What Clients Really Want.

A few years back I was speaking at Fruit of the Loom’s National Sales Meeting, I had the pleasure of sharing the stage with a fellow speaker; and during our offstage conversations still resonates with me today. I recall complaining about how difficult clients were, and how they always were looking at best price and seemed not to value my time. He paused and said, “Cliff, what are YOU doing to make that change”. “What do you mean”, I responded. He said, “Isn’t it the buyers job (the client) to level the playing field? If I can buy what you have from twenty people, and each of them can get it to me in the same time frame, same quality, what else is left other than price? What have you done to ‘raise the bar’ so they can’t put you on that same field?”

An article in B to B magazine, listed the top 10 things clients are really looking for in a strategic marketing partner; amazingly, price didn’t even make the list. Marketers, your clients, in some cases are having their compensation packages dictated by their ability or inability as it were, to show results. So what are the 10 things?

I. A Strategic Thinker – to be an excellent strategic thinker you must first know something, that knowing comes from gaining an understanding of the objectives, and that comes from asking questions.

II. A Clear Understanding of the Client’s Business -Do you have a “clear understanding” of what your client’s really do? Do you ask? Do you research? It is imperative, in order to be different and ‘raise the bar’, that you know not only what your client does, but what are their objectives are on moving forward

III. Experience in the Client’s Industry – having a knowledge base in the client’s industry sets you apart, just think how much more marketable you would be to a prospective employer if you spoke three extra languages?
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IV. Excellent Creative Work – demonstrating your ability to design, create and build targeted promotions that are measurable, that gets noticed.

V. Ability to Think Outside the Box – heck, melt the box! Thinking outside the box means taking “RISKS”, while its true, risk begets failure, but so what, it also produces huge potential profits, it’s worth it.

VI. Proven Success with Clients -As you move through your business and you experience successes, it is important to compile those successes – people want to associate with winners!

VII. Ability to Measure R.O.O. & R.O.I. -campaigns that have a built in form of measurement have a far greater appeal to the end buyer

VIII. Clear Articulation of Your Vision – what is your company’s vision? Is it clear? What exactly do you do? Clients want to know, they want to know so they can make a determination if you fit their culture.

IX. Resources to Grow with the Company – do you have substantial capital in order to grow your business effectively; are you investing in technology that helps you guide your clients business to the next level?

X. Ability to Execute an Integrated Strategy – developing great ideas is not enough, you MUST execute. Your marketing campaigns could have all of the elements that make it complete; creativity, innovation and measurement but without execution it is useless.

Working toward mastering these characteristics will solidly plant you as a strategic partner within most companies. The business landscape has changed; thinking, marketing and selling creatively certainly raises the bar and sets you apart!

Cliff Quicksell, MAS
Speaker at the upcoming SME of the Caribbean Event – October 29, 2009
For more information at http://www.cliffquicksell.net>