Building Valuable Client Relationships: A #CMWorld Twitter Chat with Jeremy Bednarski

It’s all about relationships and connections. Did you think we were talking about content marketing? Well, yes, that’s true too. But right now, we’re talking about agency and client partnerships. There are so many things at play here – personalities, capabilities and talents, knowledge and human resources gaps at brands, pricing, and more.

Today on the #CMWorld Twitter chat we spoke with Jeremy Bednarski, a good friend of CMI, longtime #CMWorld Twitter chat participant, and someone who has worked for brands and agencies alike over the years. Seeing the partnership of brands and agencies from both sides, we’re glad Jeremy joined us for what was a fast-paced hour, with quite a few differing opinions, all of which made a whole lot of sense for each situation. We appreciate learning each week from our amazing CMWorld community!

Read some of the highlights below, and also dive into our Twitter moment.

As an agency-client relationship is established and the work begins, how do you define the roles you and clients should have? Who else needs to be involved?

Q3: As work begins, how do you define the roles you and clients should have? Who else needs to be involved? #CMWorld pic.twitter.com/kI85Rtcam4

— Content Marketing Institute (@CMIContent) July 14, 2020

A3. I follow up the initial discovery call with an email summarising key actions e.g. client to brief X, Katie to write Y. I also ask for details of third parties e.g. SEO agencies. #CMWorld

— Katie Thompson (@katielingoyork) July 14, 2020

A3 (1/4): One of the biggest areas you need to understand is your scope of authority. What decisions can you make on your own and when do you need approval? Who gives the approval? Gray area here can lead to overstepping your bounds and eroding trust. #CMWorld

— Jeremy Bednarski (@JeremyBednarski) July 14, 2020

A3 (2/4): You also need to understand how your agency fits in relation to your client’s organization. Are you the marketing department or an extension of their internal team? Who’s leading the charge? #CMWorld

— Jeremy Bednarski (@JeremyBednarski) July 14, 2020

A3. That is actually a tough one, and it really depends on the client. Some clients want to be hands off and others want to be team members. It is not always clear. But what you do need is a clear list of all the concepts and responsibilities that need to be addressed.#CMWorld

— Twoheads-Video Marketing (@TwoheadsC) July 14, 2020

A3: I ask, “What is your ideal result of this campaign? Once I know what you need, I’ll know what I can provide and what I’ll need input or assistance on.” I position it as a collaboration from the start, which helps us all see that no one will be responsible for all. #CMWorld pic.twitter.com/Akqv2fNFtp

— Rachel Wendte (@rkwendte) July 14, 2020

Do you use processes that exist within the agency, or processes that the client uses? Who makes that decision? And what tools should agencies look into?

Q4: Who should manage processes: You or the client? What tools exist that can adapt to your workflows and encourage collaborative work? #CMWorld pic.twitter.com/P75TniDJNn

— Content Marketing Institute (@CMIContent) July 14, 2020

A4 GREAT Question. I think it depends on the process. As an outsourced vendor we like to run the show, keep the schedule moving. Yes, we like to be in charge. But sometimes we need to meet in the middle with clients and alter that plan. #CMWorld

— Shane Shaps (@520eastbrands) July 14, 2020

A4: I think it depends on the client and how informed they want to be. No matter what, set expectations early on so everyone is on the same page. #CMWorld

— mara (@mara_calv) July 14, 2020

A4 (1/2): In my experience, clients expect you to manage the processes. That’s one of the main reasons they hire an agency. They either don’t have the expertise or resources to do it themselves. #CMWorld

— Jeremy Bednarski (@JeremyBednarski) July 14, 2020

A4 (2/2): There are a lot of tools to help like @Basecamp, @Trello, @Asana, to name a few. Even just an Excel spreadsheet can be enough. The key is communication to make sure you things keep moving forward. #CMWorld

— Jeremy Bednarski (@JeremyBednarski) July 14, 2020

A4: This should be a 50/50 partnership. The brand masters their image and I master how to effectively communicate that to their target audience. #CMWorld https://t.co/BOO14bFfHs

— Carlarjenkins (@carlarjenkins) July 14, 2020

That’s it for today! Dive in to the #CMWorld Twitter feed each and every day for even more smarts from our Content Marketing World community. We’re grateful for you all, and for the especially large number of contributions during this Twitter chat. What do you have to add? Leave a note in the comments.

CMWorld is happening in October, but first, ContentTECH Summit!  If you work at the convergence of content, strategy and technology, this event is for you. Sign up now with code SM100 to save $100 on your registration.