We’re more than ‘just’ an agency carrying out a job of work for you, we become an extension of your organisation.
At Blackwood, our favourite type of client relationship is a long-term client relationship. Don’t get us wrong – we’re more than happy to team up with a client for a single project, collaborate with them to get to the heart of what they need, deliver some top-quality work for them, then shake hands and go our separate ways.
But, once a project is completed, instead of saying, “Pleasure doing business with you,” we like it when we can sit down with a client and ask, “Right, what’s next?” We like to look at the big picture, take the long view, and build on the success of each individual project.
That’s why we’re big fans of framework agreements, and why several of our clients are big fans too.
Frameworks just…work
A framework agreement sets up a longer-term relationship between Blackwood and our clients. Typically they run for three years, although they can be longer or shorter, and they offer all kinds of important benefits:
- We’re on your team. First and foremost, when we have a framework agreement with a client, we’re effectively a close creative partner. We’re more than ‘just’ an agency carrying out a job of work for you, we become an extension of your organisation – available for brainstorming and strategic discussions, always thinking of innovative ways to help you develop, grow and reach your broader goals. We get to know how you work, how your year is structured, where those pressure points in your calendar might be, and – to borrow from that dreaded job interview question – where you see yourself in three years.
- Long term thinking. With a three-year framework in place, we can work with you to create a series of targets – perhaps quite ambitious ones – and then set about helping you exceed them. A disadvantage of doing piecemeal work on individual projects (rather than having a framework) is that it can feel like going to a gorgeous new city on holiday but only staying for one night: just when you’re getting to know the place, you’re off back to the airport. In a framework relationship, we can see the big picture and plan accordingly. We can, for example, discuss the pros and cons of launching a new project now, versus launching it in six months as part of an integrated campaign. Proactive rather than reactive, it’s a smart way of working and it gets results.
- Multi-channel approach. At Blackwood we’ve got a broad range of creative approaches at our disposal, from corporate reports and print materials to web content, microsites, animations, illustrations and infographics. With a framework agreement in place, we can pick and choose which of these channels to apply to each individual job. This means that your audience gets a rich mix of messaging in many different formats, but all of it speaks with a single voice – supporting your key strategy and solidifying your brand at every turn.
- Cut those costs. Just as it’s cheaper to buy a pack of six apples than to buy six individual apples, so it’s more economical for our clients to enlist Blackwood’s services in a framework agreement. By sending all your creative work to us, you could make valuable savings as well as getting a first-class finished product from a partner who understands your entire business.
Blackwood continues to establish framework relationships with a variety of clients around the world. We relish the chance to collaborate with each of these clients in the years ahead, helping them grow and adapt through creative messaging and dazzling design.
Perhaps you feel that your organisation is done playing the field and wants to settle down – at least for a few years – with one agency, a creative partner with a strong investment in your success. If so, do get in touch. We’re not afraid of commitment.