Aside from one that pays on time, you mean? (kidding…mostly)
This is a topic that came up while crafting a couple recent RFP responses, both of which were for companies that I think truly fit the bill as a “dream” client for a social media agency.
So what makes a “dream” client for this particular field? They must have:
- A passionate user community
- An inspiring brand or products
- Tons of great content
- Some genuine, relatable, interesting characters willing to step into the limelight
A passionate user community
It is called social media after all, right? Social media marketing thrives when it can connect with a thriving, passionate user community around the brand, products, or at least market space. Passionate users are far more likely to be willing to create (photos, entries, videos, etc.), to share, and to line up as early adopters. Every social media marketing program relies to some extent on the most passionate members of the community for success, and if an organization already has a great community built up around their brands, so much the better.
An inspiring brand or products
Hand in hand with the above (and likely a prerequisite for), an truly inspiring brand with strong emotional connections to the wider community is simply invaluable for a social media marketing – any marketer, really. Even if the brand itself is less than shining, say in the case of a conglomerate, if the products are rock solid, with great reputations for reliability, innovation, uniqueness, or whatever, then the way is paved for a fantastic engagement with the user community. After all, you’re coming in representing something they already have strong positive feelings about.
Tons of great content
This came up with one particular prospect. Their brand wasn’t all that well known, nor were their actual commercialized products, but they had access to a steady stream of constantly refreshing, hyper relevant (to their intended audience), and highly interesting content. Surveys, reports, commentary, research, and so on. Why is this important? Because as many have noted, outstanding content is one of the foundations of a successful social media effort – it tends to get shared and retweeted more, and readers come to rely on it, recognizing the real value your brand is bringing to their personal or professional lives on a consistent basis. That’s a pretty strong spot to be in.
Characters
Or as noted in the list above: “genuine, relatable, interesting characters willing to step into the limelight.” These can be executives, and often are, but these can also be individuals who are rock stars at what they do and have outsized voices to match. They’ll come in many, many forms, and if they are right for the “stage” around your brand will depend on a host of factors – what industry are you in, what role do they play, are they active speakers, writers, or bloggers, can they even speak or write in a public forum, do they have something – anything – that makes them compelling to your user community?
In tech fields these are often developers or engineers, in the consumer space executives or even celebrities who have a close association with your brand and are willing to speak for it.
If your client has these characters, and is willing to make use of them, then the dividends within a social media program can be enormous. They can be sources of great content, they help the community connect with your brand on a very personal level, and so on.
The perfect social media client?
Is there one? Even if they have all the good stuff I just mentioned? Unlikely, just like there’s no “perfect” social media agency – each has their own quirks and foibles, and style and personality, just like in dating, are enormously important in finding that “perfect” match. But if you can consistently work for clients who have all, or at least some, of the characteristics listed above, you’re likely bound for a wonderful ride.
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