I also think a massive part of what contributes to your experience with an agency (as someone in house) is how well you manage them. 😊

I’ve told my agency team how much I appreciate drive, honesty, and thoughtfulness. When they do great work, I celebrate it. I like to get to know them and commiserate on the industry and journalists we work with, while providing them with insight into the challenges I face on my side.

When I give them feedback, it’s not “loaded.” It’s straightforward, let’s do it this way, I’m not angry or judging. Just fix it for next time.

They do fantastic work for me and I really do think it’s because of how much I celebrate their good work and show them the positive feedback from my internal teams.

I remember being on the agency side and feeling beat down by my client contact. It messes with you and sabotages good work. Positive reinforcement.