One of the greatest challenges (and most fun thing) about being an account manager is that clients often look to you when it comes to growing their business. They want answers to their questions or, at the very least, suggestions on what to do next.
And the one thing they don’t want to hear is that everything they’re planning to do looks great and you’d be glad to implement it for them.
(Aside: I used to work with a creative director that called AE’s who just nodded in agreement with the client and brought the work back to the agency, “parrots” and had a picture of a pirate with a big, nasty parrot on his shoulder. I knew when I was in trouble for being too complacent because my name would be pinned to the parrot.)
As a point of fact, you owe it to your client to think about all the markets that hold potential for them. If that requires a little extra research (whether it be reading or actually spending time in the community), that’s a small investment to make in a relationship. Exploring the possibilities presented by ethnic or minority markets is a great example.
Once you understand the media landscape for various ethnic groups, you should begin to see the potential for opportunity. Broaching the subject with your client, however, can be a tricky proposition. Here are some tips on how to do that:
1) Collect market information from the client that would help you identify the nature of the relationship they currently have with a specific minority group.2) Investigate the market potential online. There are plenty of online databases and resource groups that can provide insights into almost any aspect of the major ethnic groups in the USA.
3) Talk to/interview a handful of people that fit the ethnic profile of the group you’re interested in. Try to capture, in their words, why your client’s product or brand is important to them.
4) Prepare a presentation that explains the differences in perceptions and perceived advantages of your brand (and, ideally, the competitions’ brands) from the point of view of the ethnic market(s) in review.
5) Find allies (other agencies, freelancers, journalists, etc.) who accurately represent the point of view of the customer. Make sure they’re integrated into your team.
When you present your findings and recommendations, be prepared for a two-part reaction. At first, the client might seem interested and gracious – at least in the presence of guests. After your allies leave, though, be prepared for the hard questions to come out.
Clients who are comfortable with the white, mainstream media, are often uncomfortable with considering ethnic marketing opportunities. Ironically, the initial reaction (and it’s more common than not) is that marketing through ethnic media or with customized messages is “pandering” to one group or another. In fact, this couldn’t be further from the truth.
You need to point out the benefits of cross-cultural branding and the application of the same principles inside our own country.
Despite their own discomfort, clients will take your recommendation under consideration. Be prepared to play a waiting game on this kind of opportunity, but keep bringing it to the forefront – especially if a competitor takes advantage of the opportunity before your client.
The sooner you can get your client thinking about the entire market, the better your client will fare (and the more work for your agency and its partners).
