Optimizing Agency Workflow And Benefits Of  Production Flow

Workflow: But calm down! Indeed, you are eager to understand how the production flow of an advertising agency works. And finally, check if you’re doing it right.

First, let’s focus on the advantages of having a well-defined production flow at the agency. Check out some of them:

• Improves the quality of deliveries;
• Makes the work environment more fluid and light;
• Facilitates communication and interaction between professionals from different areas;
• Optimizes the management of resources leading to their intelligent use;
• Guides the team, reducing the incidence of failures and delays.

As we can see, you and your team have much to gain from a well-defined production flow. By the way, customers will also thank you because the relationship with them tends to improve more: services’ added value increases a lot.

How Does An Agency’s Production Flow Work?

We cannot present a pattern or a ready-made formula here. Even because, as in many segments, the production flow of an advertising agency varies. It adjusts according to the size, sector structure, customer profile, services provided, and the company’s vision and mission.

Still, there is a complete flow commonly used by advertising agencies. The model is based on the job requested by the client, from the briefing to the final delivery. See the main steps below!

A New Job Has Arrived

The client requests a new job that can vary from a single piece, such as a billboard, a package of posts for social networks, or a complete campaign to attract new clients.

Professionals in the service sector receive this demand and need to pass it on, with details and requirements, to the creation and production/media teams.

Now it’s time for the brainstorming meeting with the job request, the service, creation, and production/media professionals hold a brainstorming meeting at the advertising agency.

This is the perfect time to share ideas about the project. In addition to defining strategies, pieces and media will be produced/displayed.

Briefing And Idea Budget

After the brainstorming meeting, a complete briefing is constructed. From it, the advertising agency’s production/media team elaborates and prices the proposals based on emerging ideas.

Agenda Meeting: Jobs, Deadlines, And Priorities

While the production/media professionals work on the budget, the ad agency’s creative and traffic teams hold the pitch meeting. It’s time to define the scope of each job to be created! The respective delivery times and, of course, the priority of the materials.

Approval Of Proposals With The Client

The service team returns on stage to approve submitting proposals and budgets for the production of pieces and media placement to the client.

The Creative Team Kicks In

Once the client’s approval has been received, the creative team, in turn, starts production. The copywriters and creatives develop the job following the guidelines, references, and criteria of the briefing created by the advertising agency’s service team, with the total involvement of the client. The briefing must translate precisely what he wants.

Final Approval With The Customer And Adjustments

Jobs created, reviewed, and approved internally. Finally, it is necessary to submit an evaluation and approve the materials with the client. If necessary, requests for adjustments are noted and must be met until final approval. Once approved, it’s time to send the materials for production or placement.

Evaluation Of Metrics And Results

Ufa! Jobs produced and served. Now is the perfect time to assess the efficiency and effectiveness of each of these phases and processes. Try to observe whether the actions contributed to increasing the team’s productivity and fluidity in the workflow.

After all, do you know how the production flow of an advertising agency works? As a manager, you also need to know that technology can significantly improve the workflow in the company.

This is because new technological solutions, such as cloud-based management systems, provide adequate support for the activities carried out at the agency, facilitating the management of data and processes.

With a management system such as Operand, it is possible, for example, to analyze information related to customer profiles, record activities, distribute tasks, and control jobs and schedules. In addition, the tool facilitates communication with the team and the client, ensuring better results.

The fact is that specialized agency management software helps manage tasks and optimize the construction of a clearer and more fluid workflow. Consequently, the agency gains more speed and assertiveness in deliveries with automated and connected processes.

Flexible But Not Perfect Workflow

Although we have presented a production flow with well-defined phases, it is essential to bear in mind that management requires flexibility. The manager and his team need to be clear that this flow could be better: many other activities can be carried out between one stage and another.

The production flow varies, for example, according to the agency’s size and the job type. Only sometimes will an agency have so many different teams. Just as a job can go through only some of the phases listed, it can arrive with an investment pre-approved by the client, which optimizes the production flow.

In any case, even knowing these variables and the importance of this flexibility, it is necessary to have this flow well-defined, designed, and organized. After all, he is the one who will guide the work developed by the team.

Structure the flow phases and share good practices with the team, such as:

• Organize the agenda;
• Produce a complete briefing with clear and detailed information;
• Establish an agile channel for approving parts and changes;
• Make an adequate and coherent distribution of tasks.

They are the ones that will ensure more clarity and speed and ensure more assertiveness in each designed phase.

Also Read: Understand The Key Cultures Of Disruptive Companies