If you’re currently searching for a media partner, or have recently started working with one, you may be wondering how exactly to successfully navigate this working relationship. We get it: It can be tricky to allow an outside party to have a say in the direction your brand takes or the voice it adopts to connect with customers, but taking time to understand and foster positivity any of your partners is well worth the effort.
As a media partner to many brands, we’ve found one way to make this relationship work. It lies in the word “partnership.”
The Many Hats of Media Partners
Media partners wear many hats while promoting your brand. From building compelling ads across multiple social media platforms to analyzing campaign functionality, a media partner works tirelessly to condense your brand’s needs, goals and vision into content that truly resonates with your current and potential customers.
Media managers are trusted with the massive responsibility of creating, monitoring, measuring and adjusting your brand’s media presence, while also ensuring that their clients’ expectations are met.
A good media partner should be analyzing your real-time campaign data and generating new ideas to help your brand reach its target audience. Tapping into these important analytics allows your media partner to identify the most effective aspects of your campaign and then present you with choices to maximize your campaign’s reach and success.
But before any of this data can make a difference in your brand, your media partner needs to first cultivate a healthy relationship with you!
How Do I Make This Partnership Work?
Communicate Your Vision
Consistent communication ensures you and your media partner are always on the same page about the needs and goals of your brand’s campaign. The more clearly you can convey your vision, messaging goals, budget and timeline, the better your media partner can meet your expectations.
You and your media partner should have regular meetings to discuss campaign analytics and strategy. During these meetings, both you and your media partner should openly discuss agreed-upon deadlines and deliverables, and make any necessary adjustments to the scope of your campaign. This open communication will not only create a smooth campaign, but will also build trust in your working relationship.
Set Clear Boundaries
It may seem simple, but setting boundaries with your media partner is a necessary step in creating a healthy relationship. Ask your media partner to explain exactly how and when you can reach them with questions or concerns, and define a reasonable time frame for responses. For example, if you have a question about your campaign, ask for a meeting to discuss clarifications and adjustments instead of expecting your question to be addressed immediately. This will allow you and your media partner time to approach one another with the respect and consideration you both deserve.
Discuss Issues Promptly
Creating brand campaigns is difficult and requires multiple adjustments along the way. When you discover problems or issues with your campaign, or you’d like to discuss its performance, resist the urge to keep quiet. Bring up your concerns promptly, and be as specific as possible.
If you have a problem with the direction your campaign is taking or its performance thus far, it’s completely acceptable to ask for an explanation of exactly how your campaign success is being measured. If you have new ideas about injecting a different vibe into your campaign, ask about using the current campaign data to help shift the budget in a new, innovative direction.
While the tried-and-true methods of direct marking should not be overlooked when structuring your business’s marketing plan, a digital marketing company — like (human)x— specializes in creating compelling online stories that can reach faster and further than traditional advertising. We understand the necessity of a positive working relationship, and we take the time to understand each of our client’s needs and goals. If you’re in need of a digital media partner, Leap Agency has 20 years’ experience creating smart, quality media that puts our clients’ needs first.
