December 1997. Wildwood was three and a half years old and had just become a limited company. Will was ten months old, and his grandmother made the cake. Today Will is our Managing Director.
In 1994 Wildwood was one woman and one client. Over thirty-two years later we’re a team of 24, led by Managing Director Will Houston, working with more than 30 clients around the world, and some of the brands we work with today have been part of that story for decades. We’ve worked with CEDIA for over 20 years, Panasonic Heating & Cooling for almost 15 years, and this year we celebrated ten years as ISE’s PR agency.
Over the years, many clients have also come back to us after a period away, whether because of budget or structural changes, or because our personal contact has changed roles and brings their new company to the Wildwood Plus stable. Welcoming them back is a special kind of pleasure.
Long relationships don’t happen by accident, and they don’t happen because clients forget to review their agency. They happen because the work keeps getting better. These are the four things I think make the difference.
1. We already know your market
Clients in AV, HVAC, building products and interiors don’t have time to teach an agency their industry. We’ve spent three decades inside these sectors. We know the editors, the analysts, the specifiers and the integrators, and they know us. That means day one is spent on your story, and every year after it compounds: the relationships get deeper and the coverage gets better placed.
Every agency talks about hitting the ground running. We often start before the contract does. We take time for extra research and frequently spot opportunities that fit a new client’s needs before they’ve signed, so by day one we’re already delivering.
2. We treat year eight like year one
The biggest risk in a long relationship is comfort. Plans get rolled forward and ideas get recycled. We guard against it by re-examining every account as though we were pitching for it. What’s changed in the client’s market? What would a rival agency pitching for the account propose? Where are we coasting?
The team has heard me say it countless times: treat every month like it’s your last on the account, not your first. Nothing is guaranteed. Imagine it’s £1,000 of your own money. Would you be happy handing it over for what we delivered this month? Putting ourselves in the shoes of the people paying the bill keeps us honest about value, month in, month out.
3. We tell clients what they need to hear
Openness is one of our core values for very good reasons. It means being open to new ideas, and it also means being open and honest, giving advice even when it isn’t the popular option. Trust is built in the difficult conversations: advising a client that a story won’t land, a launch date is wrong, or a budget would work harder elsewhere. Clients stay with an agency that protects their reputation, including from their own enthusiasm.
4. We become part of the team
What clients say about us tells the story better than I can. Christie describes working with us as an extension of its global PR team. ISE counts us as part of the ISE family. The British Institute of Interior Design talks about the strategic partnerships and events we’ve built alongside the coverage. None of them describe a supplier.
We love working with clients, not for them, and we truly care about what we do. That passion shows in many ways. It’s going the extra mile so an awards ceremony runs without a hitch. It’s crafting a story that journalists pick up in publications around the world. It’s presenting ideas that the client’s management team approves and sees through to a live campaign. We love every win, whether it carries the client’s name or Wildwood Plus’s fingerprints.
What this means for a new client
Tenure isn’t a goal in itself. It’s the result of delivering, year after year, for brands that have plenty of choice. If you’re looking for an agency, ask them about their retention rate and how long their clients stay. Then ask what they’d do differently in year five than in year one. The answer will tell you a lot.
Contact Wildwood Plus today to discover how we can support your event
