When we say we’re obsessed with exploration, we mean it. We’ve got a four-phase approach when working with our clients, and the most important phase is the first: discovery. What can you expect during your first discovery process with Trekk?
1. We’re going beyond the surface.
We’ll ask you about your marketing objectives… and pretty much everything else. Say you come to us because you have a trade show coming up and you’re looking for an attention-grabbing booth experience. That’s great, but this is just your surface-level need. We use our discovery process to find the deeper need: what else is happening in your business this month, this quarter, this year? What are your business objectives for next year? What challenges have stopped you from achieving similar goals in the past? Understanding the bigger picture and aligning our strategies is what makes us effective, whether you engage us for one event or for your next decade of marketing.
Understanding the bigger picture and aligning our strategies is what makes us effective, whether you engage us for one event or for your next decade of marketing.
2. We’re looking at the long term.
At the beginning of every journey, there are things it helps to know up front. For example, you might want your app to have an augmented reality experience now, but what you really want is a virtual reality app down the road. Now is the time to tell us that. Give us as many future requirements as you can so that we can plan for a phased approach and build a foundation for your long-term ideas from the start.
We have a host of requirement and spec documents that we use to get to the nitty-gritty of your needs, but don’t worry; what that looks like in practice is a conversation with a bunch of really friendly, curious folks.
3. It’s going to be interactive.
Our initial discovery meetings range from a half-day to two days on average, and during that time you’ll interact with several members of the Trekk team. We make sure that everyone who will be working with a client has visibility and understands the client’s business — trust me, you want the people implementing your program to know you. We’ll also ask that all your stakeholders be involved — and that means anyone who will be a decisionmaker at any point in your project. Part of our job is to root out landmines, and we do that by making sure everyone who needs a say has one from day one.
4. It’s going to be iterative.
We’ll take our learnings and discuss as a team, which inevitably will prompt more questions, so we’ll come back to you with each new layer or challenge. This leads to a deeper understanding on our part — and often on yours, as well.
5. We’ll do our own research, too.
The whole discovery phase usually takes about two weeks, and during that time we do our own market analysis to gain additional understanding of your industry.
You might be thinking, “My project is simple! It doesn’t need all that discovery!”
Sure, you might have a short-term project. But we’re in the business of long-term relationships. We aim for in-depth knowledge of our clients, so that you can rely on us not just for this project, but for the next one, and the one after that.
6. You’ll probably have fun.
Our discovery process is always enlightening, and it often brings the client’s team together and helps them articulate new insights about their business. Plus, we’re fun folks to hang out with.
7. You might be surprised.
Discovery is for everyone. It can be useful for clients who don’t know where to start, but even clients who think they know what they need are sometimes surprised. We had a client who thought they needed a new website design because their current one wasn’t performing. When we dug in during discovery, however, we found that the site was fine and what they really needed was a simple content refresh and some search engine marketing to drive more traffic to it.
Bottom line: our team loves to learn, and we want to learn about you and your goals. Work with us on your next project and see what we can uncover.
About the Author
As Managing Director of Client Services at Trekk, Emilee Christianson works with clients to develop strategic marketing plans and craft measurable programs that span print, web, social, mobile, augmented reality, and artificial intelligence. She leverages 10 years of experience and an expansive knowledge of marketing tactics to lead creative and technical teams and create communications programs that help marketers meet their business objectives. Emilee holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing/International Business from The University of Alabama.