Retain to Gain - "How do I move from project-based work to longer-term, higher value relationships?"
ANSWER
One of the most frequently mentioned objectives we hear from digital agencies is to move from project-based work to longer-term relationships or retainers. Digital marketing is of course no longer a new phenomenon and consistently outstrips other disciplines in terms of growth in spend. Increasingly it is also a lead discipline for a brand's marketing strategy. Brands are therefore welcoming overtures to transform relationships for the longer-term, but only if the agency handles its approach correctly.
Since we started them in 2002, Rainmaker's annual Intelligent New Business Surveys have indicated that positive referrals and recommendations from colleagues are critical influencers for new business success. But while some appear to effortlessly grow new clients, others struggle. Many focus on delivery of the initial project with little thought about what happens next.
So how do you achieve the holy grail of taking a client from projects to AOR? Should it be down to the account team or the new business team, or both? Is it a question of pouncing when opportunities arise or adopting a structured approach? How do you avoid being pigeonholed? How do you balance proactive outreach for business versus the delicate politics of existing relationships? And is it possible to take anything from traditional ad agency techniques or is digital completely different?
Download a summary of our Feb 2010 Digital Client Development Seminar as a PDF.