First, most project-management shops want to bill themselves as “strategists/ architects” –regardless of whether or not their team has a strategic skills set. It can be very cumbersome for a client to weed out the true strategists from the wannabes during the agency search process. The architects will need clearer terminology than “strategy” if they hope to differentiate themselves.

Consulting companies (esp. Accenture & McKinsey) have been trying to sell marcom strategy services for years now, but haven’t effectively positioned themselves to lead the industry because their price point is so much higher than agencies. Double the hourly rate is hard for a client to justify in this age of procurement — especially when there isn’t any clarity as to what “strategy” means.

The task description given to project management shops reads like a client-side job description. I believe those mid-size shops still need to own the idea. Otherwise, they don’t add much value over a client’s internal marketing staff. Or perhaps external project management agencies will only service corporations without a marketing orientation? Then, the P&Gs of the world would all have their own in-house project management agencies. Quite possible.

Great food for thought!

First, most project-management shops want to bill themselves as “strategists/ architects” –regardless of whether or not their team has a strategic skills set. It can be very cumbersome for a client to weed out the true strategists from the wannabes during the agency search process. The architects will need clearer terminology than “strategy” if they hope to differentiate themselves.

Consulting companies (esp. Accenture & McKinsey) have been trying to sell marcom strategy services for years now, but haven’t effectively positioned themselves to lead the industry because their price point is so much higher than agencies. Double the hourly rate is hard for a client to justify in this age of procurement — especially when there isn’t any clarity as to what “strategy” means.

The task description given to project management shops reads like a client-side job description. I believe those mid-size shops still need to own the idea. Otherwise, they don’t add much value over a client’s internal marketing staff. Or perhaps external project management agencies will only service corporations without a marketing orientation? Then, the P&Gs; of the world would all have their own in-house project management agencies. Quite possible.

Great food for thought!