strategic marketing
We work in an industry where clients often find it hard to see the value in what it is we really offer them. Whether they see marketing as a necessary evil or try to cut costs at every corner, we are fighting a constant battle to get our work valued appropriately. Projects are understood, and often billed, in terms of design and development hours meaning no value is placed on the strategic thinking, idea generation or account management. However this is the bit that really matters and what, really, our clients are paying us for: our experience, knowledge and ability to channel that in to cohesive marketing materials for their business. It is the difference in, say, representing yourself in court as opposed to hiring a top-class lawyer. However when the client only ‘sees’ the value in the end product, some serious work needs to be done in opening their eyes.
Saying that, sometimes this lack of understanding is our own fault as we lay all our cards on the table too soon. Clients will often expect everything to be delivered at pitch stage in a bid to win their business and (always with the eye on the prize) we will deliver that. Weeks and weeks of work can go into research, planning and concept development before an idea is fully formed but the meter only starts running once the designer puts a pen to paper or mouse to screen (and often first draft designs are requested before that can even commence!) However how can you then charge for something you have given away for free?
There is a balance to be had of course. Unless you are one of the big agencies and can use a number of high-profile pieces of work to get your ‘foot in the door’ you have to show a degree of effort when trying to win business as, if you don’t, the competition surely will. The key, I think, is showcasing to the client, from the offset, where your true value lies. Previous creative can show them you have the design ability, web examples can be rolled out to prove your development-worth but the carrot that needs to be dangled is your combined ability as a group of marketeers to deliver intelligent marketing through strategic insight. If you show you understand their business, their objectives and their plan, the ‘end deliverables’ can and will follow much more successfully.
