This applies to any kind of business. I recall breaking two of these rules
- Never submit an advertisement unless you honestly think it is good.
- Tell clients what you would do if you were in their shoes.
- Always put your client’s interests above the agency’s.
- Never tell a client a lie.
- When you make a serious mistake, tell your client before he (or she) hears it from somebody else.
- Ask your clients for their opinions and listen attentively to what they say.
- Never get between a client and the footlights. Give clients credit for their successes.
- Never miss a due date, even if it means working nights and weekends.
- Never get involved in the politics in the client’s offices.
- Never leak the client’s secrets
- When your client makes a mistake, rush to the rescue.
- Know more about the client’s business than he (or she) does.
- Invent new ways to help your clients grow their business – above and beyond the call of duty.
- If you think that a client is a dope – conceal your opinion.
- Never use a product manufactured by one of the client’s competitors.
- Make friends with your clients, but never grovel. For example, never thank a client for coming to a meeting.
- Never give a job to anyone in a client’s family. They are impossible to fire.
- Expose your clients to other people in the agency, in case you are hit by a taxi.
- Never argue with clients about charges. Leave it to somebody in your Treasurer’s department.
- If you think you are a bad fit on an account, tell your boss. He can then assign it to someone else.
If you behave like this, you will win the gratitude and respect of your clients – and of the agency.
