Every client has good intentions when kicking off their digital strategy initiatives.  Building your business, growing competitive footprint and deepening customer relationships are all lofty ambitions when sending out an RFP. Once projects get rolling you have the very real need of being and being seen as effective and efficient within your organization.

Yet with client-agency relationships getting shorter and shorter and corporate marketing team turnover at an all-time high, it seems that needs are not being met.   Why is this so? And what can be done to change the situation? Here at Organic we pride ourselves in our empathy for the consumer but how about some empathy for our client? We think that it comes down to helping our clients clearly communicate their own expectations in 5 key areas.

1.      Define your appetite for investment

When approaching comprehensive digital strategy, sticker shock from price tags is a common sticking point.  Determining and communicating your limit on budget for implementing any recommendations should be the first thing you do before an engagement.  Further, if demonstrating a return is something you’ll need, add a predicative ROI model into your list of required deliverables at the outset. Expressing you’re willingness (or lack of) to spend and the ROI you expect from your efforts will take the fear out of taking recommendations up the chain.

2.      Scope for competitive models

If your business culture requires exhaustive competitive cases analysis before you launch, make sure that sufficient marketplace analytics are budgeted for in your project. Creating quantitative studies with deep financial models and marketing spend estimates takes time, effort and the right partner.  Sharing your competitive burden of proof you’ll require will help you narrow your potential agency list.

3.      Consider alternative graduated scenarios

All the new work-streams being added to your to-do list when the strategy recommendation deck makes a thud on your desk may be overwhelming. If managing new platforms across mobile, social, search and local sounds like too much too soon, ask for alternative graduated scenarios with varying levels of financial commitment before detailing features and functionality. You don’t have to tackle the whole problem all at once; it is ok to always be in beta.

4.      Build consensus around a measurement plan

Make sure your agency partner can help you align senior management around how far you will move the needle in the one place it matters: your business. Budget time and resources for them to help build internal consensus around how your initiative will be measured and then capture the results in a real-time dashboard that connects sales figures and digital marketing efforts. These tools have come a long way from the vaporware they once were; you just have to know how to set the expectation.

5.      Anticipate unexpected requests and events

The clients that best leverage agencies anticipate unexpected requests. Request a small consulting retainer contingency in your RFP so you feel covered in case you are surprised by a request from senior management or a competitor makes a bold move in the middle of the project. Hey, if you don’t end up using the budget, you can always ask for a refund.

So, what have I missed?  I would love to hear from clients out there about how best to use play the expectations game so we can learn to be successful, together.

Matthew Loebman, Senior Contributor, Strategy at Organic