message is clear for all PR and marketing consultants: Beware of putting all your client eggs in one basket, and even if you are successful, market for the future.
Companies change agendas; staff (your previous contacts) leave. For any consultant the loss of a large client can be devastating. It is vital, therefore, to remember that successful consultants market themselves as much as 25% of the time. Consultants also need to re-evaluate their ongoing marketing efforts and reporting mechanisms to clients. How you report and conduct yourself before, during and after the contract is all part of the marketing process.
The following questionnaire serves as a guide to help you think in terms of your clients' needs. (Source: Adapted from Managing the Professional Service firm – David Maister)
Think back to your own use of outside professionals. Did they:
Make it their business to understand what was special and unique about you and your company?
Listen carefully to what you say and what you wanted, rather than substitute their own judgment for yours on what needs to be done?
Give good explanations of what they were doing and why?
Let you know in advance what they were going to do?
Keep you sufficiently informed on progress?
Avoid confusing jargon?
Keep their promises on deadlines?
Document their work activities well?
Make sure they were accessible and available when you needed them?
Make you feel as if you were important to them?
Show an interest in you beyond the scope of the task?
Offer help beyond the specifics of the project?
Most clients say that if they found a provider that reliably behaved in the words described above, they would be:
More likely to return to that provider.
More willing to refer that provider.
Less fee-sensitive about that provider's services.
As someone once said, "The key to marketing success is not how good you are, but how you're perceived."
With a greater understanding of how you are being judged by your clients, here are some tactics that will help you gain credibility and maintain long term relationships even in hard economic times:
Provide regular progress reports so that there are no surprises.
Avoid internal politics.
Emphasize the benefits of your work at all times.
Establish channels of communication with everyone involved in your work.
Discuss small problems before they become major problems.
Provide detailed invoices so that your client can approve them and you can get paid on time.
Put yourself in your clients shoes at all times.
Know your clients and what makes them happy.
Make theclient feel like the only client.
Send articles, share books.
Write thank you & how are you doing notes.
Call frequently when not on site.
Be prepared to deal with unexpected delays.
Coach on an individual basis.
Remember that the client – consultant relationship is a process, not a program
Remember the words from an old song: “It ain’t what you do, it’s the way that you do it: That’s what gets results.”

Deon Binneman , a managing member of REPUCOMM in Johannesburg, South Africa, is a speaker, trainer and consultant specializing in Reputation Management and Strategic Communication counseling.