Anatomy of a Successful Client-Agency Relationship

Developing a healthy, profitable partnership 
with your advertising agency

What makes a successful relationship between a hospital or physician practice and 
their marketing partners? Is it effective communication, shared vision or pure chemistry? Every relationship is unique, but certain characteristics contribute to high-performing partnerships between healthcare marketers (the client) and their advertising consultants (the agency).

Here are a few qualities of successful client-agency relationships:

• Understanding needs – The agency listens, observes and asks questions about the client’s specific situation to understand the client’s goals, objectives, challenges and market pressures.
• Gaining consensus – The agency has a firm grasp of the client’s organizational politics; how to bring key decision-makers on board early and how to help marketing leadership lead.
• Effective communication – Interaction between the client and the agency is open, transparent and ongoing, focused between key contacts but involving c-level executives and support personnel whenever appropriate.
• Collaboration – The client and agency collaborate on developing strategy and a communication plan. Together they implement the plan and manage the budget to achieve desired results with few surprises.
• Fiscal responsibility – The agency looks for ways to increase the client’s revenue, reduce expenses and drive patients to low-cost entry points in the care system. They’re frugal, and spend the client’s money as if it were their own.
• Fresh thinking – The agency actively offers new marketing ideas, identifies new channels and exploits opportunities as they arise. They’re problem solvers, not order takers.
• Billing to estimates – The agency bills projects based on estimated quotes, allowing clients to manage their budgets and avoid being nickel-and-dimed by time and material costs.
• Proactive execution – The agency knows what needs to get done and takes a self-directed approach to completing the work (without baby-sitting or endless follow-up by the client).
• Investment in new media – The agency continually explores new marketing platforms, investing a small percentage of the budget to experiment and integrate appropriate channels into the plan.

Is your client-agency relationship healthy, happy and mutually beneficial? If not, maybe it’s time for a check up, a frank discussion or a change. Your business is too important to risk on a dysfunctional or unprofitable business relationship.