We all know that clients are more and more interested in an agency’s analytic capabilities.  This is particularly evident to us in the new business world as it is always a selection criterion, no matter what type of review we are doing.

The challenge we are faced with is how best to really get at an agency’s capabilities in the review process.  What we currently see is a list of tools and a vague definition of how they were used in some cases.  That is really not enough.  Here is what we recommend to agencies:

In a relevant case, provide a brief summary of the situation, an explanation of what data the agency’s tools or analysis uncovered and, most important, what the agency did with that information.  What is most important to our clients is not what the name of the tool is or even an overview of what it does.  They want to kmow how you used what was learned and what the results of that were.

I’d love to hear from agencies if you have innovative ways to prove your analytical prowess in new business.