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Are you focusing your energy on growing existing client relationships or acquiring new ones? Building strong client relationships requires a commitment to proactive communication from the very beginning, as today's featured guest clearly demonstrates.

Our guest runs a brand agency that prioritizes nurturing and growing client relationships through three key strategies: establishing clear expectations, maintaining proactive communication, and implementing careful qualifying processes to ensure they partner only with the right culture fits. This intentional approach has made her agency irreplaceable to clients.

Discover the specific strategies and insights that have contributed to her success in building lasting, valuable client partnerships that stand the test of time.

Charlene Coughlin is president and partner at Twist Creative, a thriving brand agency founded by a husband and wife duo who combined their talents in writing and design to create a unique agency focused on brand growth. She discusses how to excel at scaling client accounts by nurturing existing relationships and creating strong partnerships, why she stopped participating in RFPs, and more.

In this episode, we’ll discuss:

• Nurturing relationships vs. landing clients.

• The art of proactive client communication.

• RFPs don’t equal quality clients.

• Building trust through consistent communication.

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Sponsors and Resources

Wix: Today’s episode of the Smart Agency Masterclass is sponsored by Wix Studio, the all-in-one platform designed to help agencies scale without the headaches. With intuitive tools, robust native business solutions, and low maintenance, Wix Studio lets your team focus on what matters most—delivering exceptional value to your clients. Ready to take your agency to the next level? Visit wix.com/studio and discover how Wix Studio can transform your workflow, boost profits, and strengthen client relationships.

Nurturing Relationships vs. Just Landing Clients

Many agencies get caught in the endless task of getting more and more accounts and don’t spend nearly as much time on growing those accounts. For Charlene, the business has always been about relationships. She feels it’s useless to have amazing creative if it won’t get used because relationships go sour.

First and foremost, she recommends aiming to understand the client, their motivations, and goals to build a relationship based on really listening to them. By actively listening to clients and demonstrating authentic interest in their success, agencies can transform the traditional vendor-client dynamic into a true partnership built on trust and mutual understanding. This shift fundamentally changes how clients perceive the agency's role.

When this transformation occurs, agencies become irreplaceable strategic partners rather than interchangeable service providers. The relationship evolves from clients dictating specific deliverables to collaborative planning sessions where both parties work together on annual goals and budget development. This partnership approach not only secures long-term client retention but also creates opportunities for account growth that far exceed what's possible through constant new business acquisition.

The Art of Proactive Client Communication

Building strong client partnerships that grow over time requires intentionality from the very beginning of the relationship. Charlene's team implements this philosophy through a proactive approach to client communication that starts during the onboarding process. Rather than reactively waiting for clients to reach out with needs or concerns, they systematically initiate engagement, establishing a foundation of trust and collaboration that benefits both parties.

This proactive communication extends even to prospective clients who are still evaluating whether to work with the agency. Through consistent follow-up and responsive answering of questions, potential clients develop clear expectations about the working relationship before making their decision. By the time they commit, the groundwork for effective collaboration has already been established.

Setting clear expectations from the outset is crucial to this approach. Charlene's team conducts candid conversations to understand what clients value in agency partnerships and what previous experiences have frustrated them. This transparency acknowledges that challenges will inevitably arise while emphasizing their commitment to navigating difficulties together.

Ultimately, ensuring that potential clients align with the agency’s core principles will help you cultivate a more harmonious working relationship. This selectivity not only reduces friction but also enhances the overall experience for both the agency and the client, leading to more productive collaborations.

Protecting Your Agency’s Culture by Prioritizing Healthy Client Relationships

Establishing client alignment from early on also helps agencies avoid the difficult relationships that arise with clients that are just a bad fit. These are the type of clients that will expect a response at any hour of the day and treat your team poorly. The stress and dissatisfaction that arise from such relationships overshadows the potential for creative opportunities, ultimately resulting in a toxic work environment.

For Charlene, these projects are just not worth it and usually require more time and effort than originally estimated. There was a time when her agency was willing to compromise its standards due to financial pressures. However, this mindset only leads to a cycle of negativity, where the agency finds itself mired in challenging relationships that drain energy and resources. By being willing to say "no" to clients who do not respect their team, agencies protect their culture and morale, allowing them to focus on meaningful partnerships that foster growth.

Why RFPs Don’t Always Equal Quality Clients

Like many agencies, Charlene’s team used to spend hundreds of hours on Requests For Proposals, putting a lot of effort into its content and correct format only to never hear back from these companies.

Additionally, the RFP process can inadvertently encourage agencies to engage in practices that undermine the value of their work, like the pressure to provide free spec work to stand out among competitors. This happened to Charlene and her team in 2018 with a project they really wanted to win. However, they only agreed to participate in this RFP after negotiating payment for their spec work. This way they not only got compensated for their time but also demonstrated the value they placed on their creative output.

Still, Charlene found that with RFPs the final decision tended to be based on budget more than what each agency offered, which made those clients the wrong fit for her agency. Therefore, they stopped spending time on RFPs altogether as she found this would actually save the agency time and money they could spend in finding actual qualified clients.

How Charging for Strategy Pays Off in the Long Run

Agencies that sell a Foot-in-the-Door project rather than pitching a big project gain more in the long run. A FIYD is an alternative where agencies propose smaller projects or consultations that allow them to demonstrate their expertise while fostering a collaborative environment. This strategy not only positions the agency as a trusted advisor but also creates a sense of ownership for the client, enhancing their investment in the relationship. It also provides more opportunities for conversations where the agency can find out more about the clients’ issues and what they really need.

Creating a foot-in-the-door offer requires a shift to start charging for insights and strategy many are giving away for free. Clients may struggle with the transition from receiving complimentary advice to paying for it. However, this shift is crucial for establishing the agency as a valued partner rather than just a service provider. When clients begin to pay for strategic insights, they are more likely to engage deeply with the process, leading to better outcomes and a stronger relationship.

Building Trust Through Consistent Communication

In client relationships, anxiety typically arises when communication is lacking. This is why Charlene focuses on building strong connections that extend beyond merely addressing problems to fostering open dialogue. When clients feel comfortable reaching out, it reflects the solid foundation of trust and understanding she has established.

Charlene's agency implements a proactive communication strategy, sending regular status updates even when there is little to report. This consistent attentiveness reassures clients that they are valued and their needs are being addressed, creating a true sense of partnership.

The results of this approach are evident in client behavior. Not only do clients readily discuss business issues with Charlene, but they also seek her expertise on other matters. This pattern demonstrates how thoughtful communication cultivates relationships where clients feel supported, understood, and confident in the partnership.

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