How We Manage Working with Clients in the Same Industry (and Avoid a Conflict of Interest)

Our approach to marketing is to provide strategies and services that are industry-tailored. But how does that work if we have multiple clients in the same industry and even the same city? Isn't that a conflict of interest? 

We've given a lot of thought to these relevant concerns. This article will discuss the risk vs. reward of working with an agency like Clever Punch compared to keeping your marketing in-house. We'll also share our team's values that uphold trust and integrity with our clients.

The Secret Sauce is in the Execution

One concern business owners have with using an outside marketing agency is that their proprietary marketing secrets will get shared with their competitors. We address this concern in two ways. 

First, we've found that business owners don't need new ideas; they need execution. Our team can provide the consistency and implementation they struggle to manage in-house. Marketing needs to be consistent and build momentum to be successful. The secret sauce is in the processes we've come up with that ensure a job well done every month, at a high-quality level, while taking as little time from the client as possible.

What Confidentiality Means to Us

Second, we value confidential information as just that: confidential. Our proposal includes this verbiage…

"Clever Punch is a team of employees and freelancers. We share information related to our clients within our team on a need-to-know basis. We train our team to never share confidential information and to speak positively about our clients, their employees, and their company. We consider confidential information or materials to be anything that is not public knowledge. We keep the information confidential until our relationship ends and indefinitely. We never have and never will share email addresses between clients or organizations. One of the benefits of working with Clever Punch is that you get the experience of a team that has worked on marketing in various businesses. Over time, we have a unique bag of tricks of ideas and processes. If we ever work on something that you feel is proprietary and should be kept confidential, let us know, and we will honor your request within reason."

There is Plenty of Room at the Top

Another reason to pursue using an outside marketing agency like Clever Punch is because no one can be you or do what you do. We relish in finding what makes you unique and sharing that message so that your ideal clients can find you effortlessly.

We really mean it when we say that we find each client and their business fascinating and that your story deserves to be shared. Even when Clever Punch takes on clients in similar industries, we see the opportunity to craft a distinctive marketing strategy. In every client, we see their unique culture, unique business strategies, and the unique people who make up their team. From day one in working together, our priority is to spotlight what makes your business stand out. But what if there's a business out there where it's just too close for comfort? This verbiage is included in our proposal…

"If there are specific clients you would not feel comfortable us working with, please make that clear at the start of our relationship, and we will honor them within reason. If we have the opportunity to work with a client that may be a conflict of interest, we will communicate with you before making any decisions."

We've Been Here Before

One of the benefits of working with Clever Punch is that you get the experience of a team that has worked on marketing in various businesses. As a result, we have a unique bag of tricks, ideas, and processes over time.

When taking on many clients in one industry, we open ourselves up to more professional experience. As a relatively young business, we are committed to expanding our tool belt by garnering as much knowledge as possible. So where do you fit in? When you begin with Clever Punch, you can trust that we have likely worked with a business like yours before, and our knowledge of your field gives us a leg-up when it comes to marketing. We'll tailor what we already know to your unique business and put our time and energy towards tactics that work.

Best Marketing Strategy Ever: Just Care

It's quite simple: treat each client with equal respect and offer equal service. We choose to see our ecosystem of clients in overlapping industries as an opportunity rather than a threat. If you feel aligned with our approach and are interested in learning more about working with us, click here to schedule an introductory call.