… or your most efficient and effective route to market??
As an independent business advisor and also Chair at Bloom I get a privileged ‘both sides’ perspective of the use and potential of the Internet. For many enterprises it still remains a black art/hole and I am truly mystified sometimes by the lack of understanding and ‘dabbling’ client side about the use, dynamics and potential of the internet as a major route to market and business development tool for increasing market share. For me, I guess, properly embracing the Internet boils down to the following issues:
a) Developing the confidence to overcome the fear of change often associated with engagement with the Internet
b) Understanding that engaging with the Internet is a dynamic domain and requires commitment, change and learning
c) Appreciation of the ‘click to capture’ inter-dependence of web design, development and SEO/PPC campaigns and the need to get them all right in an appropriate balance (together with traditional marketing campaigns)
d) Appreciating that SEO is a war with your competition and professional strategic and ‘real-time’ tactical campaign management is vital for a sustainable ‘win’.
e) Appreciating the emergence of social media ‘intangibles’ on reputation and brand management and hence your future business development
f) Appreciating that technology and techniques are often leading edge and are changing rapidly; agencies need to be driving this leading edge and the partners need to be flexible in adapting to this change
g) Appreciating that when the dynamic works, the increased traffic must be supported by internal ‘front office’ capacity to convert on line demand
h) Performance analytics from digital ‘pull’ campaigns must be reported in a format that creates tangible feedback for client understanding, response (decision making) and confidence
i) Too many ‘garage’ operators confusing the ‘picture’ and debasing the potential and real RoI for such investment.
However, the situation is changing fast with the Internet now beginning to dominate client marketing spend. The challenge is therefore now not one of ‘why or should we spend’ but ‘what and where we spend’. Working in partnership with a professional agency that understands the dynamics of the whole picture and assists with your decision making is therefore the only way to survive and build sustainability.
‘Dabbling’ is therefore no longer an option as both agency and client must embrace their partnership with professionalism and commitment in a win – win venture. Particularly now when the opportunity exists to invest in grabbing market share from hesitant competitors.
To overcome these obstacles and embrace the challenge and opportunities presented by the internet, my suggested ‘top 10 tips’ for a client-side approach to this engagement are as follows:
1. Have a clearly defined strategic marketing plan which includes the use of the Internet as a major (new?) route to market. This must clearly state your market position objectives, brand value statements and strategic objectives.
2. Develop a balanced traditional and digital sales and marketing plan with appropriately balanced budget allocation
3. Allocate a competent senior digital campaign champion to avoid conflict of interest or internal power struggles
4. Research prospective agencies online before requesting a pitch. In my experience, too often time and effort is wasted on the pitch process and confusion reigns. Better to get your ‘ideal’ agency profile defined, do your back-ground research properly and invite 1 or 2 in to pitch. Then move to point 5 et al. …. Be demanding but open minded!
5. Select and engage with a professional agency as a business partner based upon:
a. All round capability on creative, technical, strategic and commercial skills for Web Design & Development, Internet Marketing and Statistical Reporting
b. Provenance, client testimonials and professionalism
c. Ability & willingness to provide an unfair share of mind to your campaign
d. Confidence to project ideas and add value to your decision making process
e. Flexibility to work with existing professional partners
f. Chemistry & culture
g. RoI …. NOT cost! …. You want to WIN not simply save money.
6. Establish the professional rules of engagement and reporting format and process in conjunction with your selected partner
7. Establish both campaign objectives and internal resources to manage anticipated increased demand
8. Be prepared for and maintain flexibility for change
9. Depending upon your revenue and growth ambitions, be prepared to negotiate a payment on results SEO fee with your agency
10. Be prepared to engage your agency as part of your decision making forum with expert input on digital techniques and be aggressive and determined for a win -win
A sensible and cogently argued post. Prospective SEM clients woul be wise to follow Brian’s 10 recommendations.
great post Brian, and although I am obviously talking from an agency persopective, both parties win where the ‘fit’ is right. Agencies are guilty of often trying to be all things to all potential clients when we should focuss more on our strengths and equally look for the win-win.
This would of course be made far easier if the clients that approached us had followed your process and already identified Bloom as offering the right fit.
Yes Alex, I believe that both agency and client need to be more ‘selective’ in thier partnering process. A great deal of time, effort and money is invested in the process; or should be and this needs to be focused and channelled for best affect. As CEO, having been directing a client side selection process involving a multi-pitch approach I know part of the challenge, which is where they often fail, is in developing a meaningful brief for the pitch process. Without agency guidance, this is often far from the mark with respect to how it ends up. The multi-pitch process is therefore debased from the beginning! A catch 22 perhaps but this is one of the major drivers for the blog above ….. as well of course, because of the frustration I now know exists agency side from the process!!! After all, each ‘side’ is looking to ‘partner’ with Superman/woman and is confident in their own capabilities/attractiveness, so why not invest properly in selection and be demanding?……
Don’t wait for your fate to be decided by others. If you think there is nothing you can do about this crisis, nothing could be further from the truth.