The ideal client? Isn’t it the one that pays on time? No argument there, but at OpenArc, we think that relationship should go further. It’s an important point of view that too often goes unmentioned: Who you work for matters. Across the corporate landscape, too many projects crumble under the weight of lack of communication, lack of chemistry or simply plain old lack of care – and too many companies and clients accept dysfunction as normal. Every project won’t be a perfect match, but there’s nothing quite like when a client’s need and vision mesh perfectly with your capabilities and expertise. We think it can happen more often than it does, and we’d like to offer a few guidelines this week for you to make your own luck. First?

The ideal client has a marketing budget.

Nate Smith, OpenArc Marketing Director
You’re right. This seems obvious. Simple, even. Doesn’t every organization – be it a startup, a nonprofit or a Fortune 500 juggernaut – have marketing needs? You want to tell your story. But how do you find an audience? If a client doesn’t value that aspiration, then the relationship is in a rocky place right from the start. There’s no sense of return on investment or a broader corporate goal. In other words, unless you define it – give it a name – it lacks value. As noted sales expert Jeffrey Gitomer says, value is nothing more than value perceived. There’s just no way around it. The truth is, budgets reflect deeper thought. Budgets are drawn up for things clients care about. If an initiative is important, you’re going to put energy and funds (and a name) to it.

Additionally, marketing is not merely external. Successful marketing efforts can (and should) include everything from your internal website all the way down the line to job training manuals and even the employee handbook. Good marketing is storytelling. Good marketing is communication. Good marketing is budgeted. Which leads us to tomorrow’s point:

The ideal client has a plan to increase the value of their organization.