When you make a big purchase like a home, car or new laptop, you rarely go into the transaction knowing exactly what you’ll get as an end product. Undoubtedly you’ll arm yourself with research and a ‘wish-list’ of certain criteria, but you’ll also unquestionably meet with experts who will inform your purchase: mortgage advisers, estate agents, surveyors, salespeople etc. Hopefully, you’ll also turn to these professionals to answer any questions you might have about the process or product as their expertise and familiarity might lead to possibilities you hadn’t considered.
Why then, do companies come to digital agencies with an imagined, specific end solution to their digital needs already fixed in their minds? Of course, it’s essential to research different agencies and options, but we’ve come to realise that in many instances, clients get the best results from a collaborative working relationship without a specific, set brief.
We have found that much better solutions for clients can arise when they tell us what their challenges are with their current website or what outcomes they are looking for from a digital campaign, and prompt an open discussion of how these can be overcome or achieved. When specific challenges are identified, a number of solutions can be suggested, taking resource and budget into account, which the client can consider.
We’ve found this is a much more effective way of working for several reasons.
The industry moves fast and external digital specialists have to keep up
The pace that digital technology moves nowadays means that unless it’s your remit to keep up with advances 24/7, it’s entirely possible that a digital agency can suggest insights, approaches and solutions you may not be aware of. This is why it’s a good idea to have an open discussion about your businesses’ needs and challenges – it could lead to solutions that you might not have considered prior to speaking to the experts.
Digital solutions can lead to broader business benefits
A good digital agency nowadays isn’t just there to build you a new website or redesign your customer experience, they can serve as consultants as well, helping you unlock the true power of a through-the-line digital approach. This encompasses more than just addressing individual challenges. Digital is now at the heart of how brands connect with customers and your digital agency should be able to offer you advice that will enhance your businesses overall - from digital acquisition through to brand engagement, product transaction and customer relationship. They should tell you if ideas or technology won’t enhance your business or be the best fit solution for you. Rolling out an app or incorporating VR because it’s trendy or seen as ‘innovative’ doesn’t mean the technology will positively impact your business. Likewise, setting a fixed project scope for what your business needs now may exclude future proofing for six months or three years down the line.
Work with your digital agency to define what innovation should look like
"Innovation" is a buzzword we’re hearing more and more when we’re speaking to prospective clients. Everyone wants to be innovative, but very few clients seem to know what that innovation should really look like or mean – they’re looking to us to tell them. The truth is, innovation means different things for different companies, and playing a game of keeping up with the Joneses serves no one. Innovation is an important and critical part of what digital agencies do, but it any new innovation approach should be right for both the user and the brand. It shouldn’t just be about fancy functions, bells and whistles – innovation should improve a customer experience, reshape a sector and most importantly drive a product and its business forward. Developing a collaborative partnership with a client means that we can help them define what innovation is to them. By determining who their customer is, what they want, what will set them apart from their competitors, and how to make changes measurable and accountable, every innovative solution we contribute should mean positive outcomes for all, not just look cool.
Of course, it’s not likely that we will see the end of RFPs or briefs anytime soon – there is value in having clearly defined goals to refer to, and sometimes needs may be quite specific. But even in those cases, the three points above can still be applied. If looking to secure agency resource to meet a very specific challenge, think about having some exploratory chats with the companies you’re considering. Even top line insights from them could go a long way to informing your brief or RFP to make sure you start your working relationship in the most collaborative and mutually satisfactory and beneficial way.
By Damon Mangos, partner, executive creative and strategy Director at Delete
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