Navigating Wants Vs. Needs In the Client and Ad Agency Relationship

Relationships are challenging.

If they were easy, there wouldn’t be millions of books available on how to survive them.

And the relationship between an ad agency and the client is no exception. Particularly when the client has an opinion about what he or she wants, and the agency has a differing opinion about what they believe the client needs. It’s the whole wants vs. needs debate.

So who’s right?

In terms of marketing and advertising, there’s no definitive answer to the wants vs. needs conundrum.   

Yes, it’s true that most clients seek out ad agencies to provide direction and expertise. And the agencies deliver on those. But there are times when clients hire ad agencies with the sole intent of using that expertise to fulfill their wishes. This is where things get dicey.

Beyond campaign performance, an ad agency is also judged on strategy, customer service and comfort within the working relationship. With all of this on the line, it can be difficult for the agency to offer the client alternative opinions based on what the agency believes the client needs - regardless of how tactfully it’s done.

Especially if the agency follows the ancient tenet of basic customer service - “the customer is always right.”

But when an ad agency works hard to stay current with the marketplace and methods for how to drive success, the resistance to guidance for optimal results feels like a lot of wasted energy and resources.

This is NOT to say, however, that the client is wrong. There is often a legitimate need behind what the client wants. It takes time to unearth it though.

The problem with focusing on wants vs. needs is that if left unchecked, the ad agency and the client become pinned against one another.

The agency is frustrated that their experience and expertise are not being utilized, while the client feels increasingly isolated and stressed about spending money. This is NO environment for creating successful strategies and campaigns.

And it needn’t ever come to this.

When a client is transparent and forthcoming with their goals, it is the job of the ad agency to LISTEN to what the client wants and problem solve from that point rather than bombard the client with their opinion of what the client needs. 

That’s why an ad agency will generally have the most positive influence on a client’s business when they take the time to get to know the client, to truly listen and to be involved with the development of strategy.

The murky waters of wants vs. needs then become much clearer.

So see, it’s not so much that the client doesn’t know what he or she needs. It’s just that solving a need feels a lot more challenging and overwhelming than fulfilling a want.

An ad agency that is attentive to the client and strives to build a strong partnership will be able to enact the process of getting the client what he or she needs, by fulfilling what he or she wants.

And if the ad agency and client can’t get beyond the wants vs. needs conundrum, well, it may just be a sign that it’s not a good fit and it’s time to move on.

Not all relationships work out. Despite all the literature.