The Pain of Change, Or, It Doesn’t Always Have to Hurt
Client Search News – March 7, 2003
This CLIENT SEARCH NEWS is for individuals registered @ agencyfinder.com. Forward to those in your company or others elsewhere involved in the advertising or public relations agency selection or review process.
CONTENTS:
1. The Pain of Change,
Or, It Doesn’t Always Have to Hurt
2. How Do You Address ROI Measurement?
3. How Do You Define ROAI?
THE PAIN OF CHANGE – OR, IT DOESN’T ALWAYS HAVE TO HURT
A friend of mine with a small business is always complaining about his part-time accountant/bookkeeper. My friend says he arrives once each week; shuffles in, eyes downcast, always with some minor medical malady, always marginally pessimistic. He seldom volunteers ways to improve things, and he’s always experiencing some minor crisis.
So I’ve asked time and again – why don’t you find another bookkeeper? He tells me he tried ONCE, interviewed TWO candidates, but neither lit a flame.
So he quit after deciding it would be too difficult and time-consuming to replace the man. “Have to start from scratch, take the new hire back to the beginning, wade through tons of history, and for what?”
For what? “To get someone who can make a difference, help move you ahead” – I volunteered. “Someone to take charge, make accounting a “profit center”, an area of excitement, corporate vision and decision.”
I’m not an advocate of change for the sake of change, but we often hear from clients that they too are terribly unhappy with their agency (or pr firm). Some even concluded that the agency is incapable of doing that which they originally were hired to do. It’s more than a failed promise they say, more like fraudulent representation. So why haven’t they changed? Because they too decided the task outweighed the benefits.
If you find yourself in a situation in ANY WAY like this, please understand that our agencyfinder process will be a pleasant and worthwhile experience, and the difference will make the difference. If you want to speak with some folks (references), call me even before you begin a search. HOW DO YOU ADDRESS ROI MEASUREMENT?
Looks like ROI or ROAI (Return on Advertising Investment) is starting to get its share of the spotlight. Clients are asking their agencies for measurements, asking for the incorporation of techniques that show ROAI. Imagine – they actually want to know if their spending makes sense. Some of your agencies have real evidence, maybe they’ve developed elaborate formulae to calculate and demonstrate. But there’s another school of thought – to quote Al Ries – “If an emphasis on creativity is the biggest mistake you can make, the second biggest advertising mistake you can make is looking for an ROAI, or return on advertising investment.” There’s more discussion in his latest book.
Agencyfinder.com wants to help address the question and find some answers. We’re adding fields to our database that you’ll use to find agencies that do have answers. For that, we’d like your input. (see below)
HOW DO YOU DEFINE ROAI?
If you’ve had some experience, we’d like your input to identify labels for new fields we should add to our database and some idea for the essay topics you’d like each agency to answer. For instance, in our agency database in the section entitled Services
Offered – what can we include to help YOU find a qualified agency? Maybe you just call it “ROAI Measurement” – that works. Maybe you look for and measure an increase in sales. Rather than sales, maybe you measure inquiries. What or how have you “labeled” that? This is new and controversial territory – give us your input now so we can help.
We’ll be adding one general Essay entitled ROAI Measurement, but if you can think of something else, let us know.
TO CONTRIBUTE YOUR THOUGHTS – Select Reply to Sender and insert your thoughts HERE.
Sincerely,
Charles G. Meyst, Chairman/CEO
Business Partnering International, Ltd.
Vantage Place, 4327 Cox Road
Glen Allen, Virginia 23060 USA
