After 20 or so years within an agency, I’ve developed some insights on what makes good work and what makes a good client. Nice guys finish last, right? Wrong. Wrong. Wrong.

In “How to Think Like A CEO, The 22 Vital Traits You Need to be the Person at the Top” Nice is one of the key attributes of near-perfect CEOs. Nice clients not only get way more work out of the agency, they get better work too. It’s not that agency teams have anything against naughty clients, it’s just human nature. You naturally give your best effort in positive environments. Want more from your agency? Here are the eight common attributes of our very best and very nicest clients: 

Start with a plan
Invest in brand research or strategic planning to get started with your agency. Our longest and most productive client relationships have started with a vision of what can be accomplished and a roadmap of how to do it. Over the years, we often return to the starting point to check our course. The investment will pay tangible dividends.

1.  Trust
   Nothing gets people to work harder for you than trusting them. Give your agency enough leeway to be creative – and the latitude to take some risk. It’s interesting that controlling behavior from a client doesn’t provide control. Placing greater responsibility with your agency team actually provides better insurance that they will act more intentionally, check things twice and get things right, the first time. If things don’t go right, calmly examine why and discuss what process needs to be changed.
2. Be involved
   Just because you’ve given the agency responsibility doesn’t mean you can check out. Agency relationships thrive with collaboration. Review work in a timely manner and provide candid feedback. Don’t try the “I know what I like when I see it” routine. Your agency is creative, but not a mind reader.
3.  Let them get to know you
   In case you really do want your agency to be a mind reader, let them get to know you. Have fun. Tell stories. Become friends. Share the company buzz. It not only makes the relationship interesting and fulfilling, you will find that they can more easily create work that you love.
4.  Go deep
   Get to know all the players on your agency team. Provide opportunity for your agency to interact with various people on your staff. When it gets crazy busy and you need to just “get ‘er done,” you’ll be glad that you’ve established these multiple points of contact. Your fall back? You always get to give the final okay.
5. Budget
   Make a list and check it twice. Create an annual budget. Agree on the range of work and the investment level you are comfortable with. Arm wrestle a little if you must but once you settle on the budget, stick to it. And when the bill arrives, if it is on track for the annual program, don’t quibble. It’s not only destructive to the relationship but it robs your marketing efforts by diverting dollars away from productive work.
6. Bills
   There is a simple way to stay on the Nice list: pay your bills. Want to be on the top of the Nice list? Pay them quickly. I can predict with 100% accuracy how a client relationship will evolve based on the first month’s bill payment. If you devote some effort to the annual plan, the monthly bills should be fairly simple. But back to item 3, review bills in a timely manner so if there are some issues, they can be readily resolved.
7. Praise Often
   Next to trust, there is nothing that gets your agency to work harder and smarter than praising their efforts when things go well. Have enough confidence to give the agency credit when credit is due. And don’t forget to thank the people you don’t usually see. A quick email with a Cc: to the boss is all it takes! Chocolate works equally well.

Remember, if you want consistently great work from your agency, be good for goodness sake. The proof is in the pudding. Ask companies that have held a long-term relationship with their agency. They will tell you, “It pays to be nice!”

Read more blogs from 41 Stories.

- Pat Henning

Everyone has a special way of celebrating Thanksgiving—from the perfect recipe for stuffing to deep frying turkey to tuning into football games, we all have a tradition that makes Thanksgiving special to us (this year we may have to add shoveling the driveway to our lists!) Find out what our favorite Thanksgiving Day traditions are and share yours!

My favorite Thanksgiving tradition is…

Patrick: Finding time every Thanksgiving to be grateful for family, friends, and the extraordinary opportunities that American freedom and liberty has allowed. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday and has been for many years. The traditions are changing quite a bit and getting reinvented anew as I get older, but I always find time to give thanks.

Patricia: Eating the dressing (or for traditionalists – stuffing) the night before. Before it stuffs the bird of course.

Steph: To recover from food overload and then head out the next day to get my live Christmas tree (a Fraser Fir) and spend the rest of the holiday weekend in decoration mode. Let the joyous season begin!

Jeron: Watching my dad, aunt & uncle sit in the kitchen joking about people in the little town they grew up in while they cook dinner. Nobody else has any idea what they’re talking about, but most of the time they wind up crying they laugh so hard.

Jenny: Attending church with my family Wednesday night, to give thanks for our many blessings. My nieces sing with the kids’ choir and we get to all be together, which doesn’t always happen on Thanksgiving Day. And bonus, there is even pumpkin pie served!

Mary: Eating fried turkey and drawing Secret Santa names with my sisters.

Whitney: Waking up to watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. It doesn’t matter how old I get—there’s nothing better than the cheesy performances, marching bands, giant balloons and (of course) Santa to usher in the beginning of the holiday season!

Joy: Playing a card game called “Pass the Trash.” Nickels can add up fast!

Trevor: Standing outside while enjoying a refreshing beverage and deep-frying whole turkeys. This ritual usually involves my 2 brother-in-laws, a propane tank, an industrial size propane burner, 4 gallons of peanut oil, and 2 turkeys. The deep-frying usually does not take too long but being outside away from the chaos inside, the comradery and the smells all make this tradition memorable and enjoyable.

Chad: Catching up with my relatives while we eat the tons of food my grandmother has cooked.

Jane: Having stuffing from inside the bird. I know that there has been a lot of hubbub lately about baking your stuffing outside of the bird or you risk getting salmonella poisoning. Well I for one am going to keep stuffing my bird and enjoying very moist, delicious home-made stuffing alongside my turkey and mashed potatoes. No dried out stuffing for me!

Randy: Watching the football games with my extended family. The usual bottom feeding Detroit Lions always seem to play an entertaining game.

Carol: Watching the Cowboys play ball. In past years, my most memorable Thanksgiving tradition was going to my aunt’s farm for dinner. All of her ingredients were fresh. She and my uncle raised their own turkeys, vegetables and produce. We all loved going to her house for that wonderful meal.

From your friends at SCG, have a very happy and safe Thanksgiving!

We’ve all known a special dog. Each one enhances our lives in ways beyond words. Perhaps the most famous (and commercially attractive) is John Grogan’s Labrador Retriever, Marley, eulogized on his website as “a great and memorable pet.”

This is a brief story about another great and memorable pet, Ringo. This often poorly behaved Brittany, with an undiagnosed eating disorder, nearly redeemed himself this Halloween.

We brought Ringo into our home as a six-week-old puppy. By eight weeks, I had serious thoughts of returning him to the breeder. We thought we had done our homework on the breed and fully understood what the experts meant when they cautioned, “an energetic dog requiring exercise and activity to occupy his body and mind.” In reality we were simply unprepared for what was to transpire.

Within a few weeks this dog destroyed a new pair of prescription glasses, Bose noise cancelling headphones, new shoes and orthodontic retainers. What ensued the night he ventured into the dishwasher and ate 2 or 3 small pieces of onion remnants from our fajita dinner, was neither pretty nor cheap. As the poor little guy became deathly ill and left brownish bile throughout the house, we wondered—what’s next? The answer was revealed after the third (and still unsuccessful) visit from the professional carpet cleaner: all new carpet. Since it is almost easier to move out than re-carpet an occupied house, we threw in a kitchen remodel too which increased Ringo’s face value way beyond what we initially paid for him.

As Ringo has matured during the past 5 years, he’s settled down some, but his behavior is still at best questionable and in public, downright embarrassing. No doubt about it, I absolutely love this dog but he is incorrigible, especially around food. As a natural hunter, he’s proven his prowess with mice, shrews, chipmunks, garter snakes – witnessed by Jeron, small squirrels and unfortunately, song birds. (We did move the bird feeder to level the playing field a bit.) His patience is seemingly endless as he stalks his unsuspecting prey. He brings the same skill set to amaze or offend humans as he continues the hunt: stealing Stephanie Haugan’s cheeseburger during our annual agency outing (amaze), swiping a taco from a neighbor at the recent high school graduation party (offend) and perhaps the most embarrassing, swallowing a small child’s cone at Adele’s (highly offend).

So, with his checkered past, you may be surprised to learn about our Halloween experience. For three years, Ringo and I have answered the door in costume. Bumblebee, Ladybug and this year – a sequined devil. My son thought the costume offended Ringo’s masculinity, and perhaps it did. But it also calmed him beyond belief. He would dash out as I opened the door with the basket of treats but then greet the trick-or-treaters with restrained hospitality, gently walking up to the small children or licking a cheek on occasion. Numerous adults and children commented on what a special dog we had. I was astounded. Had Ringo changed his ways? Was this his redemption?

As I turned to go into the house after what would be the last trick-or-treater of the night, I saw Ringo’s nuzzle gently slide into the unsuspecting little goblin’s plastic pumpkin filled with candy. He made off with a nice mouthful of Kraft caramels. Luckily he didn’t like the cellophane wrapper.

Tricks or Treats? Just tricks for Ringo.

-Pat Henning

Last Saturday was an amazing day for outdoor football at the still-new TCF stadium on the University of Minnesota campus.  It was amazing not just because of the crystal clear blue sky, toe tapping cadences from the marching band or fans singing “Sweet Caroline” several measures after Neil Diamond had been silenced on the sound system.  There was more. When the rowdy, Ryan Seacrest look-alike fan from USC earned a (well-deserved) security escort, our section erupted in cheers. In contrast, the 97-yard kick-off return for a touch down by USC brought groans and disbelief. And then there was this tee shirt about three rows down from my seat that caught my attention.  Boldly across some guy’s back read: “Good work isn’t cheap, Cheap work isn’t good.”

Let’s cheer for that! This tee shirt proclaimed a truth that we have talked about at length at the agency, albeit from a purchase perspective instead of sales.

Over the years SCG’s research has revealed a consistent finding across a variety of industries. When selling, price is never “most important” unless there is nothing else to consider. As marketers, our challenge is to distinguish products and services so we can rise above price to sell on value. (Read my previous blog for more discussion about this.)

The tee shirt declared the same principle applied to purchasing on value.  When purchasing work, you clearly want to purchase an effort that improves your product, improves your company or engages your customer (aka “good work”). To obtain these results you must think beyond the cost. Obviously good work costs more than cheap work, but it also provides a return in excess of what you paid. While famous big-box chains promise a better life while spending less or urge consumers to expect more while paying less, the truth is: spending more can provide benefits way beyond the cost. It’s an investment. Spending less just for the sake of saving a nickel without regards to outcome is really a nickel wasted.

IWCO Direct’s Tom Wicka makes a compelling argument for this concept in his recent blog Investing in Innovation on Your Direct Mail Program Makes Good Cents.

As you make purchase decisions for your company, consider the investment potential. Not only does investing allow you to achieve your goals more readily, your decision to invest will spur innovation and have a ripple effect throughout the market so we all can score more touch downs, attract more fans and enjoy the game. It is investing, not cost-cutting, that makes the party appealing and brings in the fans (or customers for those of us on the floor and not the field).

So remember, don’t leave the game early and consider the shirt slogan. It fits business to a T.

Read more blogs at SCG’s 41 Stories.

-Pat Henning

Inspiring the American Dream – in the Minnetonka Pool

It was as much by accident as it was just luck. About four years ago, sandwiched between my son’s first surgery to repair his broken collar bone and the second surgery to remove the plate and seven screws some months later, Ryan joined the Minnetonka Swim Club, in part because the schedule worked out. (BTW, he had a great catch but the tackle was greater.) While our family doesn’t live in the Minnetonka school district, Ryan was able to swim with this club through a community education program. The coaches and parents were incredibly welcoming. From the beginning this seemed like a special organization, but I had no idea how special until later.

In a sport ruled by hundredths of a second, I am going to bring a little less precision to this story—but you’ll get the big picture. In an age where parents battle video games and a sense of entitlement, here is a tale where hard work not only pays off, it inspires.

A couple years after we joined the swim club, swim parents organized the Anchor Club to fundraise for a new pool at the Minnetonka East Middle School. Their efforts resulted in an amazing new aquatic center built over and around an existing catacomb of long narrow hallways and dated locker-rooms. This beautiful facility now can and does host regional meets. A couple of coaching changes followed, and the current (very talented) roster is led by NCAA All-American swimmer, Ben Bartell.

Earlier this year, Coach Ben announced that fellow University of Minnesota alum David Plummer would join the team as assistant coach and would practice with the team (in the new pool) as he pursued his goal of becoming an Olympian. We were told this incredible journey would motivate and teach our swimmers. As a pre-Title IX mom, I don’t really have the same feel for sports as others, so while I thought this was all well and fine, I really underestimated what was to transpire.

Last Wednesday at the 2010 National Championships in Irvine, Calif., David Plummer took us all a step closer to Olympic dreams as he bested the favorite and the two-time Olympic champ Aaron Peirsol to win the 100-meter backstroke. As I watched the race live on swimnetwork.com, the realization of what just happened began to sink in.  Many commentators and spectators wondered out loud, “Who is David Plummer?,” but we knew. The group of Minnetonka swimmers and their families knew. And we were incredibly proud. It was literally a David and Goliath story—a virtual unknown became a national champ.

But if that wasn’t thrill enough, here is where I got really excited: when a still breathless David was interviewed after the race, he gave credit for his first place finish to his coach and hard work. OMG! I was watching the classic American Dream unfold; the chance for success against the odds. Success that follows the dream and hard work.

The simplicity of David’s response makes it both motivational in the pool and inspirational for life. I feel so lucky that my son, Ryan, can be involved in such a vibrant program with such incredible role models. Through the collective efforts Coach Ben and his staff, David and the parents of the Minnetonka Swim Club, Ryan and his teammates are encouraged to reach for their dreams in the pool. But more importantly I think these swimmers will take their work ethic beyond the pool—to lead them through life always in pursuit of their dreams.

You can join David’s journey to the 2012 Olympics too by reading David’s blog. See you in London.

-Pat Henning

I’m always surprised when I talk with someone and learn that they “don’t love baseball.” Really. How can this be? And there seem to be many. Not me. I’m not a big sports fan but have always loved baseball—from little league to the majors.

The ball park is the only place I look forward to eating a hot dog and actually savor every bite. At my local Wolner Field , there is something so alluring about eating dinner at the concessions stand. Is it because I’ve done my time as a parent “volunteer” behind the counter? Or maybe it’s that the sound of the popping corn and general chaos of kids jostling to buy candy and nacho chips is just plain fun.

Our new Minnesota major league ball park of course offers a way bigger experience than any little league park. The new Target Field is really a special place for fans, even for those that are not passionate about our American pastime. From the walk across downtown to the Plaza with its bronze statues positioned perfectly for snapshots to the trek up the stairs and around the (many) concession areas, there is a vibrancy and energy that is contagious. So far in this inaugural season, I’ve been to the stadium twice and my family members have each been there a couple of times on their own. Between us we’ve experienced four or five different vantage points. Each one is unique with great sight lines and surprising proximity to the field—even in the upper deck.

This upper level perch (behind home plate ten rows from the very top) is where I was lucky enough to see the Twins take on the Yankees last Tuesday. Also lucky was the location of the concession area, just a few feet from the last stairs that took me to my seat.  With hot dog in hand, the game began. The view of the field, downtown and the (very) big, high-def screen and scoreboard were amazing. As the clouds rolled in, my sunglasses were removed and the temperature took a noticeable drop. With the canopy to shield us from the impending storm, it was a dry spot to watch spectacular lightning. Okay, that probably wasn’t that smart, but the thunder let us know it was still safely further away than striking distance. It was only from watching that fabulous screen that I realized it was raining. Soon the fun was over—the first rain delay of the stadium.

Fan or not, it is worth your time to take a trip to the new Twin’s ball park. And for those with more discriminating tastes, there are many, many more food choices than the hot dog.

-Pat Henning

I spotted a full-page ad from General Motors in last Thursday’s StarTribune. It read:

“We’re proud to announce:
We’ve repaid our government loan.
In full.
With interest.
Five years ahead of the original schedule.”

Grammatical and punctuation errors aside (because we all know good ad copy transcends these rules), an all-copy ad from GM intrigued me enough to read to the end. Really, they paid it all back, already? It goes on about making Americans proud of them again, and yada yada we’ve got this great warranty to guarantee quality, and blah blah we’ve repaid our loan five years early, in case you didn’t see this proud declaration in the headline.

With all the back-slapping going on throughout this glorious GM copy, I wondered why didn’t it say, “thank you America for giving us the money to emerge from bankruptcy.” (They did emerge, didn’t they? It’s so hard to remember who has and who hasn’t. The people I know who filed bankruptcy in the last 18 months haven’t emerged yet, but they’re not out to make America proud I guess.)

“Thank you” is a phrase that deserves pedestal treatment, especially in marketing. Customers, suppliers and taxpayers deserve (and respond well to) a well-intentioned thanks. This “thank you” idea was to be the focus of this blog post—how a good old-fashioned “thank you” seems to be getting the cold shoulder these days.

However, OMG, when I checked on-line to see what other stories might have popped up recently about the making-America-proud car company, I was shocked to learn from Fox News (don’t panic, it was an AP story) that General Motors Co. has repaid the $8.1 billion in loans it got from the U.S. and Canadian governments. Okay, that part wasn’t shocking because the ad told me so. This was shocking: GM still owes $45.3 billion to the U.S. and $8.1 billion to Canada.

GM got a total of $52 billion from the U.S. government and $9.5 billion from the Canadian and Ontario governments. While part was called a loan and part was a cash-for-ownership-of-worthless-shares deal (which is also to be repaid or bought out), the company appears to be actively promoting a half truth of payment in full. Well actually it’s 13% of the truth.

I am glad GM is buying full page ads. It helps local papers on the revenue side. But now that I know the facts, I am appalled that someone at GM corporate approved an ad that so boldly lacks integrity.

But back to my original intent of effective marketing.

I’m proud to announce:
Truthfulness and Thank you.
In full.
With interest.
Will earn long-term loyalty from your customers.

-Pat Henning

 NBC’s plans to return late night host Jay Leno to the 10:35 pm CST spot while pushing co-worker Conan O’Brien back a half hour to 11:05 pm has caused quite a ruckus – creating good entertainment all in its own right. In fact, who needs to tune into the Tonight Show for a laugh when Conan issues a statement addressed to “People of Earth.” His statement continued, “In the last few days, I’ve been getting a lot of sympathy calls, and I want to start by making it clear that no one should waste a second feeling sorry for me.” Blah, blah, blah.

 Well, I don’t feel sorry for Conan. NBC owns the Tonight Show property and they can pretty much do with it want they want. However, I do feel sorry for the other employees that must work in this mess.

 It’s no laughing matter when an employee airs grievances publicly. Sure, most companies don’t deal with mega stars like Conan and Leno, but most companies do have a couple of super-talented, overly confident employees. You know who they are. While stars like Conan have instant access to the national media, your employees now can make a similar impact through Facebook, blogs, Twitter and the like. Without defined expectations and an established culture, these folks’ energy can migrate to advancing themselves rather than working for the common good of the enterprise. The results can be devastating both financially and culturally. The financial element for NBC could likely run into tens of millions but what of the untold cost to the culture or its brand?

 Again most companies’ playing field is much different than this situation at NBC, but the network’s plight is still instructive. Does your company have guidance in place to filter out the Conans before they begin destructive behavior. Do you rally the troops around the common cause with their every action every day? Establishing a shared values culture provides just that. While morally neutral, these values define expected behavior and enhance each individual action. The shared values provide customers with a consistent experience from shipping to sales, and allows a company to more readily achieve it goals. Investing in internal communications and the culture is often a tough sell, but take note; it ALWAYS provides a positive financial return.

 We know NBC has worked hard in developing its cast of employees over the years and maybe its culture. In entertainment, a guy like Conan probably seemed liked a great talent who could connect with audiences and advertisers. But I’m not sure the People of Earth (including those who watch late-night television) hold Conan in higher regard now that they know of his grievance with his employer (a clever ploy to distribute his resume broadly) or how he feels about his hair.

 -Pat Henning

Yes, it’s a revolution in communication. Social media is transforming the speed and breadth of conversations. We’ve come a long way from Alexander Graham Bell’s invention 134 years ago: voicemail, blogs, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, Flickr and the like. Personal use blurs commercial applications.

 No, it does not change everything you know about communicating. Quite the contrary. Social media is reinforcing the most basic rules of good communications.

 Rule 1
If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say it.

While self explanatory, this concept is further explored in my blog post from August 29. 

 Rule 2
When you must say something that’s not nice, don’t write online what you don’t want your spouse, co-workers or customers to see.

There are times of course when topics addressed don’t fall into the “nice” category. With social media giving access to every electronic word you key, you must be aware that others will see it—including competitors. Words originating on paper can land in cyber space too. Just last week I found a client’s confidential letter from 3 years ago regarding a price increase on the first page of a Google search. Ouch. Their customer, perhaps unwittingly, made a pdf of their letter. Pdfs are fully searchable format.

 Rule 3
The rules of slander and libel still apply.

Even folks who post anonymously are being held to this standard. Google’s records are now routinely subpoenaed. A New York model recently sued and won over a derogatory, anonymous post. See Rule Number 1 and one of our previous False Beliefs.

 Rule 4
To get someone’s attention in a noisy room, whisper.

Everyone’s had a grade school teacher who used this trick. Don’t shout over a crowd. Whisper and the room will become intrigued and quiet down to catch what you are saying. That’s the secret of Twitter – it’s a micro blog. It allows you to reach a small targeted audience that is really interested in what you have to say. That’s why Twitter and company blogs can be so powerful for B2B.

 Rule 5
It’s the message that matters.

This is the most important and the most enduring rule of all communications. Social media or conventional, it’s the message that matters— not the technology. Twitter is not a strategy; it’s a channel to convey your message.

 Rule 6, Rule 7, Rule 8, Rule 9, Rule 10
See Rule 5.

- Pat Henning

Thanksgiving is upon us! It’s time to pile our plates high with turkey, yams and pumpkin pie.  But before we do, we asked ourselves, “What are you thankful for this year?”  Here’s how we replied…

Steph is thankful for her clarity and sanity.

Whitney is thankful for her family. “They can always make me laugh and have given me such unwavering support throughout this year.”

Trevor is most thankful for “my beautiful, healthy baby girl Luella. I am also thankful for how stinkin’ happy she is all the time!”

Joy is thankful that, “even though my family lives in three different states, we will all be together for Thanksgiving!”

Patricia is thankful for the trust our clients have placed in us during this challenging 2009.

Patrick is thankful that our agency was able to withstand the economic downturn and that our clients have generally weathered the storm very well.

Carol is so thankful for Makarei, her little granddaughter. “We get up at 4:30 in the morning to get ready for work and school.  On Saturdays she has piano lessons and choir practice.  She goes with me to Lay Organization and Missionary Society meetings and stays in a separate room dancing and singing.  Makarei is the joy of my life and I am so happy to have her in my life.”

Chad is thankful for his family.

Randy is thankful that his cousin Trent returned safely from Djibouti, Africa, after spending a 7-month tour of duty in the Marines.

Jenny is thankful for the small group she joined recently through her church. “We meet each Sunday night for a time of faith, fun and fellowship. It has already been such a gift and a wonderful way to start a new week. And our host is truly Rachael Ray Jr. so I leave each week with lunch for Monday!”

Jeron is thankful the economy has reminded him (and certainly many others) how much more valuable family, health and friendships are than material items.

Jane is very thankful to have a wonderful, big family that surrounds her with love and support. “I am also thankful that both Dan and I are employed and that our family is healthy and happy. And I am thankful to have been fortunate to have adopted such an amazing, loving dog to add to our family…we are so blessed to be able to share every moment of Lily’s life.”

What are you most thankful for this year?

We hope you enjoy your holiday with family, friends and those closest to you. Happy Thanksgiving from all of your friends at SCG!