WORK ON YOUR RELATIONSHIP

Consider these best practices to avoid pitfalls and keep marketer/agency communications on track:

  • CONDUCT twice-yearly audits to ensure that campaigns have clearly defined positioning statements, objectives, strategies, tactics and key performance indicators in place.

  • FOCUS audits on the structure of campaign communications, project briefs and report cards, in addition to the program metrics themselves.

  • ENSURE a clear understanding when requesting or delivering recommendations or proposals; some agencies aren’t taking the time to understand what marketers want.

  • LOSE the jargon: Explain outcomes in plain English so they make sense to a wide range of marketers and executives throughout the company.

  • CONFIRM the numbers and analyses that matter: Whether objectives changed or something was misunderstood, agree on the metrics that matter before analyzing them.

  • AVOID silo communication: Many campaigns have multiple stakeholders; agencies must ensure that metrics and communications serve them all.