Relationships built for epic journeys
Marketing
When we’re asked what makes us different as an agency, we’re always proud to talk about the long-standing relationships we build with our clients that, often, span several decades. What’s the value in developing such lengthy working partnerships though? Let’s dive in!
The agency world can be a sales-driven one but, at LEWIS, our priority lies in developing working relationships with clients that last the test of time. People, ambitions, commitment, and direction all tend to vary over the course of a marketing contract, but we’re conscious of moving with the seas of change to deliver an ever more valuable service as time goes on. We’re delighted that we’ve fostered successful long-term relationships with, for example, ScottishPower (17 years), Santander (20 years) and National Museums Scotland (10 years), built on trust, understanding and ongoing delivery. Here’s some of the reasons we suspect that our approach works.
The journey AND the destination
We’re always focussed on the project in hand but, at the same time, looking far beyond it. We know that any agency can deliver the goods but what makes all the difference for our clients is the journey that we take together.
We believe in going the extra mile and becoming an indispensable part of a client’s team. And we do that through being steadfastly dependable and focussing on mutual successes, rather than one-sided wins. Our ambition is to make the LEWIS experience an absolute joy and, as simple as that might sound, it means the world to those that work with us.
Taking a journey-based approach and investing in the experience brings all sorts of benefits for our clients. We take work off their hands and make their lives easier, giving them more time in their day to spend on the things that matter the most. Our flexible approach and deep understanding of their business and working processes means we can also move projects into production faster and with less effort, without compromising on quality and accuracy. And, perhaps most importantly, by making it an enjoyable process, creativity is fuelled, idea generation happens more easily and the motivation to exceed expectations is naturally shared.
“I’ve worked with a lot of agencies over the years and I can honestly say you guys are one of the best. You’re totally on the ball, so supportive and always pull it out of the bag.” - Client testimonial
The human touch
We’re professional but we never put on an act. Much of our success lies in our attitude to our work and the relationships that guide it. We treat our clients as we would our oldest friends; we’re in it together and there for them when they need us. We’re happy to let our guard down and be ourselves and, by offering support, listening and holding no hidden agendas, we find that it’s easy to create an ongoing learning process (one that we and our clients continually benefit from).
The care that we show for our work, and the people that we work with, is the glue that holds all of our working relationships together. The marketing world can be a tough and stressful one so, as well as sharing the LEWIS love, we make sure that there are plenty of laughs thrown in there too.
Our clients appreciate our authenticity and tell us that it helps them feel at ease, allowing them to open up and be completely honest. In turn, this helps us to create solutions that answer the real challenges, always adapting our responses to the way we know our clients work and what they’ll respond to best. And, because we know them on a personal level, we work around their schedule (never ringing during Loose Women or on the race to school pick-up!).
“Thank you so much for all your help and support over the years – there’s been so many occasions where you’ve totally been there for me.” - Client testimonial
Driven by insight
It goes without saying that the skills and expertise we offer our clients are crucial. We continually invest in our people in all areas of our business to ensure that our creative, technical, strategic and support offering is the best in the business. But even the most talented designer will find it impossible to make a meaningful creative impact without a true understanding of the nuances of the business and industry they’re representing and the audience they’re appealing to.
And that’s why where our unique in-house research and insight service comes into its own. Supported by industry-leading data tools we build thorough customer and industry profiling reports that form a strong foundation for every marketing strategy.
Understanding the challenges of our client’s sector, the needs and mindsets of their customers and the spaces that they engage in means that our work is highly targeted with messaging and creative designed to answer specific needs at any point in time. Ultimately, this leads to budgets being better allocated, the development of more meaningful creative and technical solutions and continual return on investment as a result.
Some would argue that retaining a client relationship over a long period of time results in complacency. But 50 years in business has taught us that, in our case, longevity gathers intelligence, consistency and trust which, in turn, builds an increasing level of success as the years go on. Here’s to the next half century of lasting partnerships. We can’t wait to meet those that get on board next.
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