a few guidelines
1. Let's look at the big picture.
Over the years, we've noticed that old-style advertising agencies can sometimes be hired to fix the wrong problem. While it may first appear to be an advertising or PR problem, larger issues may actually be looming in your organisation, distribution channels or customer base. In other words, we see our job as helping you first evaluate your overall marketing and communications effort and then helping you execute the best programs to efficiently find, create and retain clients for your organisation/institution.
2. Define responsibilities clearly.
It's up to both imageseven and your organisation/institution to establish a climate where the best possible marketing communications programs can develop. To make sure we get off on the right foot, it's important that everyone at both ends knows the who, when and how of your account. Who's the main point of contact? When are the best times to speak during the day? How do you prefer to work with us? Who are the people on your team? How are key decisions made? As action-oriented people, we recommend to all clients a weekly status meeting, in person, telephone or email, to help keep things moving and get things done.
3. Keep us involved.
It's plain and simple: we do our best work when we have a seat at the table. As your marketing and communications (marcom) agency, we care, as you do, about everything that affects your business - your clients, sales figures, services, markets, competitors and anything else that has even the remotest chance of being significant. We're insatiably curious people by nature. The more access we're given, the more insights we'll develop.
4. Talk to us.
Since we are in the communications business, you'd think we'd know what people are thinking. But we don't always. The only way we can truly understand what you're thinking is for you to tell us. Because projects often move quickly, misunderstandings or failures to inform can cause harm to you and us. That's why we do our best to keep you informed by using meeting reports, status reports, email and of course phone follow-up. Yet, experience tells us that marcom agencies and clients need to move beyond these fundamentals and work toward structuring routine, two-way appraisals. We often like to know how we're doing, with feedback that's always open and objective.
5. Always remain objective about the work.
There's this natural urge we all have when looking at a piece of communication: your mind's eye determines whether you either like it or don't like it. And there will come a day when we are all in a room with layouts spread all over the table and an agreement must be reached. In a situation like this, we can't stress enough the need for objectivity, candour and constructive suggestions. While emotions and gut-reactions play a role, it's important that we first start with and agree on the facts. That's why all projects have an approved strategy statement that clearly defines marketing objectives, target audiences and the focus of the call-to-action. Staying true to the strategy statement helps everyone - yourself and imageseven alike - to avoid chopping good creative work to bits because of opinions, prejudices or other pressures that can affect our judgement.
6. Let's enjoy the ride.
We're in an exciting field at an exciting time. We're proud of the work we do and look forward to a long relationship with you. By defining objectives, agreeing on responsibilities and keeping the lines of communication wide open, we hope you'll find that working with us always combines business with pleasure.
