I love the idea of “If Carlsberg did…” You can apply this to any industry, for instance, “If Carlsberg did banks…” or “If Carlsberg did rock concerts…” What the exercise gets you to think about is what is so terribly wrong about the industry in question and what the customer would actually value if made available. I have used the exercise to radically improve more than several businesses, some of mine and some of my clients.
So, today I will pick on a particular industry that I feel rather strongly about. SO, here we go,
“If Carlsberg did digital agencies” they would:
- Actually deliver early and beyond spec
- Talk in a language that their clients understood
- Only charge for results or where the ROI was in excess of 5:1
- Test everything thoroughly
- Have a decent understanding of the English language (including how to use a spell checker)
- Have a strapline that explains what they do for ordinary (buying) folk in a language they understand
- Have job titles I understand and that didn’t always have two out of the three letters, U, X, and D
- Talk about what the client wants and gets (ie more lead and profits) and not about the latest technology – ie an obsessive focus on results and not features
- Have remarkably friendly customer service
- Actually walk the talk – their marketing, website and social media is as good as what they promise to deliver for you
- Be obsessive about the detail and the big picture
- Have an honest triage service where they listen to client needs and recommend the most appropriate and cost-effective service irrespective of their own specific speciality
- Understand the client business and the client’s objectives
- Be business-like in all their dealings, eg answering the phone, replying to emails
- Demonstrate ROI on each and every campaign or marketing activity
- Not charge by the hour but by the assignment.
What have I missed?
Am I attacking digital agencies?
No, quite the reverse, although I have seen various agencies displaying one or more of the attributes listed above. This exercise demonstrates the opportunities available to those agencies that are able to look at the business through the customers’ eyes and design a business that gives clients what they really want.
How exciting!
Robert Craven, author of more than ten books on business growth, is about to release his much anticipated book – Grow Your Digital Agency.
Robert’s book is now available, click here to get your copy.