By Paul Brusatori
This time of year, most of us are counting down the days until our favorite football teams start playing. And it has us thinking about how agencies and clients are actually a lot like players working together on one powerful football team.
Here are three valuable plays that agencies and clients should take to the field:
Play #1: Everyone on the team must be prepared.
Just as football teams must run drills to prepare for their game, agencies and clients must have strong preparation and advanced planning for a winning strategy. Before the game starts, everyone should be clear on the expectations of their position on the team. This requires candor and true collaboration.
Play #2: Everyone should be engaged and have their head in the game.
How well does everyone on the team know the playbook? Frequent communication with teammates keeps the team on track and focused on winning. The team should be examining the game plan and executing on the agreed-upon strategy rather than running a series of unrelated plays.
Play #3: Everyone must be part of a supportive team framework.
Is there a trust built among all the team members to execute all the plays? Is the team willing to run a risky play to outperform the opponent?
Football is a team sport, and an agency/client relationship can be a No. 1 team if the players work together. The greatest relationships take advantage of preparation, game knowledge and teamwork, because without them, it will make or break the chances of winning.
And winning together means celebrating the victories together.
