Articles

First, the error of omission: Agencies tend to overlook the things that make them special. Whether its their history, the way they form relationships, their ability to work under pressure, their corporate attitude - too many times agencies try to be "all things to all people" and, as a result, lose the very essence of who they are when asked to describe themselves.

Second, the error of commission: Bluntly put, too many agencies stretch the truth; some might even say they lie. They're not truthful about how many people they employ, their association memberships, the nature of their client relationships, their ability to provide certain services, etc. But worst, we've seen multiple agencies claim not only to have performed work for the same client - but actually claim to have worked on the same campaign. And the defense of these claims is usually weak. Just because you have someone on staff who was on staff when another agency created a campaign for a client your agency has never worked for does not entitle your agency to claim that campaign (or, more boldly, the client) as your own.

Both errors tend to lead clients to the conclusion that agencies are not only the same, they're all liars. And if you don't think this is a big deal, you're wrong.

Last year, Agencyfinder.com surveyed the over 4,000 clients we've worked with to find agency partners. Over 75% of them said the most important factor in evaluating an agency, its record and its proposal is the agency's "credibility."

It's an important lesson to learn. In a business where we encourage clients to be transparent and honest in their dealings with the media, their employees and their customers, advertising agencies and public relations firms should lead the way in establishing credibility in how they present their credentials to clients by re-thinking what they say - and don't say - about themselves.

We urge all marketing service providers to re-think how they present themselves: Take a look at yourself through a client's eyes and see what they see. Are you an agency with a specific point of difference versus your competition? Do you present your work honestly and fairly? Do you respond to requests for information promptly and substantively? Are you willing to discuss matters frankly and honestly? Do you return our calls promptly?

These are some of the basic credibility issues that underpin the chemistry developed between a client and their marketing agency.