Marketing buyers and their agencies need better alignment – here’s how they can achieve it

If marketing buyers’ expectations are too high or misaligned with the practicalities of marketing processes, results will suffer.

Balancing expectations and results is a tricky task, and it impacts several critical areas of the marketing buyer/agency relationship. Performance expectations versus actual delivery, whether in terms of leads, conversions, or ROI, can hobble a campaign right out of the gate. Misalignment also creates communication gaps where buyers feel agencies aren’t providing timely updates, detailed reporting, or visibility of campaign performance.

There can be gaps between strategy and execution, as buyers sometimes expect agencies to give strategic guidance on evolving trends, consumer behavior, or competitor movements. Agencies, however, often focus more on execution and delivering the assets and tactics the buyer asked for. Budget mismanagement is another area where there can be confusion around agency fees, allocation of media spend, or perceived inefficiencies in campaign management. Misalignment often arises and festers if buyers feel they’re not getting sufficient value for money from their agency.

Speed and responsiveness can also cause misalignment, as marketing buyers may want faster results or quicker turnarounds, but agencies have slower internal workflows or other client commitments to accommodate. Creativity versus business needs can create problems if agencies focus too heavily on creative work that wins awards but doesn’t actually line up with client business objectives. Lack of industry knowledge in the agency can cause conflict, because if knowledge of their specific industry and customer base doesn’t meet client expectations, campaigns can again miss targets.

These are all areas where agencies and marketing buyers must collaborate to agree on expectations and implement sensible processes and measurements to deliver them.

Getting expectation/delivery balance right

It’s an equation that needs work to get right, and both sides bear responsibility. However, marketing buyers must keep expectations realistic, communications clear, and stay closely involved to keep misalignment to a minimum. Some ways to achieve this include:

1. Don’t expect too much too soon. Some marketing buyers expect quick, measurable results, especially in digital marketing where metrics can be had in real time. However, marketing often takes time to build momentum, and campaigns can be complex. Expecting an immediate ROI can create tension and misalignment. So buyers should commit to understanding realistic timelines for achieving specific results.
2. Inadequate briefings and goal-setting. Buyers shouldn’t just supply vague briefs or assume agencies will “just know” what to do. If goals, target audience, or key performance indicators (KPIs) aren’t clearly defined, it’s hard for agencies to deliver exactly what buyers expect.
3. Financial commitment counts. Managing budget is essential, but some buyers can focus too heavily on cost-cutting and not on what’s needed to achieve goals. This can mean underinvestment in campaigns where more resources are required to succeed. When marketing strategies fail due to insufficient funding, buyers often blame agencies, but the misalignment tends to stem from unrealistic budget constraints.
4. Have patience and trust. Some buyers switch agencies or campaigns too frequently, expecting a silver bullet that delivers instant results. Not trusting the agency’s expertise can lead to micromanagement, frequent changes in direction, or not giving campaigns time to get anywhere.
5. Focus on the right metrics. Some buyers can concentrate too much on “vanity” metrics like website traffic or social media likes rather than business metrics that really matter, like conversions or customer lifetime value. Misaligned success measurements can mean buyers are disappointed even when campaigns are performing well in key areas.
6. Commit to collaboration. Buyers should remember that agencies aren’t external – they’re strategic partners. Lack of collaboration and engagement hinders the agency’s ability to align campaigns with buyers’ evolving business needs. Buyers should collaborate as much as possible and share updates about the business, like new product launches or shifting market conditions, so agencies can adjust strategies accordingly.
7. Resist the urge to change priorities mid-project. Marketing buyers sometimes shift objectives or priorities mid-campaign without considering the impact on the agency and strategy execution. This can create confusion and substandard outcomes if the agency is already working in a particular direction.

It’s a symbiotic relationship in which agency and buyer must play their part. The key is keeping expectations realistic and targeted, and aligning them with the realities of marketing processes. Discuss and agree realistic timelines and goals, communicate regularly and clearly, collaborate on strategic decisions and share responsibility for outcomes. Stick to this and you’ll minimize the possibility of misalignment and maximize your marketing’s chances of success.