NORTHERN PLANNER

Seriously, Dan Pink's selling book is ace, a treasure of little insights. You should read it. 

I liked the story of how Amazon makes sure it's plans always have proper customer input. 

It's simple, they're in the room whenever any decision is made. 

Because a spare chair is always allocated as the customer chair.

It's empty of course, but the fact they always have it there forces them to remember who the ultimate decision maker in business success really.

The customer. 

For some reason, both clients and agency folk, who live close to normal lives outside of the office, seem to forget their frame of reference as a human being when they enter it, pretending any one gives a monkeys about their brands or their ads and stuff. They somehow think people are paying attention. 

Even planners. Who have the job primarilly as the voice of the consumer. 

Especially planners who get lost in the construct of the idea rather than if anyone will care. 

You get it with client presentations too. It's easy to convince yourself the client has changed. Will sign off on the risky execution, loves obscure Polish cinema references, relishes clever aphorisms. 

When really, you've got someone who's work is 90% nothing to do with you, works in faceless office in Slough and is under pressure from the board to deliver x% growth is sales this quarter. 

So I reckon every agency should have two spare chairs in the room. 

The consumer, owned by the planner. 

The client owned by the suits. 

They may not say much, but having them their forces you consider them as they really are. 

It stops you pretending they're something they're not. 

That they care about what you care. 

They don't.