What is a partner?

A lot of agencies talk about “partnership” in their marketing and their pitch. It’s an easy way to name all of your softer value propositions. It offers a natural segue into the relational intangibles that most clients know are valuable but are hard to quantify.

The fact is, being a partner is a lot harder than being a vendor. And despite the fact that many agencies talk about partnership, they don’t all follow through on that promise. 

Whether it’s a result of poor communication or legitimate gaps in skill and experience, the sad truth is that digital agencies have a reputation for overpromising.

I’ve been thinking about this disconnect lately, the big promises that agencies make about partnerships, and the notable lack of follow-through that I’ve observed as we intake clients from other shops.

Here’s what I think partnership boils down to.

1. Partners help you think.

Most marketing vendors execute what’s handed to them.
Two years ago, you agreed to pay for four monthly blog posts? Keep em’ comin’.

But a partner continuously asks, “Is this the best use of our time and budget?” They push for clarity of purpose and offer alternatives. Sometimes, they might even say “no”.
This always starts in the discovery and sales process, but things will naturally change, and it should be a constant conversation.

Ultimately, partners care about what works, not just what is already in scope. 

2. Partners seek out the big picture.

A vendor lives in marketing land. And they rarely leave. But there are a bunch of different variables that can impact your ability to generate leads, sales, and growth.

A partner pays attention. When something in your business changes, your strategy may need to change with it. Seasonality, staffing, capacity, pricing, competition, new technology – all of these things can have an impact on your marketing plan. 

Your partner should respond to the changes in your business that they don’t have control over.

3. Partners are exclusive.

Here’s something that doesn’t get talked about enough: If your agency is working with your direct competitors, their incentives are split—no matter what they say.

A vendor might be helping three or four different companies “dominate” the Atlanta plumbing market. Explain that.

Exclusivity reflects our belief in focus, in choosing who we work with carefully and then standing behind them fully.

4. Partners take ownership.

Not everything will go perfectly. That’s the nature of building anything worthwhile. But when things veer off course, a true partner doesn’t point fingers or hide behind jargon.

They take responsibility. They have hard conversations. And they work with you to get things back on track. 

The trick is that the relationship you have with your partner has to be built on enough trust that it can withstand a minor speed bump. This takes openness and honesty from both sides. (And a history of enough good work to vastly outweigh any mistakes)

5. Partnership is embedded in culture.

To be a partner isn’t easy, and to build a team that is committed to partnership is even harder.

There are probably books written about this topic, but the requirement for creating a culture devoted to real partnership that stands out most to me is respecting the time that it takes to do good work.

Agencies are notorious for putting too much on their people’s plates. But when you’re constantly jumping from one urgent task to the next, there isn’t time for the creativity and bigger-picture thinking required to show up as a thought partner, counselor, or advisor.

An agency that delivers on the promise of partnership has to respect and defend its people’s time – so they have the space to be creative within their discipline.

It’s Harder (But Worth It)

Being a partner takes more time, more care, and more accountability. It means getting closer to your business, understanding your goals, and sometimes having hard conversations.

It’s not the easy way. But it’s the only one that actually works long-term for both us and our clients. 

This is how we strive to show up at Gemini. Not as task-takers. But as partners invested in your success.

Want to see what that looks like? Let’s talk →

Written by: Robert Marston, Director of Business Development & Strategy