Cracking Through the Creds Meeting

Credentials meetings, Chemistry meetings, Capability meetings – basically three different ways of saying the same thing.  But the question is how do you set them up in order to crack through and be invited into the next round?

Honestly, AAR Partners eliminated credentials meetings as a semi-finalist step for many years but due to the pandemic we re-instituted these meetings as a way for marketers to be able to spend a little extra time with agencies and more importantly, their team, since we cannot hold in-person meetings yet.

But what makes a successful credentials meeting?

The simple answer is there is no simple answer.  Unfortunately, there is no 100% guaranteed solution since every new prospective client team is different.  However, there are some tactics that seem to stand out to help be successful with these meetings:

1. Start with a quick story – yes, a short 90-second intro video that highlights the agency team that is selected to manage the account.  Each agency player should introduce him or herself both professionally and personally – add a little human touch because in the end, people work with people.  Here’s the key – send this to the prospect 24-hours prior with a VERY short note expressing your enthusiasm to meeting them and encouraging them to watch the 90-second welcome video.
2. Ice-breakers – they work as long as they are relevant to the brand and are kept very short.  Prospective clients are not interested in playing games but they are interested in learning about how your team has the appropriate expertise for their marketing challenges. So tie the ice-breaker to the brand.
3. The prospect – Ummm… please do not forget to ask them to introduce themselves!  I realize that agencies do their homework and should know a lot about each prospective client at the meeting but they do not know that you’ve basically stalked them on social media.  They think you’re not interested in them as a team of people.  And what’s most important in the end?  People want to work with people that they like.  
4. The consumer – remember those man-on-the-street interviews?  A little tougher to do in a pandemic but they always work like a charm!  Clients LOVE to hear what their consumer says about them but here’s the key, you must keep it very short in a creds meeting since this is supposed to be about your credentials and the ultimate key is to integrate those consumer comments into your relevant case studies showcasing the proof behind your relevant expertise.

The best capabilities meetings hit five key Cs:

1. Credentials – showcase your relevant experience in two key cases – use stories, videos and be sure to show results.
2. Comparison – compare relevant cases side by side to the prospective client’s brand
3. Conversation – remember to engage and re-engage; it is a bit more presentation-oriented but you must engage them in some conversation
4. Calisthenics – discussion questions or quick exercises are great to engage the prospective team but be careful not to turn it into a work session. Many clients are turned off when agencies shift their creds meeting into a Q&A or tear sheet session.
5. Compatibility – this should come naturally or not.  You truly cannot prepare for “chemistry” but you can be yourselves as an integrated team and if there is a natural camaraderie, it is often that the client team wants to be part of it.

Clients often evaluate these meetings on three key areas: strategic insights/smarts; innovative creative/engaging solutions; agency process/relevant experience and of course, cultural compatibility.  I recently had a client say, “I can tell within five minutes if this team is a fit for our brand.”  I didn’t agree with that statement as it is a little too shallow but whether I agree with it or not, it is reality at times.

There you have it.  That’s my counsel on this topic and I hope it helps.  Look out for more of my new biz quick tips shared exclusively with AAR Agency Growth Program Partners…