When I’m training account handlers how to write better creative briefs, early on I cover how to start by getting a better client brief from the client. When I mention making the most of a site/factory/HQ visit I’m increasingly met with blank faces.
For reasons of budget and efficiency a lot of client meetings are still virtual and you can definitely get a lot done that way. But it isn’t the same as:
- Watching actual natural ingredients go into the dog food production line
- Talking to quality control about what winds customers up
- Hearing from the store team about how customers shop the fixture and keep missing the PoS
- Finding out how rubbish WiFi is for crew on a cruise ship and how tricky internal comms are as a result
- Noticing that the travel brand that’s also an airline clearly sees itself as an airline that’s also a travel brand, judging by their HQ’s aviation-themed décor
Those are just a few real examples from my own projects over the years. Especially for strategists, sniffing around and getting the opportunity to speak to the people actually making the product or dealing with customers every day can be invaluable. There’s always an unexpected nugget of insight waiting to be found.
Yes, a great qual research partner can uncover similar issues at store level, but clients are usually thrilled that you want to take the time to learn more about their organisation and talk to the wider team. And not just your immediate client, it’s often a great opportunity to meet more of the senior team like the Operations Director and build that strategic partner relationship. Or when you’re trying to convince the CEO to sign off your campaign you can casually say “when I was in the Stockport store I noticed that…”.
So get in the car, train, bus, plane or boat (I’ve used them all) and get out on a site visit.
Photo by Ian Schneider on Unsplash