Last week, the International Association of Business Communicators held a shin dig at The Madison in Toronto to recognize and thank its volunteers. The networking event featured a BBQ, cocktails and door prizes to celebrate a successful year of collaborative teamwork.

The celebration got me thinking about the importance and need for clients and agencies to take the time to commemorate results and their partnership.

All too often, clients and agencies forget or get too busy to celebrate when they meet and hopefully exceed expectations. We encourage our clients to celebrate the successes they have combined to deliver. 

This can be done in a way that works for your company’s culture: send a thank you card or take your agency team out for a drink.   Bottom line, whatever works best for you.  Remember that by stopping to celebrate, you can take your relationship to even higher levels.

For example, when my AgencyLink partner Stan Didzbalis and I were agency side, we worked with a world-class technology company. The marketing manager would send balloons or flowers to our account team after a launch, and also toasted us with champagne when we achieved our annual results target within six months.  The account team was envied throughout the office for this inexpensive recognition.

When I was a client, I always took key team members and account managers to lunch after completing a successful AGM, annual report, presentation or major project that required folks to burn the midnight oil. Appreciation builds loyalty.

The end result is that agency professionals want to work with a client that appreciates them – they often work harder and longer to deliver positive results. In addition, other agency staff desperately wanted to work on the account because the client appreciated good work.

From the agency team’s perspective, what characterizes the ideal client and relationship with that client?  When agency account teams identify past positive agency experiences and what made them work well, a big budget is rarely a leading factor. More often than not, an appreciative client wins the day.

For clients, give more thought to what would make everyone want to work on your account:

Trust; Chemistry; Reliability; Clear Direction; Responsive; Ability to Share Information; Collaborative Teamwork; Appreciative; Accountable; Open and Transparent.  Be the best possible client to get the best possible results.

Sheila Corriveau