First things first

Posted by Jaan on September 23rd, 2009 | Add your comment

Things in the web world are a bit… wrinkly. Maybe not everywhere, but in the client and interactive agency relationship there are sometimes a few things that need ironing out. Luckily the step from a less than smooth relationship to pure nirvana is fairly short. Here’s why.

Clients sometimes come in to a project telling their agency of choice that they have done the following:

1. Created a strategy
2. Conducted research to support the strategy
3. ‘Went out there’ to see what the audience wanted

Not bad. Except that it is super bad.

The steps themselves are good, damn good even. It’s the order in which they are taken that nullifies their value. Just like comment forms should be turned upside down, those three steps should be turned on their collective head.

In the right order, the list should look something like this:

1. ‘Went out there’ and gained understanding of what our audience wants
2. Researched our findings in more detail
3. Created a strategy that aligned our business goals with the wants of our audience

Simple, easy and first things first. Isn’t this approach common knowledge, the very foundation on which businesses are run and marketing plans written? Yes. But it’s not always applied, especially when it comes to commissioning sites, apps or campaigns for the web. Why? I have a few hunches.

1. The interactive agency is rarely the lead agency
The web is usually only one of many components and clients let ad agencies rule the yard, and direct the digital components too. Without relevant coaching from the agency a less experienced client is likely to take short cuts in an area they still don’t know as much about as maybe they should which leads to the key steps being taken in the wrong order.

2. The web is sometimes, still, an afterthought
The web is tacked on at the end without much thought on what it’s really supposed to achieve. Wham bam – done. Hard to say something about this without using the F-word a lot. But you know what I mean and probably share my feelings on this one so let’s move on…

3. Rubbish buyers
And it’s often not their fault that they’ve become a bit rubbish. The reason client’s can sometimes be less than stellar is that they’ve been in a weak agency relationship before coming to you. Weak as in they’re used to never being challenged in a constructive way, never involved in true collaborations, never actually crafting something.

Which brings me back to the inverted list. No wonder a client can think that strategy comes before understanding the needs of clients. No one has ever helped them understand that the web is as important if not more than every other “channel” and that there are no shortcuts in online.

That’s why you, me and others who work with web strategy and thrive on educating our clients have a big role to play. We’re not only making our own lives easier, we’re laying the groundwork for interactions beyond our own involvement. A short, easily explained three step list is not a bad place to start on the path to a wrinkle resistant relationship.

Do you share the same view and experiences, or do you disagree? Please let me know either in the comments or on Twitter where I am @orvet.

Thank you to everyone that I’ve discussed this topic with for the past few months. I’ve learned a lot and enjoyed the chats. We’ll have more to talk about on this topic in the future I’m sure.