Agencies Learn about Their Clients: Journey from Cleaning Hotel Rooms to Sharing Spaces with Musicians
In an industry where assumptions often rule, Molly George, CEO of Kickstand Communications, has discovered that the conventional wisdom about the agency world may not always hold true. Nine years into her career, George found that her initial mentor's advice was not entirely accurate.
George, who transitioned from the client side of marketing to the agency world, was initially told she would simply have to "be the connector." However, her experience has shown that a deeper understanding of clients' businesses and a genuine passion for brands are crucial for doing the best work.
George's approach to her work is grounded in a deep understanding of clients' businesses and a genuine passion for brands. She invests time and effort to build a genuine passion for the brands she works with, believing that this cannot be faked.
This deep understanding allows George to create more strategic, relevant, and impactful communications tailored specifically to the client's industry, goals, and challenges. It fosters stronger client relationships and more effective campaigns because the agency can anticipate needs and align messaging to business objectives.
However, the challenges include the time and effort needed to acquire this expertise, especially in complex or highly technical industries. Agencies may struggle to keep up with rapid changes in a client’s business environment. There is also a potential risk of losing objectivity if the agency becomes too enmeshed in the client’s perspective.
Despite these challenges, George emphasizes the importance of having a deep understanding of clients' businesses. This insight aligns with common industry perspectives on agency-client partnerships. As the co-founder and CEO of Kickstand Communications, Molly George continues to champion this approach, fostering a culture of deep client understanding and genuine brand passion within her agency.
- Molly George, despite the conventional wisdom of just being a connector, has found that investing time in understanding clients' businesses and developing a genuine passion for their brands is instrumental in creating strategic, relevant, and impactful communications for Kickstand Communications.
- George's adamant belief in having a deep understanding of clients' businesses, combined with a passion for brands, not only strengthens client relationships but also enables her agency to anticipate needs and align messaging to business objectives, thereby shaping a culture of deep client understanding and genuine brand passion within Kickstand Communications.
