I have been a subscriber to Glamour magazine for practically my entire life. Every month it hits my mailbox and I, like millions of other women, start at the back of the book.  My worst fear in life (besides roller coasters and ski lifts) is a black bar across a picture of my face with the word “DON’T” underneath it.  (So far, I have dodged that fashion bullet.)

You would think that the way of not being a “DON’T” is to simply be a “DO,” but it’s all in how you word it and sometimes “DON’T” just says it better.

In the client-agency relationship there are Five Major Don’ts that I subscribe to.  Some are common sense and some were born out of experiences good and bad.

1. DON’T be afraid to be honest with clients about realistic timelines.  Yes, they will be in a hurry to hear their spots on the radio once they pull the trigger, but rushing a campaign to air is not the foundation on which you want to build your relationship. Yes, many times the agency team can perform miracles in going from agreement signature to on the air.  Still, unrealistic expectations are not what you want a client to get used to before a campaign begins.
2. DON’T be afraid to say, “I don’t have the answer you are looking for at my fingertips, but I know exactly where to get it.” I spent many, many years on the client side and never once did I expect my agency to “know it all” when I asked. But I did expect them to know how to get the answer when I needed it.
3. DON’T let your opinion die of loneliness on a shelf. Your client is relying on your expertise in media property choices, in creative choices and roll out strategy. Of course in the end what the client wants will be what the client gets but it is your responsibility to have their back and often times that means speaking your mind.
4. DON’T forget that your clients are people too. They have kids and pets and vacation stories.  Ask them about them!  No one is all business all the time. Know your boundaries and always be respectful, but it is much easier to conduct business with a real “person” than a title.
5. DON’T keep your “client-side” experience a secret.  Shared experiences make for the best allies and the allies make for the best clients.

Those are my top five. I try my best to live up to them as a regular course of business.  I’m sure you could come up with even more.  Share them in the comments section below. Please don’t ever let me be found in the Advertising Hall of Shame with a black bar across my face.

Monica Caraffa is a Senior Account Manager at The Radio Agency. Please follow The Radio Agency’s Blog “Sounding Board” by subscribing to the email or RSS links above. Visit our website TheRadioAgency.com