The 5MetaCom standard tactical development process

Seven stages for developing consistent, compelling marketing tactics

How does 5MetaCom create marketing communications tactics? By following our seven-stage process, beginning with concepting and finishing with production-ready materials. The standard process as shown below can be used as is, or customized to accommodate client needs in a particular situation.

Standard tactical development process:

Seven stages for creating marketing tactics

Stage 1: General Concepting

Includes formulating strategies, naming development (product, service, feature, etc.), product positioning, message development and/or developing creative concepts to present and review with the client.

Outcome: Client revisions and refinements to the concept and the go-ahead for 5MetaCom to implement those changes.

Stage 2: Initial Creative Expression

5MetaCom creates the initial creative draft (copy, graphic design and layout) for client review, input, revisions and/or refinements. Sometimes this includes review/critique of the creative from the client’s brand, regulatory or legal peers. Having input and buy-in from those disciplines early on can lead to more efficient tactical development.

Outcome: Understanding by 5MetaCom of the client’s suggested refinements.

Stage 3: Client Marketing/Technical Review

Begin a second round of creative development incorporating input from Stage 2. The creative is presented to the client for review and comments from marketing executives, technical personnel, internal thought leaders, etc. With this input, 5MetaCom begins the next round of tactical development.

Outcome: Synthesis of marketing/technical review comments.

Stage 4: Client Brand, Legal/Regulatory Review

5MetaCom incorporates the latest revisions, prepares the necessary documentation or supporting materials for brand, legal and/or regulatory review and presents the Stage 4 draft of the creative to the client. When called for, this stage includes submission of the tactic to an external regulatory or governing body.

Outcome: Documented brand, legal and/or regulatory edits to be incorporated into the creative.

Stage 5: Quality Control Review

Modify the creative (per Stage 4 revisions) and subject content to 5MetaCom’s quality control (QC) processes: fact checking, footnote auditing, proofreading and brand standards adherence. 5MetaCom will deliver the resulting tactical prototype for the client’s internal QC review (if applicable).

Outcome: Compiled QC edits to work into the next stage of tactical development.

Stage 6: Client Preproduction Review

Make QC edits from Stage 5 and submit the creative piece for the client’s preproduction review. Some changes or edits may surface in this stage. 5MetaCom and the client will coordinate to coalesce any final tweaks into hard edit revisions before production.

Outcome: Final hard edits from the client.

Stage 7: File Preparation

In this final stage, 5MetaCom incorporates final edits and produces one or more sets of final files (InDesign® art files, photos, video elements, production specs, footnote sources, etc.) and supporting documentation. These files are provided to the client and/or a production vendor to manufacture or publish the completed tactic.

Outcome: Final files to produce or publish the tactic.

Value engineering of the 5MetaCom standard tactical development process

To optimize the cost-benefit balance of tactical development, keep in mind:

• Adding stages adds cost. Consolidating revisions and review into batches helps keep the cost of tactical development down.
• Introducing significant design or concept changes late in the game adds up. Changes in messaging, strategy, creative concept and so on added late into tactical development can become costly if they require rework or repeated stages.
• Evaluate the real-world benefits of the proposed changes. Will the changes result in additional sales or improved brand image? If not, maybe it’s not worth it to make the change.
• Differentiate between objective and subjective revisions. When resources are limited, focus on objective changes first. It may help keep costs down.