In the advertising world, minsan talaga it’s a love-hate relationship when it comes to clients. (IYKYK) Pero tulad lang din sa pag-ibig, alam nating it takes two to tango to make the relationship work. So kung gusto niyong humaba ang relasyon niyo with your clients, continue reading this lang dahil we prepared some tips that we use here in Brand Republic para sa mas matamis na pagsasama.
THE FIRST DATE
Sa first date talaga, you gotta make a good impression and that means both physically and intellectually. Of course, you want to be presentable sa unang kita niyo pa lang. You need to be at your A-game dahil who knows, baka ma-off sayo si client dahil lukot-lukot ‘yung polo mo o jinajabar ka, diba? Be clean, look professional, and act confident. Pero syempre, ‘wag mong kikindatan, ha? Baka matakot sayo. You need to know the right balance between being professional and being friendly. Also, it would be best to do a little research. Syempre, unahin mo na ‘yung brand. After all, that’s the main reason why you’re there. Know its mission, vision, and everything in between. Then, kilalanin mo rin ‘yung tao. This person will be the one you’ll be talking to from day 1. Kaya dapat alam mo kung ano ang nag-momotivate sa kanya. Kasi from here on, pareho na kayo ng goal for the future.
LIGAWAN MO
Sabi nila, hindi na raw uso ang panliligaw, but we’re here to tell you the opposite of that. Dapat as an account manager, alam mo na you gotta invest time and effort (sama mo na rin money!) para makipag meet with your clients. Online meetings count, but iba pa rin kasi if nakikita niyo sila personally. There’s a different connection ‘pag nandyan na sila sa harap mo. Cliche man pakinggan, but communication really makes or breaks a relationship.
At sino ba naman ang gustong hindi magwork ang relasyon nila, diba? Kaya for added points, make sure you remember their birthdays para makapadala ka ng cake, ok? Go the extra mile na rin by knowing their favorite flavor!
YIEEE… SILA NA
Ang meaning lang naman nito ay may signed contract na! Eme!
You have to know that you and your client are in this together. That’s why you two need to collaborate to make your relationship work. And, at this point, kailangan mo talagang alagaan nang malala ‘yan! Hindi pwedeng pa petiks-petiks, ok? There will be times na iinit ang ulo mo sa kanya or ‘yung tipong gusto mo nalang siyang i-block. That’s perfectly normal. You’re not gonna like someone all the time. Pero sabi nga ng Ben&Ben, be the one na pipiliin ka sa araw-araw. It’s a choice. You might not like each other on some days, but you’re gonna have to choose each other always. Tulad na lamang ng practice here in Brand Republic – ang Alagang BR. And that includes us not just being a creative agency, but also a brand manager. Meaning, we care. Yieee…
CONSISTENCY IS KEY
At the end of the day, they are still your client. Kaya kailangan work work din, ano? Hindi pwedeng puro pa-cute ka lang sa kliyente mo. Being pretty can only take you so far, kailangan may substance rin. You need to put in the hard work kasi may pinirmahang kontrata eh. Jk! But, yes! Kailangan mong ipakita na you’re there for them from the start and kahit saan man mapunta ang brand nila.
Also, remember that good concepts = happy clients. But that’s just the surface. Always, always go the extra mile for your clients. Hindi pwedeng dahil sinabi nilang ito ‘yung gusto nila, you settle with just that. In other words, maging bida-bida. Give them what they want but with a little extra something. Add that cherry on top!
DO NOT LOSE YOUR INDIVIDUALITY (AKA SANITY)
Syempre, tao ka lang din naman. You have limits. Kaya early on sa relationship niyo, you should be able to establish your boundaries. Kung hanggang 6PM lang ang office hours niyo, ‘wag kang magpaalipin. Syempre, love yourself din ano? Nagchachat during the weekend? Nako! Tapon mo na ‘yang cellphone mo…
Joke langgg. Minsan talaga may mga urgent things na hindi natin kontrolado. Sometimes, we make an exemption. But the keyword here is sometimes. After all, healthy relationships with clients require respect and boundaries – at yan yun tunay na tumatagal.
ALAM MO KUNG SINO ‘YUNG LOYAL? ‘YUNG ASO KO SI SUMMER
Dito mo mapapakita sa kliyente mo that you’re here for the long haul. Dahil for sure, by this time, marami na kayong napagdaanan, may it be small wins or really hard falls. Ito rin ang oras that will tell them kung gaano ka-loyal ang agency nila sa kanila.
This is when you show your soft skills a.k.a maging tao ka plz. Give them the overall experience wherein you’re not just working for them, you’re working with them. Nabibigyan mo dapat sila ng insights about the brand at syempre nakakapag-suggest ka on how to grow their market. Because at the end of the day, it’s still business. Pera pera pa rin kasi ‘to. Emeee…
Dapat alam mo na rin at this point when to say no (yes inulit ko, baka kasi nakalimutan mo). It’s so easy to just keep on giving what they want kasi we want to please them pero chill ka lang. ‘Di mo mabibigay lahat ‘yan. Be firm in standing your ground. Confidence is key here, ha. If you know na yung sinusuggest nila ay mali, sabihin mo respectfully. After all, you’re an expert in this. Kaya ka nga nila kinuha. And in the end, they will definitely appreciate that. Mapapasabi nalang silang, “Wow, ginalingan.”
Then after that, mag-break na kayo.
– The End –
Joke lang. Dapat ang relationship, ninunurture. It’s a plant that needs tending. Actually, it’s a house plant na medyo maarte kaya mas need ng extra attention.
Kaya para makakuha ng extra account or additional CE from the client, just keep them happy by giving the perfect balance of professionalism and quirkiness.
And who knows? Something else might blossom out of that. Flower ka, teh? Emz.
Super nice