Stronger Together: The Power of Client-Agency Collaboration

Successful marketing isn’t just about great ideas — it’s about great collaboration. Whether you’re launching a brand, dreaming of a new website, or rolling out a public awareness campaign, working with a creative agency should feel like an extension of your own team. And as with any solid partnership, getting the best results takes communication, strategy, and trust.

So, how can you get the most out of working with an agency? We asked Origo’s Account Management team for their top tips on maximizing client-agency partnerships to achieve more together.

Tip #1: Keep the Communication Flowing

Clear and consistent communication is imperative when it comes to in-depth creative endeavors with an agency. It not only helps the agency meet your long- and short-term strategic goals, but it also helps their team anticipate potential challenges, think of new creative opportunities as they arise, and keep timelines on track.  

Every project and initiative you undertake influences your work, even if it is not marketing-specific. For example, if an agency is building a website and you have an upcoming annual meeting, the agency can align those efforts to maximize their impact. If the agency is creating a monthly social media strategy and you’re gearing up for a fundraising drive or promotional push, the agency can tailor that month’s messaging and visuals to drive engagement. 

This can’t be done without regularly communicating with one another. Whether it be with feedback, updates, or questions, be sure to reach out and be honest with your team. It not only strengthens your relationship but also allows the agency to help solve challenges promptly, effectively, and proactively.  

“When clients openly communicate with me, I am able to better predict what their needs are before they arise, and formulate plans to meet those needs. This not only mitigates potential problems, but delivers on our commitment to deliver quality work.” – Nick Fraunfelter, Director of Account Strategy

Tip #2: Get Everyone Aligned Early

Clear direction at the outset of a project helps bring ideas to life sooner. When your internal teams — whether that be leadership, departments, or executive boards — have a shared vision from the start, your agency partner can spend more time creating amazing work for you. 

Sometimes, the direction of a particular project can be unclear out of the gate. That’s okay — that’s why agencies exist! Many of them, including Origo, regularly conduct research and testing to give you a better picture of what creative strategies and solutions will achieve the best possible results.

“Fostering and sharing a unified vision makes the most efficient and effective use out of a client-agency partnership. When we can all work together, we’re able to best solve your communication challenges and deliver engaging creative.” – Caitlin Philips, Accounts Director

Tip #3: Give Honest, Specific Feedback

Good creative work is built on honesty. Your input helps creative strategists craft the best possible solutions to your challenges, so the more details you can share about what’s working (or what’s not), the better. If you’re unsure how to describe your vision, sharing examples of brands, campaigns, or imagery that inspire you can be a great starting point, as well as a way to share what success may look like to you.

Even if you don’t know how to phrase a thought, speaking up with feedback helps the team interpret what you’re looking for and translate that into solutions to move the project forward and give the group something to react to as a good starting point. Don’t be afraid to raise a hand – agency partners are always happy to explain their creative reasoning or work through an insight they may not have thought about before.

“Feedback is crucial. Understanding what you think could be more effective is wildly important to helping shape the best possible product. It does not offend us, it is collaboration at its finest!” – Lindsey Foradori, Sr. Account Manager 

Tip #4: Come Ready with Ideas and Insights

Agencies are here to help tell your story, but you know your brand best. The more details, background, and ideas you can bring to the table at the beginning, the more likely it is that the resulting creative will truly connect with your audience. If you’re not sure about your audiences’ current perceptions or awareness, it’s our job to be your resource to help you figure it out and guide the process.

Agencies can conduct focus groups and marketing research that help you hear directly from current and prospective audience members to learn how they think and what they value. This research can also include internal teams who hold customer-facing positions. No matter what route you choose, all are viable ways to gain the findings needed to help craft strategies that will connect and resonate with targeted groups.

“Inspiration and insights from clients help us get from an idea to an impactful deliverable that inspires and excites them about the work their organization is doing.” – Amanda Lehner, Sr. Account Manager

Tip #5: Trust the Process and Your Partner

Agencies are passionate about what they do and always have your best interests in mind. Anticipating needs, solving challenges, and making the creative process seamless is what they’re there for. But if you have a question, your agency wants to hear it! Because if you’re unsure, there’s a good chance someone else may be too.

Asking unexpected questions can spark new ways of thinking and lead to innovative solutions, but that open communication can’t be done without trust. Trust the process, trust your intuition, and trust your agency partner, and in the end, the result will be sure to not only meet the project objectives, but exceed expectations.

“No matter the size or scope of a project, an agency should always position itself as an extension of its client’s team. We are your partner and we empathize with your marketing challenges, as we can’t create successful strategies without immersing ourselves into your business. We’ll always give our honest recommendation, as truthful conversation is the best path to solving any business problem. Everything we do is to help our clients be successful.”  – Alessandro Ciaffoncini, President

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