Ideally, when we bring a new client on board, our first task is to develop a strategic communications plan. However, in today’s economic climate, marketing budgets are leaner and more project-oriented and, as a result, in-depth plans aren’t always feasible.
While we encourage the practice of strategic planning, we also understand the extreme pressures companies face in achieving communications goals within budget. Many are looking for a marketing touch-up, rather than an extensive remodel. Like a building that is structurally sound but needs an appliance upgrade or some fresh paint, these companies are content with their communications plans and want help with specific marketing and advertising projects, rather than a complete overhaul of their communications goals and tactics.
If your company needs some touch-ups, but you aren’t sure where to begin or how much is enough, consider starting with a creative brief. The key word here is “brief.” This a collaborative document drafted by the agency with client input. Its purpose is to provide the agency team with project direction, the attributes and benefits of the product or service, a competitor overview and the expected budget.
When you begin your relationship with a well written and organized creative brief, the agency-client team is able to see and solve the problem at hand more efficiently and open the window to additional “what if” scenarios that can be addressed by utilizing all the tools in the agency tool box. This allows the agency to bring more meaningful results to the client by encouraging an integrated communications solution while keeping it on a project basis.
