Zooming out for a moment

Photo: Unsplash

Sometimes in the midst of the day-to-day operations of a creative agency, it can be hard to see the big picture. There are calls to make and emails to respond to, meetings to attend, projects to pitch, deliverables to deliver, and only if you’re intentional about it, there is the time you’ve set aside to actually create work. But a major part of running a busy studio is remembering to step back and ask the hard questions.

You know, things like: are we doing the kind of work we want to do in the world? Are we working for people we genuinely enjoy working with who genuinely enjoy working with us?

I’ve shared a bit about our philosophy at A Hundred Monkeys before — how we evaluate potential projects before they begin and decide which to take on — and why.

But it’s always helpful to revisit our guiding principles — to make sure we’re staying true to them. Plus, knowing what we want and putting it out there for all to see takes some of the work off our plate. By clearly articulating what we’re looking for, we encourage a bit of self-selection. Which hopefully means the right people will be knocking on our door, ready to roll.

What we’re looking for in our next client:

1. They’re certain we’re the right ones for the job. No one likes to be second-guessed every step of the way.
2. They respect our process — because they like the work we’ve done and understand there’s a method for getting there. This is one we had to learn the hard way—after too many clients essentially said, We love your work! Can you do it our way?
3. They see us as partners in the good fight. We need advocates as clients. Because good ideas require shepherding to see the light of day.
4. They know they play a role in the success of the project. The work we do requires careful collaboration — we can’t read minds.
5. They’re doing something different and want to make sure the world knows it. This is rarer than you might think. Often, people say they want to upend an entire industry, but then actually want to communicate like every company in that industry. The best clients’ only concern is not being different enough.
6. They have a strong point of view about why they’re doing what they’re doing. And it isn’t hot air.
7. They have the time necessary to devote to the project — be it scheduling meetings, answering questions, reviewing work, providing feedback.
8. They tell it like it is. And value that we do, too.
9. Bonus points if the brand we work on will live in the physical world: recent favorites include an airplane, a brewery, a clothing brand, coffee beans, a furniture line. Extra bonus points if it’s something we’ve never done before.

In a way, this compilation doubles as a thank you to our clients and partners: you’ve taught us so much. This list is sure to grow and change, since we learn new things from every project we do. When the client relationship is a good fit it benefits every stage of the process—and the end result of the work is so much better than it could be otherwise.