Breaking up—it's hard to do. But in the world of business, knowing when to part ways with your agency is essential to building stronger and more effective collaborations.
Equally important is identifying an agency that truly aligns with your business needs and goals. So what are the “red flags” (and green flags!) in an agency-client relationship?
Interrupt principal and CEO Bill Rossiter learned to spot them when he was on the other side of the relationship, serving as an executive in the building materials world and seeking an agency partner that would check all the boxes.
“I worked with probably a dozen agencies during my time in corporate America,” Bill said. “The gap for me was that no agency understood the profit and loss of my business. They didn’t understand what success looked like for me or my customers. They just did what I told them to do.”
That gap became an opportunity. Bill left the corporate world to build an agency where great creative is always built on a foundation of solid business strategy. That expectation to act as a true business partner, not just a creative resource, is a core ethos at Interrupt.
With his experience on both sides of the agency-client relationship, Bill shares his list of red flags that may signal a business partnership isn’t a good fit—plus, indicators that you’ve found a truly exceptional agency partner.
Hiring an agency usually means you have a challenge to solve. But if your agency is just asking what you want done, they’re not solving problems, they’re creating more work for you. If your agency seems content with taking a passive role, it may be time to move on.
Your agency partner should strive to understand your company’s business goals so well, they feel like an extension of your team. If they don’t ask or understand how and where you make a profit, then why would you ever let them spend your money?
The partnership should give you access to more brain power, the kind you feel compelled to consult before making big decisions. If your agency isn’t on speed dial when you’ve got a lot on your mind or you’re proposing major changes, you’re not in the right relationship.
Long-term contracts can feel restrictive. In the ever-evolving world of business, your needs may shift and change so flexibility is key.
Your agency should be teaching you things you didn’t know about your audience, just as much as you teach them. Don't embark on business partnerships with agencies that don’t take the time to learn.
Agencies that try to do it all may lack the deep industry knowledge needed to truly understand the nuances of your business. If their website and social media don’t show a clear focus or expertise in your field, they may not be the right fit.
Like all healthy business relationships, the connection goes both ways. There are reasons why a strong agency might part ways with a client, too.
Ultimately, you want to develop a winning exchange that allows both parties to feel less like vendors and more like true partners. By looking out for the qualities that signal something stronger than your typical business partnership, you’re more likely to find and keep the right agency.
At Interrupt, a majority of our work comes from referrals: clients who come back to us again and again, and recommend us when they move on to new roles and organizations. But every so often we may find that a client’s needs and expectations are very different from ours. If it’s not a good match, that’s okay. It's better for both parties to part ways respectfully rather than force a partnership that isn't working. But when both partners are upfront about what they need and value, you’re more likely to find a business relationship that will go the distance.
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