Using Comms Frameworks to Sell (or Kill) Work
Much like a cat in a box, or a bowl, or a to-go Chinese food container, great ideas are great because they serve a purpose. And while that VR idea might be serving the purpose of “driving buzz” for the brand, unless you’ve clearly defined the need for buzz-driving concepts, it’s going to be a hard sell.
That’s where a communications framework can help define the spectrum of ideas you might need before any of the work is done. Because while we do typically brief against a specific comms task, there will always be times where some great work may not hit on it directly, but it may in fact fulfill another area. In the end, clearly defining what you need, and then delivering on those needs, makes selling those great ideas much easier.
Start with a Clear Framework
There are several different ways to visualize a communication planning framework, but there are a few general elements that are critical. Below is just one example of how to organize the information, with the key components necessary.
Once you have gained alignment on the framework with the client and potentially the other agencies, you can then brief with deliverables more clearly articulated.
Identify Where Ideas Fit Within that Framework
The next step will then be evaluating the creative against this framework. This means basically taking all the ideas on the table, and seeing where they fit with regard to the different roles for communications.
Be Consistent with Idea Evaluation
The adage that “No one is above the law” must hold true here as well. And there will likely be ideas (both good and bad) that simply don’t fit into the communications framework. It’s crucial that we seriously consider not presenting such work. The value in developing comms frameworks is that it holds all agencies, and all ideas, accountable. And self-policing, both internally, and as inter-agency teams, will allow the clients to feel confident in both the process and all the other great concepts on the table.
Simply put, if you want to sell that awesome idea:
If you enjoyed this brief rendezvous, why not recommend it? And check out other articles myself and my colleagues have written around the ever changing media landscape on our Communications Planning Blog.
