The agency model is notorious for its rapid pace. When you combine that with the lightning-fast pace of social media, you have a near-endless to-do list. It takes time to plan, publish, report, and optimise. When regular client communications are thrown into the mix, it can feel impossible to take a step back and evaluate your overall performance.

However, great agency-client relationships are not built solely on performance. They necessitate a foundation of trust. To foster this trust, agencies must make time as part of their standard operating procedure to encourage open, meaningful communication. As customers get better at providing helpful feedback, their faith in the ability of their team to deliver flourishes.

Here are some practical measures you can take to strengthen agency-client relationships:

1. Be transparent

Transparency distinguishes you from your competitors. Transparency removes any questions or concerns a client could have regarding the value you offer. When you state the truth about your services, including their limitations, you demonstrate that you are not attempting to conceal any flaws.

Transparency allows you to better serve your current agency clients while also attracting new customers. You can maintain this level of openness with clients in a variety of ways, including:

• First and foremost, inquire about your client’s objectives, followed by the budget. Transparency begins with the initial discovery call. Inquire about your client’s aims and goals to start the dialogue.
• Listen to their issues first, then speak. Confirm that you understand their needs, and then talk about how you’ll assist them in achieving their objectives.
• Provide a point of contact for your client.
• Respond to questions as soon as possible. Responding to client inquiries should not take too long.
• Enable customers to access files and tools. Make sure they have unrestricted access to shared workspaces and project management tools. 
• Conduct regular reviews. Begin a weekly or biweekly review process so that both you and the client can catch up. You can identify any flaws or issues that need to be addressed. Gather feedback or catch up on a personal matter.
• Openly share data. Communicate metrics with your clients on a regular basis. You can create a data dashboard where clients can track progress and send automated email updates to keep stakeholders informed.

2. Maintain open lines of communication between your agency and your client

One of the most important challenges between the agency and the client is a lack of communication. Many agencies struggle with over-or under-communication with their clients. Your goal is to ensure that clients are not left in the dark about the status of their marketing or advertising campaign. It is critical that your clients are kept up to date on the status of their campaigns. This way, they are actively involved in the process and can ask questions and request changes.

While your clients should be able to contact you immediately in an emergency, they must also understand what constitutes an acceptable level of communication.

3. Work Together in Partnership

Encourage your clients to think of your firm as an extension of their own company rather than just another service supplier. Working together as partners to achieve a common objective is the key to developing excellent relationships and attaining amazing achievements. Make sure you listen to your clients and give what they genuinely require, rather than simply telling them what they require. Remember that, while you may be the marketing expert, they are more familiar with their brand and customers than you are. Keep your clients up to date and active in your procedures so they can better understand how members of your various teams may collaborate. Also, be receptive to suggestions on how to improve such processes. When you’ve been working together for a time, it’s easy to get complacent and stall development, just like in any relationship. To avoid this, make a commitment to continuous innovation through regular brainstorming sessions and information exchange so that you may all learn and progress together.

The Social Lions, a digital marketing agency in Mumbai, ensures that all of your brand-building and social media marketing demands are addressed.