Client Discovery Booklet
Fifth Letter’s Client Discovery Booklet This booklet will alter the way you think about your business. The series of thought-provoking questions within are based on timeless marketing fundamentals that will help you realize and articulate your core business strengths and competitive advantages. Not only will this planner give you a fresh perspective on your market, but it also provides us with information we need to produce powerful marketing communications for your company. Please answer each question as completely as you can. After all, the more information you arm our creative team with, the better the results will be. Feel free to add extra sheets if necessary. We want you to not only have great marketing, but to learn and grow your business from this process. This planner is a fantastic tool to do just that, and we appreciate you helping us so we can help you.
Your Name: Company Name: Address:
Phone: Work (
)
Cell (
)
Email: Website:
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Five Critical Questions (That will help you see your business in a new light.) The answers to the following questions can form the foundation for a successful marketing campaign or even a strong marketing strategy. You will get as much out of these questions as you put in. We suggest you sit down with an open mind and a blank sheet of paper and answer them honestly. When you analyze your answers for market opportunities you may be surprised by the creative strategies that will reveal themselves.
Note: You can answer these questions at any level desired – for an individual product or service you sell, a whole product line, your company, or your overall brand perception. In the questions below, whenever we refer to “you,” ask that question about your product or service, or about your company. Choose the level that suits your needs best.
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What are the primary benefits to the customer when they buy from you? We’re not talking features (contains fluoride), but real benefits (prevents cavities). Try to focus on what your customers gain from using your products. Once you have that, you need to focus on how to best convey those benefits, so your customers can look at your materials and immediately know what your products offer them.
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What are your key strengths in the marketplace? Compare your company to your competitors. Can they claim any of the same benefits as you do? If so, are there any areas where you are stronger than your competition? How can you leverage those strengths in your marketing materials? Focusing on your strongest benefits may make you a more niche company, but conversely, that will also help you grow.
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What weaknesses do you have? Okay, time to be honest with yourself. Where is the competition stronger than you? Is there a way to neutralize or minimize the weakness? At the very least, can you train your sales staff to better overcome that objection when they run into it? By putting yourself in your competitors’ shoes you’ll know how to best gain a competitive advantage over them.
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Five Critical Questions
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What makes you unique? What is the one product, service, or benefit you provide that competitors can’t? (Unmatched customer service, most diverse product line.) Hone in on that and then hammer it in your marketing materials. If you don’t have a unique differentiator you need to develop one, pronto.
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If you were to buy from your company, would you be thrilled? Take an honest look at your product quality, your service, and your delivery. Are you delivering an excellent customer experience in all respects? Are you making it truly easy to buy from you, or are there impediments that make it difficult for the customer? Where can improvements be made?
So...What Next? The previous questions should give you a better idea of what your company does best and how it stacks up in the marketplace. But how do you take lessons you’ve learned and implement them in order to grow your business.
Lets get started...
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About Your Company: 1. What is your main line of business?
2. List important facts that could be used in marketing your company.
3. How many years has your company been in existence?
4. What were your company sales totals in the last fiscal year?
5. How have your sales trended in the last three years? Up
(
%)
Down
(
%)
Flat
6. What are your sales goals for the next three years?
7. What is your typical marketing budget for a fiscal year?
8. How many names do you currently have on your mailing list? Your email list?
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About Your Product/Service: 9. What product/service will be the focus of your marketing?
10. What are the primary features and benefits of your product/service that will interest a potential buyer?
11. What are the strengths and weaknesses of your product/service?
12. What is the pricing level for your product/service? Please provide pricing examples/ information, if appropriate.
13. Do you want us to list pricing in your materials?
14. What is the average size of your normal sale or transaction?
15. How frequently does your average customer buy from you?
16. Has your product/service won any awards or critical recognition that we should consider including?
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About Your Product/Service: 17. Can you think of a compelling introductory marketing offer for new clients?
18. Do you have a USP (unique selling proposition)? Yes
(Please explain.)
No
(Any suggestions?)
19. Is there a company slogan or tagline you would like us to use? Yes
(Please list.)
No
(But we’d like help creating one.)
20. Please provide any other information about your product/service that may be relevant to us when creating your marketing communications.
About the Marketplace: 21. Please describe your target market. Who do you expect to buy your product/service?
22. How competitive is your pricing in the marketplace? Very
Not
Somewhat
(Please explain.)
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About The Marketplace: 23. What is your company’s position in the marketplace?
( Market leader, new entrant, etc.)
24. Is your aim to reach a local, regional, or national audience?
About Your Competition: 25. Who are your direct competitors? Indirect competitors?
26. Do they have any strengths or weaknesses that we should address in your marketing?
27. How do your prices compare to the competition?
(Please list some sample prices if appropriate, and what price your competitors charge for comparable products/services.)
28. What separates your product/service from the competition?
29. How would your competitors describe you and your products?
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About What You Want Us To Create: 30. What are your strategic goals for this campaign?
(Please check all that apply.) Get new customers Reactivate old customers Increase market share Increase communications with customers Establish a brand Rebrand your company or product Launch a new product/service/location Other: 31. What are you hoping your marketing will achieve (goals for the campaign)?
(Please check all that apply.) Drive telephone leads Drive web traffic Drive web registrations Drive direct e-commerce sales Drive store traffic Increase brand recognition Create product/service awareness Produce telephone sales Other:
32. What marketing channel would you like to use?
(Please check all that apply.) Direct mail Print advertising Point of sale/handouts through distributors/retailers Website Email campaign Other:
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Let’s Brainstorm: 33. Think about what form you envision your materials taking. Don’t be afraid to get creative and think in a new direction.
(Please check all that interest you and would like to learn more about.)
Brand Development and Strategy Logo, Icon, and Wordmark Development Letterhead and Identity Systems Graphics Standards and Guidelines Communications Plans (including advertising, outreach, and public relations strategies)
Print Book Covers, Book Interiors, and Editorial Design Viewbooks and Annual Reports Posters and Point-of-Sale Materials Direct Mail and Advertising Product Packaging
Interactive Websites and Web-Based Advertising Media-Rich Emails
Environment (Interior and Exterior) Signage Systems Murals and Large-Format Artwork
Nonprofits Internal and External Initiative Creation Capital Campaigns
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About Your Image and Artwork: 34. How adventurous do you want to be creatively, on a scale of one to ten?
(One being conservative, and ten being open to anything.)
35. If you have a product, would you like to show a photo of it in your materials?
(If yes, please describe.)
36. Do you have any images you can provide for our use?
(If so, please feel free to bring some examples to our meeting.)
About Your Company and Industry: 37. Do you have customer testimonials that you want to use?
(If so, please bring them to our meeting.)
38. Is there a company phone number, location, and/or web address we should include that is different from the information on page one?
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About Your Company and Industry: 39. Please provide any reference materials from your company (previous ads, brochures, etc.) that will give us an understanding of your market, branding, and tone.
40. Do you want us to retain a consistent look with other marketing materials you may already have, or do you want us to change the look or image of your company?
41. Please provide any promotional copy (writing or descriptions) you have that is currently used with your product/service/business.
42. How heavily is jargon used in your industry? Are there key words we need to know?
(Please include these terms and a rough definition for each.)
43. Is there a specific response code (or series of codes) that you would like included on any of your materials?
44. Are there any websites/pieces (yours or competitors’) you would like us to consider as a design or content reference? (If so, please attach/submit.)
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Other Instructions/Comments: Please provide any other insights, guidelines, comments, and instructions to help us prepare to work together. We look forward to meeting with you!
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