Communication is a priority in personal relationships, but the relationship you have with your marketing team is no different. Top-notch communication skills can sometimes be hard to find, but if your current agency is waving any of these 6 red flags, it might be time to dump them!
1. Slow Response Times
Ever feel like you’ve been ghosted by your marketing agency? At a minimum, client emails should be acknowledged promptly during business hours. Some issues may take a bit longer to handle, but a client should know their concern was heard and will be dealt with is important. To be left hanging by your agency means your priorities are taking a back seat. If you’re paying a hefty retainer, it’s important to know your company’s needs are being put first.
2. Reactive Instead Of Proactive
Your agency should be taking the initiative! Agencies with great communication skills know that their purpose is not to add to your workload but to be proactive. They shouldn’t be order-takers, they should be bringing new perspectives and developing strategies for you. It’s important to have an agency that will handle the nitty-gritty and the big picture, taking the lead on projects from start to finish.
3. Confusion About Who To Contact
You should never be confused about who is “in charge” of your account or who to contact should a question or concern arise. Clients should be appointed one account manager to serve as the go-to for all lines of communication. While there are several people who work on the team, the point of contact, or account manager, can handle obtaining the information you need and directing it back to you.
4. No Regular Meeting Cadence
In order to keep you (and your agency) up to date, there should be meetings on a regular basis. Bi-weekly meetings are a good place to start if weekly meetings aren’t an option. They can be quick to check in or more details for reporting and strategies. The goal is to keep a constant stream of the most recent information going.
5. Poor Or No Reporting
Are you unsure of what your agency is actually doing month after month? Sounds crazy, but it happens far too often. Your agency should be reporting back to you the results of what they’re doing in a way you can understand. They should also share what their strategy is moving forward based on that data. Some agencies tend to lack clear reporting or skip it altogether, leaving you wondering if the investment is even worth it.
6. No Emergency Contact
After-hours emergencies happen. That’s why clients should be provided with at least one emergency contact cell phone number to ensure that if things go wrong, someone is there to help. Obviously, boundaries are essential, but sometimes, when things hit the fan, your agency should be stepping in to help.
These are problems you definitely don’t want to overlook, but you don’t have to face them alone. If you’re feeling stuck, get in touch with us and get your questions answered.
