Clients and the Waterfall Effect

I am constantly amazed how big clients with multimillion dollar budgets can create some great work (with the help of their agencies). In the same respect, I’ve witnessed too many instances of big brands that are so disorganized and chaotic that they end up pushing their internal chaos down to all branches of supporting partners.

As much as agency partners try to help their clients, the clients are at times clueless as to how disruptive they themselves can be. It is frustrating and demoralizing. After all, how do you incent your internal team to continue to brainstorm and be on the look out for great ideas when they just get swallowed up into the client’s quagmire?

Help your clients to understand that their delays in brand decisions, releasing budgets, approving business plans, legal reviews, internal production, etc., etc., etc. — all have a negative impact down stream. They throw off the agency forecasts for budgets, staffing, resources, program implementation, co-branding opportunities, event planning, etc., etc., etc. Plus, they throw off schedule the vendors we contract with for media buys, printing, etc.

As a good agency partner, you must keep the faith. But gently remind your client at every opportunity about the impact their decisions or lack of decisions may have. It will cost them — in money, achieving goals and credibility.

So… Go out back and kick a trash can. Scream and let it all out. Then breath deep. Relax. Refocus. Roll up your sleeves. Dive back into the pool.

What do you think? Please post your comments. Thanks.
-Roland

Roland Reinhart is an interactive marketing professional. His observations can be found at Chaos365.com and AdMadMan.com.

©2006 Roland Reinhart. All Rights Reserved.