Chances are, during your prime dating years, you probably dated someone who wasn’t suitable for you at least once—I certainly have. The problem is that it can take a while to discover that it’s not meant to be. Whether it’s the slow progression of your loved one taking you for granted, leaving their junk lying EVERYWHERE, or never asking you about your day anymore, they’ve gotten too comfortable.
If you’re like most of the fish in the sea, there was a point where you felt unimportant or taken for granted. At that point, you might’ve thought, “Hmmm, maybe I can do better. I need to rethink this.”
No one wants to be in a relationship that isn’t right. It’s no different when it comes to your company’s agency partner.
If you feel like your agency partner is getting too comfortable, that their creative just isn’t cutting it, that they spend more time justifying their billing than they do on your projects, or that lately they’ve dropped the ball and missed a deadline or two, you may be getting that itch. It might be time to break up. You know, call it quits, park it, move on. You deserve better – no, scratch that – you deserve great!
It’s not you. It’s your agency.
We’re not relationship therapists, but we know the signs that it might be time to break up with your agency.
They wine you, dine you, distract you.
Many agencies want to take you under their wing and become a member of the “good old boys” club. Maybe there’s a glass of wine or a cigar involved. Perhaps a clever gift gets slid under your door. They’ll spend 18 holes on a pristine golf course, making you feel special, followed by paying for your three-course meal. How could you not like this attention? And how could you, in good conscience, walk away from your beloved? After all, some days pledging your loyalty for a medium rare porterhouse might sound like a good swap, but wait! You weren’t born yesterday!
Next time you cut into that beautifully seared steak, ask yourself: Will this mouthful of meat feed my company’s creative needs in the future? Feeling queasy yet?
They’re too comfortable.
You invest a lot into this relationship. You spend a decent amount of money on your agency partner and want them to work just as hard at the relationship as you do. If you start feeling like they have locked into the same old routine with you, your gut feeling is probably right. It’s good that they’re tuned into your style, know what you like, and, more importantly, have brought some good results. But there’s a difference between knowing what you want and what’s brought results in the past and simply getting lazy with creativity and not pushing the envelope.
But maybe you’ve stepped into an existing relationship. If you inherited working with an agency partner, your firm has been loyal to for years, you might not feel comfortable looking at other agencies immediately. That’s okay, but know that the time you have been engaged with an agency shouldn’t deter you from making a change if you feel like they aren’t producing the high-level creative you need.
If you think your agency has routinely been cutting corners or not coming up with any new and exciting creative, then in the words of Gloria Gaynor, it’s time for your agency to “go on now and walk out the door! You can’t stand their crappy creativity anymore.” (That’s how the song goes, right?) It’s important to note the word routinely. Because chances are good that every agency you work with will make a few mistakes. Just be wary of the ones who make them consistently and provide you yawn-worthy creative time and time again, or dial it in after one big win. Don’t stay with an agency simply because you’ve been in the relationship long – that’s no way to survive.
They don’t handle distance well. (What?! New Yawk City??)
Long-distance relationships can be complex. But if you choose an agency out of your city, make sure they are dedicated to having on-site meetings and always have open lines of communication. If you’re in Central Iowa, don’t buy into the idea that the grass is always greener or the lights are brighter in the distant city. You might think you’ll get better creative from an agency in a skyscraper, but you shouldn’t count out the hottie next door.
And for all the city slickers working in places like Chicago, Minneapolis, and Kansas City – have you ever considered looking outside the concrete jungle for an agency partner? A hard-working Iowa company you’re not afraid to bring home to mom would be excellent. And it would cost a fraction of the price. New Yawk-level creative with Iowa pricing sounds pretty good.
Maybe your baby is ugly.
When did your agency last tell you something you didn’t like? Maybe it was an idea for pivoting strategy or a blunt talk about the current direction of your website, which has all the strategic clarity of mud. A great agency partner should be ready to challenge you, argue their point, and keep their eyes open for errors and opportunities to grow and improve your business. Sometimes, the best advice is what not to do. If your agency is managing the relationship and not telling it to you straight, then it’s time to tell them you’d like to “see other people.” Sure, there might be hurt feelings. Keep the hankies handy. A whole tub of Ben and Jerry’s and a couple of days later, you’ll feel much better.
If you think it’s time for an agency change, this might be the moment to say, “We need to talk.” It’s not a bad idea to look around for a better match if your contract expires soon. If anything, your agency partner will respect you more for holding a high standard of work. I’m not trying to swoop in on the rebound (because, honestly, I’m a 10), but if I’m not a good match, I’m happy to play matchmaker to help you take your creative from blah to BRAH! in a hot second.
So go ahead, drop me a line today! I promise it won’t take much of your time, like speed dating! But it’s way less awkward.
