The beginning of a beautiful client-agency relationship

You’ve met with a few branding firms, cruised their capabilities decks, perused preliminary pricing and selected your new creative partner. So, what’s next?

When a creative agency and a client start working together, there's typically a discovery process. You might fill out a new client intake form. You might jump right to a project-specific kickoff meeting.

At Toolbox, we do things a little differently.

Jam on it

While we’d all love to dive right in and start designing stuff (especially our designers), our Brand Engineering process has proved (time and time again) that it pays in spades to first have a deep-dive discovery session, devoid of the budgets, schedules, restrictions and objectives tied to any specific deliverable.

The MindJam Discovery Workshop is the ideal relationship-building opportunity to frame and focus your challenges, develop insights and point the creative team in the right direction.

Big brains and brave ideas

This is where the big brains on your team and ours get to work. Together, we’ll reflect on where you’ve been, assess the immediate road ahead and map out your dream destination.

While a MindJam is always best in-person, the Covid-times proved we can pull them off with some or all participants Zooming in remotely.

Fueled by cookies and caffeine, a MindJam Discovery Workshop is no mere brainstorming sesh. It's the foundation for all our work together. Plus, if it’s not the most fun meeting you have that week, we’ll give you the leftover cookies (there won’t be any).

Homework makes the Jam work

We come prepared, and so do you. We’ll work together to ensure all relevant voices have a seat at the table: sales, marketing, product development, C-suite, boots-on-the-ground folks and happy customers (sometimes even unhappy customers). Everyone will complete an online questionnaire, understand the assignment, know the ground rules (see below) and come ready to Jam.

Worried the CEO will hijack the Jam and no one will get a word in edgewise? We’ve got you. We’ll have a separate executive MindJam just with them. Works every time.

The proof is in the process

If we’re going to tell your prospects why they should not just care about but fall in love with your brand, we’re going to need to dive deep. We built the MindJam process to uncover those golden nuggets that serve as the building blocks for brand love.

Confirming there’s a fit

Ninety-five percent of MindJams we’ve conducted over the last two decades have been the start of a multi-project working relationship. Every now and then, they’re not. Most common reasons:

• The internal marketing team can execute the strategy post-MindJam. (Great!).
• The MindJam process uncovers business challenges that marketing and branding can’t address (i.e., the product isn't ready to launch or C-suite members have irreconcilable differences).

MindJam ground rules

If you were to pop in mid-MindJam, it might strike you as some kind of business Bacchanalia. But there is order in the chaos, and the MindJam rules of engagement are strictly enforced:

• No bad ideas: Well, there are a ton of bad ideas, but more often than you’d think, THE Big Idea is the grandchild of a terrible idea. So all ideas are welcome.
• Quantity vs. quality: It’s all divergent thinking, all day. Organization and convergent thinking come later.
• Dwell in possibility: It’s, What if? ... not, We could never ...
• Withhold judgment: There shall be no saying of nay at this juncture.
• Encourage BIG and even wild ideas: It’s a safe space to go way out on a ledge. We’ll spot you.
• Build on others’ ideas: Think, Yes, and ... not, No, but ...
• All voices have equal weight: The CEO won’t dominate the conversation. We’ll prise the deep-seated ideas from the quiet ones.

Jammin’ ahead

The MindJam Discovery Workshop is the critical first step in your Brand Engineering journey. Rooted in the principles of Design Thinking, the MindJam will:

• Clarify your core competencies.
• Codify your key differentiators.
• Identify your audiences’ emotional triggers.
• Honestly articulate your toughest challenges.

While the purpose isn't to brainstorm campaign headlines, more often than not, when we revisit our MindJam notes, the seed of the Big Idea that fuels your brand narrative is right there. That’s the MindJam magic.

Pump up the Jams

Depending on the scope of our engagement and your brand’s most pressing needs, we’ll follow the MindJam with even deeper discovery dives, including:

• Qualitative interviews: 3–6 one-hour interviews with your team, clients, partners and/or prospects.
• Competitive research: Analyze the market landscape and competitors, identifying opportunities and constraints.
• Keyword research and Google Analytics review: What do prospects seek, and how do they interact with your and your competitors' websites? 

We’ll wrap our discovery process with an Initial Readout Report, which will detail our findings, build team consensus and pave a clear path forward for your brand platform. Let's Jam!