What Do Clients Want from Their Marketing Agency in 2024?
By Ellie Jackson, Chief Client Strategy Officer
This blog explores the top five attributes businesses seek in a marketing agency in 2024. Learn how to embody these qualities to meet client expectations and excel in the industry.
As September rolls in and the familiar buzz of “back to school” season begins, we’re reminded of the importance of preparation, learning, and the pursuit of excellence. Like students sharpening their skills and embracing new challenges, we at Aspectus find ourselves reflecting on our methods as a global branding, marketing and communications agency.
We’re always looking to get better at what we do. We work hard to keep our services fresh and valuable. That’s why we often ask for client feedback – to understand what clients value the most and highlight where we should focus our attention.
Based on the lessons from our latest client survey, I found it fascinating to compile these into the five key trends clients rank as the most valuable from their marketing and PR agency in 2024.
Proactivity: Anticipating Client Needs
“My coverage team has been sharp and consistently contribute to our success. They are my secret weapon.”
Proactivity isn’t just about reacting to client requests; it’s about being innovative and forward-thinking. As students gather their stationary supplies and prepare for ‘what if’ situations like a surprise quiz, clients value an agency that anticipates their needs and is prepared to react quickly.
We are constantly exploring new ways to help partners succeed. This mindset allows us to offer creative solutions that not only meet but exceed expectations, ensuring clients stay ahead in their respective markets across financial services, capital markets, technology, energy and industrials.
So, what does this look like?
Embody clients’ business: immersion into their business plan, operations, and culture allows us to understand their unique needs and objectives.
“They are proactive and understand where our company is in its lifecycle.”
Contingency planning: strategic planning ensures we are always prepared to act swiftly and effectively in line with clients’ messaging and goals.
Study competitors: understanding the competitive landscape allows us to identify gaps and opportunities to exploit.
Conduct thorough market analysis: staying abreast of industry trends helps us anticipate changes and adapt tactics accordingly.
Identify challenges and opportunities: by keeping an eye on market developments, we can anticipate evolving conversations and stories to leverage emerging opportunities – especially when the client is unsure where to tap into.
“Wonderful team, super proactive even when we struggled to find story angles on our side. Very professional and can rely on them to deliver.”
Creativity: Standing Out in Saturated Markets
In increasingly saturated markets across social channels and publications, businesses are looking for agencies that can think outside the box. But creativity can sometimes feel out of sync with the logic and rationality of business strategy. The challenge lies in carving out space for them to own and make a lasting impression.
At Aspectus, we set ourselves apart with a special kind of creative energy, which we call ‘considered creativity’. We don’t just do creativity for creativity’s sake. Instead, our ideas are big and bold – designed to ensure organisations stand out – but firmly grounded in an understanding of target markets, audiences, and business goals. Whether it’s through a press release, product launch, or LinkedIn campaign, this guiding principle means our work cuts through the technical (and sometimes monotonous) noise.
“I always want more proactive, creative ideas coming my way, so I encourage the team to keep their foot on the gas in that respect. They do a good job today and I want to continue this focus.”
Most importantly, we do not want to create an echo chamber. Creativity thrives on diversity. This is why we are committed to a balanced approach, uplifting talent from different backgrounds, with unique experiences and perspectives to bring fresh, innovative ideas to the table.
“The team has the right blend of skills to deliver communication objectives.”
Deep Sector Knowledge: Driving Business Forward
Importance of sector knowledge in marketing is paramount. Organisations want an agency that understands their industry inside out and can provide insights that drive their business forward.
96% of clients see their account team as a genuinely consultative partner, and 93% say the team has a good understanding of the client’s sector.
“I think the team have a very good understanding of the traditional telecoms market. They also seek opportunities to bridge the gap with the new technology sector by connecting stories in AI, cloud and digital technologies.”
We strive to stand in our clients’ shoes to understand their distinct viewpoints – delving into their marketing plans and sales targets – aligning our approach with their targets. Building this kind of rapport with a client takes considerable time and effort until it becomes intuitive within account teams.
Dedication to understanding the essence of organisations, every nuance of their industries, and the specifics of their products and services allows agencies to provide tailored, effective strategies that resonate.
Reliability and Responsiveness: The Backbone of Agency Success
After the intensity of a demanding first term, students get to have some much-needed rest and relaxation (R&R) during the half-term break. This rejuvenation period allows them to reflect on their performances, celebrate their successes, and plan for the future.
Similarly, it is important for agencies to take a step back to evaluate their performance – not just to identify areas of improvement, but also to understand what is going well.
When asked what teams do that clients value most, the resounding answers were: responsiveness and reliability. 100% of our respondents said the Aspectus account team is organised, reliable and communicated effectively.
This combination of traits ensures we can respond quickly to media requests and other last-minute needs, without any drama. They value collaboration and a deep understanding of their unique operational processes, enabling agencies to seamlessly integrate as an arm of their marketing team.
Each agency has its own approach to working with clients. For us, the term “client” doesn’t fully capture the essence of our relationships with the companies we serve. We see them as integral partners who keep our lights on. Recognising that each point of contact has a unique personality, workflow, and objectives, we strive to be agile and adaptable to meet their diverse needs.
“We see the Aspectus team as an extension of our internal team – they are extremely knowledgeable about our organisation, our messaging and objectives, and we can trust them to come to us with proactive ideas which will help support our overall mission and goals. Fantastic communication from the whole team – and they are so flexible with our timings and always accommodate our often-last-minute requests.”
That is our take on proactive marketing agency strategies 2024. Ultimately, businesses desire marketing agencies that exemplify proactivity, foster considered creativity, possess deep sector knowledge, and demonstrate unwavering reliability and responsiveness.
At Aspectus, our commitment to these values defines our approach and drives us to excel. We’re looking forward to what’s to come in the next year, and how we can continue to push boundaries to deliver exceptional results for our partners.
Key takeaways
Q: What is the importance of proactivity for marketing agencies? A: Proactivity involves anticipating client needs and offering innovative solutions, ensuring agencies stay ahead in the market.
Q: How can creativity help marketing agencies stand out? A: Creativity, especially when grounded in market understanding, allows agencies to create impactful and memorable campaigns that cut through the noise.
Q: Why is deep sector knowledge crucial for marketing agencies? A: Deep sector knowledge enables agencies to provide tailored strategies and insights that align with clients’ business goals and industry trends.
Q: How do reliability and responsiveness benefit clients? A: These traits ensure that agencies can quickly and effectively address client needs, fostering strong, collaborative relationships.
Bibliography
- The Pursuit of Excellence
- How professional services firms can edge out the competition this Q4 by refreshing communications strategies
- Helping clients compete with considered creativity
- SBI Digital Asset Holdings
- RMS (now Moody’s RMS)
- Fully-paid apprenticeships to get your career in communications started
