“Sweat the big stuff and the small stuff. The big stuff wins accounts. The small stuff keeps them.”

When I first started at Symmetri, that’s what I learned from one of our founding members, Ryan Mannion. More than four years later, it is advice that still resonates with me every day. It’s a mantra everyone here at Symmetri Marketing Group embraces – but what exactly does it mean?

Depending on their role, everyone will have their own answers. In fact, they’ll be devising new answers with each new challenge. As a member of the account team, it’s all about building relationships. It’s about putting the effort into every project you do – big or small. Here are a few of my top examples:

Know the industry.

In the B2B space, understanding the industry and key stakeholders that affect the industry is crucial to having a successful pitch as well as continued support of a client. The industries that Symmetri serves are typically highly specialized and highly technical. To be immersed in the industry, whether that’s subscribing to newsletters or following key thought leaders via social media, can mean volumes to a client. It’s important to know the big topics that are affecting the industry and to be attuned to the needs of the purchasing decision-makers. It shows an interest in the big picture, which communicates to the client that you are paying attention to market trends that may affect their business.

Know the brand.

For many of our clients, we are the one constant in their marketing department. Often, there are several members of their internal team working with us – and it is important for us to maintain consistency across the brand and the communications. This means focusing on the nuances that help drive a strong brand: Does the brand’s positioning and messaging shine through in the piece? Are brand standards (colors, fonts, etc.) used in the appropriate places? Does the imagery reflect the brand’s look and feel? As an agency, it is our responsibility to ensure this consistency across all communications, no matter what internal team member is leading the project. These details, while they may seem small, help to build trust with a client – to show you are as committed to the success of the brand as they are.

Know the person.

What makes a great agency (and keeps a client happy) is having a team that understands personal preferences. Being aligned with how a client communicates (email vs. telephone, short conversations vs. detailed explanations, etc.) can solidify a relationship. Creating a personal connection also helps foster understanding. Finding common interests and similarities, while not critical, can help create a strong relationship between client and agency – and have fun while doing it.

An agency/client relationship should be seamless.

Every single thing that we do as an agency reflects who we are as a company. And it’s important to care about everything – both big ideas and small details. It’s that focus that helps to drive a long-term relationship with our clients. Because as I have learned over the last five years: The big stuff, the small stuff – it’s all important stuff.