Are Clients Always Ready For Co-Creation & Few Strategy Sessions?

Not consistently, as to the idea of ​​partnership. There are different companies on the market: those who build relationships exclusively in the “performer-client” format.

And some seek to involve the agency as much as possible in their processes and communication, organize onboarding and invite them to the office. It all depends on the corporate culture of the client and the team on his side.

Building long-term partnership relations are close to us when we and the business grow together. How to understand that this is important for the client?
Start by defining the goals of your collaboration. It must be remembered that the client is always focused on the result, whether it be:

• Specific expectations from creativity;
• The effectiveness of the project for the brand;
• Business tasks;
• Marketing tasks;

Even the personal ambitions of a particular brand manager, because a successful project can lead to promotion.

Show the client that all this is important to you; this is how trust is formed. If the client has chosen you, your task is to increase their interest and demonstrate your desire to work on the project.

Co-creation exists in 90% of our daily tasks. The only thing left for the agency is to competently manage the involvement and desire of the client to help everyone together make the project even better.

According to a study by Bulbshare, 81% of respondents consider brands that create products in co-creation with the audience to be more authentic, and 86% are trustworthy.

For everything to work out, you need to build the process correctly. On the client-side, people do not work who only do what they are waiting for our ideas. They have their tasks and their resources to share. The team’s task is to pick up this knowledge and use it wisely.

Any tool can be turned into co-creation: workshops, debriefings, design sessions, and idea checks.

What Are The Results Of Co-Creation We See

Co-creation is always a more lively, involved format of work when both teams are immersed in the process and blur the boundaries: we no longer work with each other as corporations; we work as people – talents with talents.

Reducing Distance Is Very Important For Building Relationships With The Client

Creators, copywriters, designers, art directors get closer to the business. Get quick praise, become noticeable. It helps us in our daily struggle against internal impostors.

Even though this approach has been practiced in Europe for a long time – Per Pederson, owner of 150+ Cannes Lions and founder of the Network, told us about this – in Russia, there are still few companies ready for co-creation, so it is difficult to judge the results for the whole creative industry. But we see the results of joint assaults with clients and the effects of these assaults, which turn into successful projects.

A Few Recommendations On Conducting Co-Creation Strategy Sessions

The first thing that is important before starting is to set everyone up for a positive vibe. Part of your job is to create the right atmosphere and maintain it consistently, so be prepared to work off negative emotions.

To “melt the ice”, any warm-up mechanics familiar to us from various team building and children’s games will do. Have fun, giggle, chat about everything in the world. And even better, find out right away: who came in what mood and what exactly he wants to get today from this process. This will help you tune in.

The next step is the expert part. Share the secrets of how your work in the agency goes. How do you come up with ideas, how do you filter them, how do you check for feasibility. You must be sincere and not be afraid to reveal your information.

The third important part is the facilitation process. How do you build relationships between different people and professionals in the room? It is better to know how many people will join the co-creation, invite internal facilitators and be ready to manage the process constantly.

Last but not least, don’t forget to have fun! Pull people out of their work routine, distract them from their usual thoughts. Please allow them to scream, draw, run. All this will increase their involvement in the process.

In the end, discuss all the agreements that have been reached and how the process of working on your general ideas will be built further. Promise that you will not kill what everyone liked so much today.

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