February is the month of love! It’s the time to sprinkle value and appreciation to your family, coworkers and yes, even your clients.
A happy and healthy client-agency partnership is more than the business transaction. After all, providing a quality work product is table stakes. At The James Agency, we know that cultivating a personal connection with our clients makes the experience better for everyone involved, but not every client is built the same. Each one appreciates their own love language—one we emulate to show how much we care!
We’re breaking down the 5 Love Languages and how you can thoughtfully customize relationship building strategies to any client on your roster.
Receiving Gifts
It’s easy to check the appreciation box by sending a gift to your client; however, impactful client gifts are about the meaning behind it. You want to curate the gift to demonstrate that you’ve truly been paying attention to them as a person and are able to recognize moments that matter. Here’s some ideas to get you started:
- Maximize the impact of a project or campaign launch with a token of celebration (cookies never hurt anyone, right?)
- Express gratitude with a hostess gift when meeting, especially if they make the trip to your office
- Celebrate life’s moments by paying attention to their birthdays, workiversaries, anniversaries and beyond
- Push the boundaries and gift them something they can enjoy out of the office
Quality Time
Disrupt your day-to-day emails to have meaningful face time with your client. We find that our client relationships are often best nurtured with a change of scenery and in-person conversations. The strongest work partnerships are those built on knowing one another on a personal level, with open communication and working toward the same goal. That means getting out, grabbing lunch and having a few laughs together!
- Make your way to their office! It’s easier for them and you can get face time with their extended team
- Attend their open houses, networking events and milestone events
- Plan a lunch or a happy hour (might we recommend our favorite spot, Zuzu?)
- Treat them to a round of golf
- Get adventurous and try their favorite activity (i.e. volunteer events, sports, etc.)
Acts of Service
You are hired by your clients to be their marketing experts. Show the value of your strategic partnership beyond what’s detailed in the scope. Consider these different ways to support your clients:
- Share industry-relevant articles, stories, presentations, etc. (pro tip: We share marketing munchies monthly to our email subscribers)
- Connect clients with your network. If a client could benefit from a partnership with another client of yours, make the introduction for them!
- Offer new ideas! If you have an idea that might benefit their business, don’t be shy to suggest it.
Words of Affirmation
We all love when our clients tell us that we’re doing something amazing, right? Be sure to offer the same level of gratitude in return. At the end of the day, it feels great to be acknowledged for those efforts.
- Lead with gratitude and always thank clients for the effort they contribute
- Compliment them on anything from their latest business innovation to their stylish clothing choices
- Send a written (or virtual) card to celebrate meeting a client’s major milestones; or get more personal with birthdays, work-anniversaries, or hardships
Physical Touch
Yes, even physical touch remains on the list. Remember: love languages are about how to make someone feel appreciated in the ways that they find most valuable. As simple as it sounds, these gestures can go a long way with your clients:
- Greet your clients with a handshake; or if they’re comfortable, offer a hug
- Open or close meetings on a friendly note with an affirming fist bump
- Share a moment of celebration with a high five or two
Wow, that’s a whole lot of love. Next time you’re caught up in the agency day-to-day, be sure to find the opportunities to give your clients the warm and fuzzies. It’ll make for a much happier relationship.
Want to experience a healthy client/agency relationship firsthand? Give us a call for our strategic consulting, media strategy, production services and more. We think you’ll love what we can do for your business.
