“Socially Challenged” – Missing Out on Free Advertising

A couple months ago, one of our clients hired a new marketing director and, as is often the case, the new addition wanted to put her own stamp on things. Bring on the RFP.

Up to this point, our services were relegated to media buying and print design for this client. And, when I say print design, I mean simply wrapping client-supplied content in a pretty package. So, in a lot of ways, we were excited for this opportunity. If we won the RFP, we could finally bring all of our agency resources to bear and develop a genuine full-service partnership.

So, our media team went to work on a comprehensive 12-month plan with tons of added value while our creative gang churned out a fantastic campaign of TV, radio, print, outdoor and online executions. Naturally, we also recognized that no advertising plan is complete in this day and age without a substantial social media component.

Our social media plan hit on all bases…community hub on Facebook, industry news flashes on Twitter, video diaries on YouTube, reviews on Yelp, staff insights on Blogger…we had it all.

The day of the big presentation arrived and we headed out to meet with the CEO, CFO, CIO, MD, ABC, ETC. There were nearly a dozen people to hear our spiel. Of these, maybe three read the written version in advance, the others were hearing this stuff for the first time. Here’s the really fun part, we were the fourth agency presenting that day – and it was 4:45 Friday afternoon. Just keeping them awake would be a victory.

We led with the traditional media plan and followed with the creative concept before getting into the social media. Two minutes in, it was quite apparent no other agency even uttered the words, “social media.” A grey-haired gentleman in the back shifted in his chair. A well-heeled woman up front cocked her head to one side. And then came the question. “OK, so we do all this, but who cares? I mean, what’s the point.”

I spent the next several minutes explaining that today’s marketing benefits from establishing two-way relationships with consumers. I told them how sharing valued resources make you a trusted partner and keeps your brand in front of tomorrow’s clients. I pointed out that while much of their target audience is 35-54, that’s the fastest growing demographic for social media.

The points stimulated a lot of discussion and the new marketing director was all over it. To be honest, I got the impression she knew just as much as I did, which impressed me. Unfortunately, she was possibly the only one in the room who got it. Others remained skeptical until I dropped my trump card, “and did I mention this is all free?” Furrowed brows turned to curious stares as I went on to tell them that our agency will implement these strategies to whatever degree they desire, but that the majority of the work could be done internally, with no fees to our agency.

For us, bringing social media to the table wasn’t about generating additional account service charges, it was about earning the client’s trust, demonstrating that as their full-service agency, we will watch out for their best interests regardless of fattening our own pockets. That’s what they should expect of an agency partner.

Clients that don’t recognize the value of social media are missing the boat; agencies that don’t put clients’ long-term needs above their own short-term gains are missing the entire fleet.