Understanding the Client’s Client

While sales data and clients can give you a general ‘idea’ of what the target audience cares about, the most valuable insight is always gained by attending events where you can talk one to one with your client’s customer. This not only helps in gaining a better understanding of the service your client supplies but how this then affects and is utilised by the customer.

I recently attended the impressive Dulux Academy to interview employees from a major retailer, who were undertaking a training day, for a case study we were compiling on the installation of its autumn window displays.

The day consisted of bespoke sessions specifically tailored for the customer’s requirements – providing interactive demonstrations on subjects such as surface preparation, best practice and colour theory.

Attending the training day was invaluable in ascertaining how the retailer was going to apply the training within every level of the company. By interviewing employees from the window display installers to product buyers to designers, I got to understand how the training had helped them, how it would affect them and how they saw it would be implemented from a varied source of people. It was interesting to see where employees’ problems overlapped within different departments and where Dulux’s expertise could help.

Additionally, when discussing how Dulux has previously benefited the company it was amazing to hear of the services they didn’t realise Dulux provided.

By going directly to the source and talking to the end client first I gained a valuable insight in to where PR could be directed and what services we should highlight in the future – helping me understand the subject gaps where we could pitch a feature or opinion piece.

Furthermore, by discussing our PR aims with the end client, and gaining quotes on the day they were much more responsive in supplying information. A lot easier than when you’re trying to chase a contact on the phone for a quote!