If you ask most media sales people (regardless of the media they represent):
- how much information do you get from your client/agency that helps you put together a meaningful media plan for them? I will bet the answer is not alot.
Now, some sales/client relationship might be strong and information is shared more freely but this relationship is exists less than often and many times protected. My philosophy is that clients/agencies should share more business information with their media partners in order to get recieve solid strategic plans/proposals focused against business. It is inefficient to withhold this type of information.
The argument at times may be that clients/agencies do not want to leak proprietary information into the marketplace because of competition or it may be a disadvantage. I understand this position but the process does not require sharing top secret brand/product/service information. The only thing required are the brand's objectives/challenges/goals/positioning/marketing. In fact every client/agency should send to the marketplace a detailed brand brief to ideate against. This will ensure everybody gets the same information to bring their best work/idea to link with the client business strategy.
Sales people are not the enemy! They are not storm troopers (often referred to as the "Dark Side"). They want your client business to succeed because means more revenue! Everybody wins from success!
It is time for clients/agencies to adopt a new approach in sharing information. It is the upfront time and people are positioning, formulating or strategizing how to get more money (sales), how to get better ROIs (agencies) and how to achieve growth (clients).
So, share information. Share complete, detailed information that gives your media partners something to create compelling ideas/plans for you. They are an under utilized resource; and you wonder why clients/agencies get media plans that are underwhelming. It is because you, clients/agencies, have fostered this environment. Media fragmentation will increase; as a result, clients/agencies will need to have strategic integrated strategies that communicate a consistent brand identity.
You are going to need all the help you can get when our media evolves, economy fluctuate and our consumers evolves.
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