By Aundréa Cika Heschmeyer, MARQUEE President
How deeply should you immerse yourself in a client’s world? It’s a question every B2B company must answer—whether you’re delivering a product or a service. At MARQUEE, we pride ourselves on becoming extensions of our clients’ teams. That commitment yields results, but it also comes with responsibility – especially when we get it wrong.
Recently, one of our nonprofit clients rightly called us out for publishing outdated data on a social platform. The information had changed. Our internal files hadn’t. The error not only damaged our credibility—it risked undermining the trust and advocacy that the client worked so hard to build.
The truth is: when you serve mission-driven organizations, there’s no such thing as “close enough.” You owe it to the people behind the cause—and those they serve—to stay informed, accurate, and aligned. Our job isn’t just to broadcast the message. It’s to protect it. That means understanding what’s current, what’s sensitive, and what’s truly at stake.
In the aftermath, we owned the mistake, apologized publicly, and acted swiftly. This misstep was a wake-up call, forcing us to revisit our workflows. As a result, MARQUEE has implemented a new data acquisition and content approval policy to prevent recurrence—a small change with major impact.
Know Your Clients:
This experience prompted me to reflect on something bigger: how much do we really need to know about our clients’ businesses?
At MARQUEE, we don’t just offer custom strategies—we want to become extensions of our clients’ teams. That means understanding not only our clients’ goals but also their pain points, their audiences, and their internal culture. (See sidebar.) Because if you don’t know what’s at stake for them, you can’t possibly represent them well.
Even with good systems and great intentions, mistakes can happen. What matters most is how you respond—and what you do next.
So, how much should you know about your client’s business? Enough to care deeply. Enough to make them feel your full investment. Because knowing our clients isn’t just good business—it’s the only kind that matters.
5 ESSENTIALS:
💡 What Keeps Them Up at Night?
Understand their real-world challenges—competition, staffing, funding, or growth. Your value lies in solving their pain points.
🏆 Their Definition of Success?
Not every client measures success in dollars. Some prioritize awareness, engagement, or impact. Align your work with what matters most to them.
💰 How They Make Money?
Knowing their revenue model helps you focus on efforts that grow it.
💡 Who Their Audience Truly Is?
Get specific: demographics, motivations, and behaviors. This is the foundation of all effective messaging.
⏰ How They Operate Internally?
Learn their workflows, decision-makers, and deadlines. It improves collaboration and prevents costly delays or missteps.
