A tailored approach to retainers
As a team that continuously seeks out ways to grow and fine-tune what we do, we recently began paying closer attention to a persistent, itchy feeling: rigid project scopes and processes were not working for us.
They made us feel constrained, less creative, and restricted the flow and ease we all adored in our retainer engagements.
So, we met, we brainstormed, we polled clients to gather their feedback, we pulled apart everything we loved about our favorite projects, and strategized ways to prioritize ease at every step. Most importantly, we agreed on what we needed to sacrifice to serve more intimate, flexible collaborations.
In the process, we affirmed:
No two brands are the same, just like no two audience members are the same (despite, perhaps, falling into the same industry or demographic). To masterfully and effectively connect with and empower someone, you must tailor your approach.
A tailored approach requires curiosity, flexibility, and agility. You must remain open to different perspectives and different ways of interacting and be willing to adapt and adjust.
To be effective, a tailored approach requires the highest level of quality. Rely on expertise and experience to inform (but not finitely define) decisions that you make, processes you implement, and strategy you develop. Marry skill with adaptation.
So, how are we embodying a more tailored approach?
Less rigidity, less focusing on what’s not in scope. More engagements that intuitively leave room for the unexpected discoveries that arise from a successful creative process.
We have chosen to sacrifice rigid structure and a pre-established way of doing things in favor of irreplicable, bespoke engagements powered by nuance, relationships, and expert strategy. Each hem and stitch of our tailored-suit approach delivers a singular, collaborative, and most importantly, effective experience—with instantly-felt results.
Thankfully, it’s not been much of a sacrifice. The work feels immediately freer and more expansive—for our clients, too.
What is feeling too rigid about your messaging? Where could your copy processes use more ease? Let’s compare notes and talk about what you could change.