What is an Agency? Distinguishing Agency and Client
Agency and Client are two concepts that have gradually become popular since Digital Marketing exploded and spread globally. These two concepts receive special attention from marketers and those working in the field of Marketing. Let's explore the nature and interesting relationship between Agency and Client in the article below.
I. Definition
1. What is the concept of Agency?
Agency is first and foremost a company, specializing in providing marketing communication services (marketing) for other companies. In particular, the services of an agency are often very professional, performed by many highly specialized human resources departments.
In addition, the expertise of an agency is not just for one field or industry, but it will apply to a variety of fields: FMCG (fast-moving consumer goods), F&B (food service), healthcare, education education, real estate,...
Production house Agency
2. What is the concept of Client?
Client is also a company but is a company that manufactures and sells products and services, and has a need to do marketing communications.
The client also has a separate marketing department, but the personnel in this department will take on a broader range of work ranging from sales, trade, advertising to media and PR (public relations), and so lead The level of specialization is not high, so when there is a big campaign, they will not be able to handle it and have to outsource the implementation to the Agency to ensure the best quality.
In addition, Client also means the customer (the agency's customer), they are the person who will hire the Agency to do Marketing for them.
3. Relationship between Agency and Client
The relationship is simple, easy to understand between the Agency and the Client that is the seller, the buyer. The agency plays the role of the seller and the client is the buyer, unlike the usual types of services such as beauty, spa, travel and resort,... the marketing service is much more complicated, must be experienced. through a multi-step process and requires very high cooperation between the Agency and the Client, stress and pressure always accompany in the working process between the two sides.
For that reason, the service process will also be complicated, including many stages and require a very high spirit of cooperation from both sides (Client and Agency). But basically the process will usually take place in the following 5 steps:
- Step 1: Get Brief - Brief is a summary of the requirements that the Client sends to the Agency
- Step 2: Planning - Plan from overview to details
- Step 3: Production - Proceed to produce content, images and videos according to the detailed plan approved by the Client
- Step 4: Advertising - Distributing content across platforms, running ads to reach target customers.
- Step 5: Report & Payment: Measure and report campaign results and pay for spending.
Relationship between Agency and Client
II. Difference between Client and Agency
The agency takes care of many children and the client only takes care of one child
At the same time, the Agency can receive many projects from many customers, and the Client only works for his company or brand. This difference leads to the difference in color and characteristics of the work of the Client and the Agency. The agency is creative and flexible, while the client is loyal and knowledgeable.
>>> See more: Online Marketing and Digital Marketing are similar and different?
Right brain agency, left brain client
Clients tend to be more logical and rational, they are knowledgeable about the product, business and know the information about the company and their industry. However, in marketing, understanding customers is the most important thing, understanding what customers think, how they make decisions is something that the Client does not understand.
That's why the Agency stands out to support this solution. Agency is often associated with creativity (Creative), the reason is that if we tell a story that is not creative, no one will listen, or not pay attention. From the amount of raw information that the Client provides, the Agency must create and tell a story that attracts listeners.
III. The role of the Agency for the Client
Increase competitive advantage
The media front occupies a huge advantage in the total value of a business, so when doing effective communication, businesses will gain a sustainable competitive advantage because communication advantages are difficult to build. .
Increase sales, market share
The working process of the Agency and the Client is very stressful and stressful if you want to achieve the desired results, but behind that is always a worthy reward. After each successful campaign, many people will know about your products, they will love the way your business "tells the story" and leads to purchase decisions, thereby boosting sales and expanding market share.