Why Client Communication is Important in Advertising
In the advertising industry, clients pay for results. However, this does not mean that an advertising company can simply deliver results and ignore the other facets of good customer service. Indeed, in today’s fast-paced business world, one of the most crucial things that advertising agencies can do is engage in strong and transparent communications with their clients.
While it is perhaps true that clients will never be completely satisfied—and equally true that advertising agencies should always strive to improve their customer service, regardless of how strong it may be—one chief concern that many clients have is the communication (or lack thereof) that comes from their advertising agencies.
For some clients, the level of communication itself is a concern. For others, the advertising agency may deliver communications that are difficult to understand, or which fail to deliver any useful information to the client. Regardless of the specific issue, delivering clear, timely, and useful information to your client is a key part of building and maintaining a healthy and productive relationship.
Good Communication Makes It Easier for Clients to Handle Change
Some advertising agencies only communicate with their clients when they are changing something, such as the way they run the client’s ad campaign or the pricing model they are using. This type of neglect can easily lead to disgruntled clients who instinctively cringe when they open their email to see a message from the advertising agency.
Instead of only letting clients know about upcoming changes, advertisers should strive to regularly update their clients on every happening that affects their marketing campaign. Even if it is simply a short note to let the client know that things are humming along nicely, keeping the client in the loop will make it easier to deal with change.
Help Avoid Buyer’s Remorse
When a client has signed an agreement for a large advertising campaign, it is not uncommon for him or her to later begin engaging in second-guessing. This is particularly true if the ad campaign is one that will not yield immediate results. If the client sees the advertising bill rolling in when there is not a commensurate increase in sales leads, you may discover that the client is on the verge of canceling the arrangement.
Engaging in frequent communication with the client—right from the very beginning of the relationship—will help reinforce his or her belief in what you are doing. An advertising agency that reaches out to clients on a regular basis and keeps them abreast of all the vital developments in the ad campaign will find that its clients are less likely to start wondering if they have made a mistake.
Maximize Advertising Campaign Effectiveness
An advertising campaign is working at its best when it is effectively and accurately representing the product or service that its client is offering. If your client implements a change in the way it does business, or in a particular facet of its good or service, your advertising campaign should accurately and quickly reflect that change.
Engaging in an open dialogue with a client helps keep the channel of information flowing. This means you will be apprised of any changes that much faster, allowing you to quickly implement the necessary changes in the advertising campaign.
Increase the Loyalty of Your Customers
Let’s face it: in today’s business world, customers can be quite fickle, jumping from one advertising agency to the next with very little consideration for anything other than price. To combat this, and slow down the exodus of clients from your agency to that of a competitor, make sure you regularly reach out to clients.
Establishing a regular channel of communication will help build a rapport with your clients. This, in turn, will give them pause when they are considering whether to take their business elsewhere. In fact, many clients may ultimately end up remaining with you simply because of your relationship, even if one of your competitors seems to be offering a better deal.
Along these lines, your communication with your clients should include information on how you are different from your competition. If a client sees advertising agencies as interchangeable, they are more likely to switch solely because of price; however, if they understand that an advertising agency is about more than the price they pay for advertising, they will be more likely to reach out to you when they have received a better offer elsewhere.
Communication is Everything
When building a strong client relationship, the importance of good communication cannot be overstated. Good communication enables clients to reduce waste both in terms of productivity and advertising dollars spent on ineffective or inaccurate campaigns.
Conclusion
By establishing an open and transparent channel of communication, advertising agencies can help foster client loyalty and deliver improved value. This will benefit both parties in the relationship, making for a stronger, more profitable relationship. Contact Raven Marketing at 503-954-1473 and let us show you how we’re different from other Portland advertising agencies.
