Trust - the missing link and its effect on the ad industry

Consumers and branding have fundamentally changed, so why do we keep offering clients the same solutions? Why do clients keep appointing agencies based on credentials, when those creative ideas are already outdated and no longer relevant to our time? And when the agency fails to deliver returns, everyone is shocked. I think this is where the breakdown of trust lies.

But the real question is: how do agencies foster trust in such an uncertain time?

Here are some tips that I believe will attack this issue head on:

Institute a step-by-step process

Be transparent about the process and allow clients to come along with you on this journey, step by step.

1. Start with a workshop that helps both parties define the business problem/barriers that need to be overcome
   
2. Come back with top-line recommendations on how to tackle these issues
   
3. Once you have proved your way of thinking on how to attack these problems, encourage the client to engage with you on one initiative
   
4. Upon proven success of that initiative, push for a more long-term partnership in order to tackle the next set of barriers or problems

Offer business solutions, not creative ideas

Too often we have engaged with marketers who have proudly showcased their agencies' latest ad campaign but, when we ask the question "How does this meet your business objectives?", we are met with confused and often stunned silence. Lesson? Always work backwards from the business objective and offer solutions that tackle this.

Talk about what you can do for the client, not about what you do

Agencies seem to spend a lot of time talking about the awesome campaigns for this and that (name drop here) client, instead of focusing on how they can add value to that particular business. Offer advice, guidance (free of charge!) and show potential clients that you know their business and are able to apply your knowledge and experience in a practical and relevant way. Don't rely on your credentials - the days of 'peacocking' are over.

Be persistent and don't back down

If you truly believe in your offering/solution, then don't back down. Too many times, agencies allow clients to dictate to them but this is counterproductive for your client; you are not going to help your client or your business if you allow this to happen. If you have presented the best solution, why do you end up delivering something you don't believe in? This just means everyone fails and clients lose even more faith in the ability of agencies to solve fundamental business problems. Clients may not like it but they will respect it when you deliver returns.

Conclusion

Lately, I have been hearing a lot of agencies talking about "not" being an advertising agency and winning pitches based on a new "revolutionary" approach but, when it comes time to deliver on the brief, they still deliver an ad campaign. Ad campaigns don't solve business problems.

The solution may be found in upskilling in-house marketing teams, creating collaborative online forums for consumers, a simple change in company ethos, pricing adjustment, distribution enhancement - the list is endless but I promise you that an isolated ad campaign is not going to cut it.

If the industry is going to rebuild trust, then we have to:

• offer clients the chance to truly collaborate with us
  
• be business-focused and not creative-focused
  
• stop peacocking and talking about ourselves
  
• deliver solutions that offer business and brand success

In short, we have to offer more than an ad campaign - it may be less glamorous but it will be honest and perhaps then trust will be restored.