18 March 2009 VIEW on Advertising AGENCY OUTLOOK We now live in a age of instant communication gratifica tion. Texting and Twittering and FaceBook status has all but guaranteed that one is never out of touch. Never. How many of us scurry for our iPhones and BlackBerrys before the plane has even taxied into the terminal just because it is the thing to do? Guilty as charged. Heaven forbid we missed something for the few hours it was shut off. So one might argue that with this 24/7/365 availability and accessi bility that communication between agency and client teams has never been better. Sadly, I believe the opposite is actually true. While we are becom ing very skilled as individuals at short bursts of messages and quick responses, trading emails and IMs and text messages are a poor — and dangerous — substitute for true agency client collaboration. A Collaborative Approach What every agency brings to the table for every client is the thinking of their team members. This thinking should be strategic and creative and born out of their expertise, experiences, and a common sense approach to marketing and communication. In the most successful agency client relationships, this thinking results from collaboration, communication, and a cohesive mindset. The branding, creative, and messaging evolve in dozens of informal ways with significant team input and direction over a period of time. But in today’s world of email attachments, FTP sites, PDFs, and ”just send it now, we’ll talk about it later” communications, true collaboration — and the valuable discussion and examination of the thinking — is becoming a lost priority from both the agency and client perspectives. Breaking Through EThinking And this is a shame given that the only way an agency can fulfill its end of the bargain is to listen, interpret, probe, challenge, and under stand where the client brand team is coming from — and vice versa. We’re asked all the time these days to just “ship it,” whether it be strategy, positioning, branding, creative, or even tactical plans. Technologically, that is an easy request. PowerPoint files, PDFs, Excel spreadsheets, they can all be attached and zipped and sent around the world in an instant. But what we haven’t found is a way to capture all of the thinking that goes into said efforts. All of the homework, the debates, the questioning, the insights, the interpretation of solutions, the “why is it blue?” are lost when magically delivered to the screen or BlackBerry on the other end. Is technology efficient? Sure. Is it effective? Sometimes. Is it ideal? Not at all, from either end. So what should marketers do? Meet in person, as much as possible. This is your team. If a team can’t afford the time to spend together to be sure the work on the brand is perfect, then you can’t expect the work or the thinking to be perfect. Go visit the client. Invite them to your place. Make the time. Don’t settle for the delivery and review of critical thinking — whether it be strategic, creative, or tactical — via electronic means. Talk to each other, person to person, as much as possible. Don’t rely on lengthy emails or voice mail messages as the primary source of communication — discuss, question, and probe. Be clear everyone understands the issues at hand without having to speculate or decipher messages. By the way, if you don’t want to call your agency or your client to talk, then there are bigger issues at hand.That’s another VIEW for another time. But assuming you do wish to communicate and collaborate with your team, then do so in person, and do it often. Don’t be “that per son” who hides behind email or text messaging to communicate.Your teams’ dynamics will never be better, the work will never be better, and subsequently, your brand will never be better. GOBLE & ASSOCIATES is an independent, full service agency specializing in healthcare communications — providing expertise and support across the entire media spectrum. For more information, visit gobleassoc.com. You Can Only Do So Much Via Text Messaging… Joseph E. Kuchta, President and CEO Don’t settle for the delivery and review of critical thinking solely via electronic means — whether it be strategic, creative, or tactical. Goble & Associates When you call your agency, you need something.To talk to someone. Otherwise you wouldn’t be calling. We get that. So when you call us, we guarantee— you never have to “punch 1 for the company directory,” never have to “know your party’s extension,” and you never have to “wait for a beep” to leave a message. And it all starts with Dee. Dee finds the right person. Not that person’s voicemail, but that person, on that team,who knows your business, who talks to you. Might be about strategy or creative. Could be time lines or deadlines. Might be to discuss web traffic or digital media. Bottom line is, we talk. Communication in its purest form. It’s what we do. It’s why our clients partner with us for decades. So next time you find yourself waiting for a beep,hang up and dial (312) 8031900. Call Dee today to talk with Joe Kuchta or Mark Goble. Rediscover what personal service and communication are all about. Creating smiles is what we do www.gobleassoc.com “Goble & Associates, how can we help you? ” 2009 G&A Healthcare Communication

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