Hello,
Reading time: do you have 2 minutes?
Last month's piece about dealing with clients who are jerks stirred up a lot of comment, so here's a little shirttail.
You'll probably recognize the names but what's important is the outcome. It's all I can do to resist the cliché about lemons and lemonade.
Read on and have a sip.
All the best,
Joe Grant
joe@joegrantconsulting.com
P.S. Our thing is improving relations between clients and agencies. Get a taste for our approach at our website www.joegrantconsulting.com. Go to the Articles tab.
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Another Take on Tough Clients
Legend Hal Riney tells a story about his agency's most contentious client, Gallo Winery, makers of Bartle and James wine coolers. Of the two Gallo brothers, Ernest and Julio, it was Ernest I believe who had the reputation for being a really difficult client, i.e., unwilling to pay for storyboarded ideas he didn't use, impatiently asking the agency team to dispense with the setup and just get to the final recommendation, etc.
By any standard, Gallo could have been classified as a "jerk" of a client. Most agencies could not find a way to effectively work with Gallo, though many tried. Yet, once Riney figured them out they allowed Hal to do some of his greatest work.
And, according to Hal, it was a very profitable client after Ernest and Hal had a heart-to-heart about agency compensation. Hal approached him on the basis of business – "We have to be able to make a profit," which Ernest understood and appreciated. They agreed to a healthy monthly retainer that most agencies would have killed for.
The upshot is Riney found a way to get along with Gallo, make good money, and build his creative reputation.
Then there's Jeno Paulucci, the consummate marketer and founder and CEO of Chun King frozen foods, Jeno's Pizza Rolls, and Michelina's Frozen Entrees. The story goes that he went through 10 agencies in 12 months in the late '60s. Each agency began their pitch by saying, "We want to be your marketing partner...." His answer was, "I don't want a marketing partner. I want great advertising!"
Long story short, Stan Frieburg, the creative comic slash ad guy in LA, gave Mr. Paulicci what he wanted – great advertising that sold tons of frozen Chinese food. By the way, Paulicci was quite a character and there's a book available about his amazing career called The Power of the Peddler offered through Atlas Books.
The point is that letting difficult clients slip away, or worse, firing them may be easy but it's not always best. When agencies ax a client it's usually a brew of too much ego with not enough business sense.
Look, our game has simple rules: make more money than you spend (profit) and check your ego at the door. Years ago I made a major purchase from a guy who I thought, during the course of negotiating, was becoming a pal. As we concluded the deal – money had already changed hands – I thanked him for his friendship. He immediately dropped me down a few pegs when he said, "Friendship? All our conversations have been about is my putting my hand inside your pocket."
Save the love and emotion for your family and true close friends... and keep the hugs and snuggles to a minimum with your clients.
But do remember what pocket their wallet is in.
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Cookie-cutter Clients |
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Each client is different, yet we try to make them fit agency systems like they're stamped from a cookie-cutter. For a different way to look at your clients, read Breed for Success in the articles section of our website. |
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Up to Date |
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With all the websites, e-newsletters, and other business input out there one of the best ways to stay connected is reading the free daily SmartBrief from AAAAs. They cull from AdAge, AdWeek, blogs, and major newspapers for the latest stories about marketing and media. See a sample and sign up at AAAA SmartBrief. |
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According to Drew |
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Sure, he’s plugging his agency but Drew McLellan's Marketing Minute blog always has something topical worth reading. It's a good example of how to keep agency visibility high (and attract new clients) when you're in a smaller market. |
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Bloggin’ |
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Maybe you’re thinking of starting your own agency blog. Stop by BlogWrite for CEOs first for lots of tips and resources on getting it done. |
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Boo-Boos |
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You’ll get a chuckle buzzing through these published errors from major newspapers, at Regret the Error. |
About Grant Consulting
Grant Consulting, formed in 1992 by Joe Grant, is a consultative resource for advertising agency principals who want to improve their agencies. The firm works exclusively with agency senior managers to help them discover and then reach their full potential. Copyright 2007 Grant Consulting Associates, Inc. All rights reserved. We encourage sharing in whole or in part if copyright and attribution are included. Contact us at:
Grant Consulting
239.394.8220
joe@joegrantconsulting.com
www.joegrantconsulting.com
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