FAST Feedback
Frequent, Actionable, Specific and Timely Key Factors to Effective Client-Agency Conversations
Client: “I love that ________ .” (insert one of these options: photo, sentence, headline, graphic, banner ad, layout or alternative of your choice).
Account Architect: “That’s great. What about it do you like and why?”
Client: “You’ve really captured the essence of the brand and created the sense of place that we’re looking for. The headline conveys that but it’s also complemented by a big, bold photo that shows the diversity of our target audience. My only suggestions would be considering a photo with a male and female to appeal to a wider audience. And also a sidebar that describes that diversity, possibly with a simple graphic that shows the breakdown of our student body – maybe in-state, out-of-state and international students. What do you think about that?”
Yes, these conversations happen between those of us who work in an agency and our clients. But they sometimes don’t happen often enough. The reason these kinds of conversations are important is because they help enable us to do our best work. Why? Because feedback is one of the most valuable things our clients can give us.
For those of us who work in marketing, advertising and public relations, we want nothing more than to help develop communications that connect with you and your target audience. That’s why we write creative briefs and share them with you.
And that’s why we need feedback. Not just any feedback; we need FAST Feedback. I learned this concept in management training during the many years I spent as a client. I never imagined that what I thought were relatively boring management training classes would pay off in my current role, but they certainly do.
I look at FAST as an acronym for Frequent, Actionable, Specific and Timely. FAST feedback helps clients and agencies get what we need from each other to do the best work.
A few thoughts on each of these:
Frequent: It’s important we talk to one another fairly often. (And by talk we mean the old-fashioned way – in person or on the phone; electronically is okay, but not exclusively.) We need to know what you’re thinking and the internal dynamics you’re dealing with (which often change rapidly) in order to deliver a great product on time and on budget. That’s why we want to have calls, status reports and email exchanges. Help us by making yourself accessible so we can keep things moving. Expect the same from us.
Specific: Like the example above, it’s hard for us to fix something you don’t like unless you’re specific about it. It’s okay, we can take it. Maybe your CEO hates a certain word, or you don’t like someone’s smile in a photo. Tell us! We need to know as much as possible about what works and what doesn’t. Years of work in this business have given us a pretty thick skin. Be candid and honest.
Actionable: Feedback is best when it’s constructive, not destructive. And when we can do something with it. If there’s something that isn’t working, we’re going to probe and ask why. Help us by suggesting things we can do to improve the relationship or the work. We’re always receptive to actions we can take to be great partners.
Timely: We’re deadline driven. In a fast-paced world, we have to be nimble and so do you. We don’t like to stalk you, but we will, if needed. We know you’re busy, and we are too, so let’s work together to be efficient and respectful of one another’s time. We always appreciate being brought in the loop earlier than later when a project is coming down the pike. Good ideas take time to be uncovered or explored before they can be brought to life.
Though not the be-all end-all, following these simple guidelines will enrich the client-agency relationship and contribute to the ability to effectively function as partners.