Welcome back to Marketing Smarts! From brand-building and marketing veterans Anne Candido and April Martini (that’s us) comes a podcast committed to cutting through all the confusing marketing BS so you can actually understand how to take action and change your business today. We deep-dive into topics most would gloss-over, infusing real-world examples from our combined 35+ years of corporate and agency experience. We tell it how it is so whether you are just starting out or have been in business awhile, you have the Marketing Smarts to immediately impact your business.
In this episode, we’re talking client service with guest Chris Wallen, Director, Client Partnership at BAREFOOT. Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and your other favorite podcast spots – follow and leave a 5-star review if you’re exercising your Marketing Smarts!
- Episode Summary & Player
- Show Notes
- Marketing Smarts Summary
- Transcript
Marketing Smarts: 4 Roles Client Service Should Play in Serving Business with Chris Wallen, BAREFOOT
It should go without saying that client service is important for your clients and your business. And we’ve seen a looooooot of good and bad execution. Client service should play the role of keeping the client in the room at all times, challenging the client’s beliefs and perspective, having a clear understanding of the business and its goals, and seeking opportunities to make the business stronger. But lots of issues can arise. What if client service leans in too much to what the client wants? They feel they’re being minimized? They keep getting asked to do only what the client wants? We wanted to resolve your worries with a thought leader in the space, so we welcomed on Chris Wallen. He’s the Director, Client Partnership at BAREFOOT, a marketing and advertising agency in Cincinnati that serves clients ranging from Fortune 10 companies to local nonprofits. This episode covers everything from clients to business goals. Here’s a small sample of what you will hear in this episode:
- What roles should client service play in serving business?
- How do you handle client service feeling like they’re being minimized?
- What should you do if client service leans in too much to what the client wants?
- How do you navigate client service continually getting asked to do only what the client wants?
- Why should you keep the client in the room at all times?
- What goes into challenging the client’s beliefs and perspectives?
- How much should business goals play into client service?
- What is psychological safety?
And as always, if you need help in building your Marketing Smarts, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at: ForthRight-People.com.
Check out the episode, show notes, and transcript below:
Show Notes
- 4 Roles Client Service Should Play in Serving Business with Chris Wallen, BAREFOOT
- [0:00] Welcome to Marketing Smarts
- [0:30] Anne Candido, April Martini
- [0:36] What roles should client service (CS) play in serving business?
- [1:17] P&G (Procter & Gamble)
- [1:52] Agency
- [2:06] Learn more about Chris on LinkedIn and at ThinkBAREFOOT.com
- [2:50] Keeping the client in the room at all times
- [4:25] “4 Components of a Results-Driven Brief”
- [4:55] Creative Director (CD)
- [10:11] Challenging the client’s beliefs and perspective
- [13:35] ForthRight People
- [16:02] Catch-22
- [19:40] Having a clear understanding of the business and its goals
- [24:31] Psychological Safety
- [30:29] Seeking opportunities to make the business stronger
- [39:09] Social Media (SM)
- [44:43] Recap: What roles should client service play in serving business?
- [45:35] Marketing Smarts is sponsored by ScottMautz.com. Scott Mautz is a popular keynote speaker and #1 bestselling author whose latest book and talk Leading from the Middle helps middle managers dramatically increase their influence up, down, and across their organization. Want your company’s middle managers and leaders equipped to foster a high-performing organization? Want them inspired to drive the change and transformation that’s a challenging necessity moving forward? Go to ScottMautz.com to check out Leading from the Middle and all of Scott’s keynotes, trainings, courses, and books
- In-the-Trenches
- [46:28] We are currently having some issues with Client Service leaning too much into what the client wants and it is getting in the way of the work. What do you suggest?
- [50:03] ABM (Assistant/Associate Brand Manager)
- [55:23] We are having internal struggles with creative, strategy, and client service working together. It feels like the CS team perspective is being minimized. What do you suggest?
- [59:36] Working From Home (WFH)
- [1:01:44] We have tried everything to get the client to step back and let us do the work, but they continue to push the CS team to just “do what they are asking.” Help!
- Final Thoughts
- [1:11:11] What are Chris’s final thoughts?
- [1:12:37] Learn more about Chris on LinkedIn and at ThinkBAREFOOT.com
- [1:12:57] Recap: What roles should client service play in serving business?
- [1:13:51] Make sure to follow Marketing Smarts on your favorite podcast spot and leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts
- [1:13:57] Learn more at ForthRight-People.com and connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn
- [1:14:08] Sign up to view all the ForthRight worksheets & tips for FREE!
- [1:14:12] Shop our Virtual Consultancy
What is Marketing Smarts?
From brand-building and marketing veterans Anne Candido and April Martini comes a podcast committed to cutting through all the confusing marketing BS so you can actually understand how to take action and change your business today. They deep-dive into topics most would gloss-over, infusing real-world examples from their combined 35+ years of corporate and agency experience. They tell it how it is so whether you are just starting out or have been in business awhile, you have the Marketing Smarts to immediately impact your business.
How do I exercise my Marketing Smarts?
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