When working with a new client or on a new project, discovery is key!
Taking on a new project? Do you know what is critical for your client, and do you have a plan in place? Or will you just adjust the previous marketing plan? The core of any effective and winning marketing plan lies in having a detailed understanding of the client’s business, operations, strategy, and goals. And the best place to start is with a client discovery session.
A discovery session is a meeting between your team and the client to gather all essential project information – to understand what is important to the client, where their business is currently, and how they want to grow. This meeting helps prioritize goals and saves time and money in the long run. A discovery meeting is also the perfect opportunity to check whether both parties are on the same page and their interests are aligned.
Key Steps to the Discovery Process:
While every discovery session may not look the same, some common elements make them effective.
- Understand Business Objectives – You can’t create a strategic marketing plan until you understand the end goals of the project. For this, you will need to identify both the short and long-term business objectives of the client. This includes key business drivers, pain points, and KPIs. Once you have this information, build your marketing plan around it; it will help keep your efforts aligned with the business goals and objectives.
- Define the Target Audience – One of the key principles in any marketing plan is to discover and evaluate your client’s target audience. You can further research and use audience segmentation to create buyer personas for the business and prioritize customers. By knowing the target audience, you can tailor your marketing and communications approach around the customer’s needs.
- Review Marketing Efforts – After you have determined the business goals and target customers, find out what kind of marketing activities your client is currently doing and also, what has been done in the past. Analyzing this information will help you evaluate their marketing, planning, and spending and determine the plan of action. A thorough market audit and a discussion around who their key competitors are will also enable you to focus your efforts and make your marketing stand out
- Determine Scope and Budget – Find out the level of your involvement in the project. Does the scope require you to only work on a specific campaign or manage all their marketing efforts? Do you have the available bandwidth to execute the defined scope? You will also need to consider how much the client is willing to spend on the project. This is a major constraint and will determine whether you can strategize and implement an effective marketing strategy for the client.
Conclusion
Get all the team members to provide their ideas and feedback, and participate in the marketing discovery with a pre-session questionnaire. If run effectively, a discovery session is worth the time and effort since it builds the foundation for collaboration and success for you and your client
Looking for a marketing agency to help lead your discovery session? Contact The Bumblebee Branding Company to learn about our approach and help you create a winning marketing plan.
