Client Readiness
RFI & Individual Client Readiness Definitions
Helena Mierzwa
Email: hmierzwa@luc.edu
Twitter: @helenamierzwa
Traits of a client ready RFI:
- Demonstrates an understanding of the client
- Shows market knowledge and proficiency
- Presents an analysis of the client’s position and what we can do for the client (i.e. research objectives, tools available, etc.)
- Contains all necessary information
- Is cohesive and organized
- Professional look and feel
- Clear and concise
- Shows teamwork and fluidity
- Delivered on time
Individual Client Readiness
- Familiarize myself with the client
- Analyze my information from the client brief- understand the client and their position (primary research)
- Figure out the client’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats and assess their needs- and how we could help them
- Do my own personal research around the client and the market they are in to see how we could help them (secondary research)
- Do my part in providing insight and information while working as a team
- Meet my personal deadlines
Team Client Readiness
- Had to do research on our client and be informed- didn’t know much about them so had to learn; demonstrate this knowledge in the RFI
- Put our individual data and research together to figure out the clients needs and form the research objectives (primary & secondary data); SWOT analysis; critical thinking
- Look at what tools we had available and which ones would best suit our research objectives and the client
- Had to do our individual parts, yet made sure that they were aligned with one another and fit together appropriately
- Work together as a team to get the RFI done in a timely manner and turned in on time
How does this relate to my development?
While putting together the RFI, I gained even more skills to help me in my future career. Working together, I expanded my teamwork abilities. I took advantage of the databases available to me and better learned how to use them. Being able to work directly with the client made the experience very real. I learned how to research and fully understand my client, their market, their strengths and weaknesses and what we could do to help them. Then figured out how to put it all together appropriately into the RFI. I was ‘client ready’’. Marketing is what I want to do with my future, so this is like getting a preview of what I will be doing as a career one day.
How does this relate to Loyola's Mission?
Loyola's mission is to "expand knowledge in the service of humanity through learning, justice, and faith.” Through this project, I am definitely expanding my knowledge of humanity through learning. I learned a lot from this project that will help me in my future. I came to Loyola to get a great education in the field of knowledge that I want to encompass my life around: advertising and marketing. This assignment and class in general is helping me further my knowledge and get one step closer to my future goals! Hopefully by what I learned from this, I can go on to help others through my career (coworkers, clients, the public) as well.