What is a Single Source of Truth and Why You Need One
We’re gonna talk about communication.
In this (and any) industry, it’s essential that all players are able to communicate effectively, otherwise projects can start to go by the wayside.
But while we all agree communication is important, there’s something else we need to address entirely: who is the person that will convey information to other teams.
Let’s dive in.
As your advertising agency, we want you and your business to succeed. We do what we can within your budget to make you look and sound amazing. We’ll take any information you provide us and transform it into beautiful deliverables such as a visual brand, website, or Brand Manual.
But please, we’re begging: make our job a little easier by appointing a single source of truth for your business.
What is a single source of truth?
If you Google the term, you’ll find tons of articles about data collection and processing, but that’s not what we’re talking about here. What we want to discuss is much more (inter)personal.
A single source of truth is the one person who delivers all the facts and relevant information about your business and the scope of your contract with us. This person is appointed to be your company’s sole speaking voice when it comes to communicating with your ad agency. They’re the one to come to us to say, “This is a problem that the whole team has,” rather than several different people coming to us saying, “This is a problem that I have.”
What are a single source of truth’s responsibilities?
If you’ve been appointed your organization’s single source of truth, there are a few things you need to do so that we can start a successful business relationship.
First, you need to be excited about your business. Hopefully, you can go ahead and check this off the list. Your passion will help you to have opinions about your business’s marketing, and those opinions will give us direction to make your brand the best it can be. We want your success as much as our own.
Next, we must have a discussion about your target market. The target market must be agreed upon by your internal team before we can start or continue our work. If you’re unsure about how to get started identifying your audience, read our blog post on finding your brand advocate.
You must also be able to communicate thoroughly with your internal team before coming to us. As your organization’s single source of truth, it is your job to decide whose opinion matters most and what feedback should actually be delivered to us. Feedback must be cohesive and consistent so that we can fully understand any problem and make changes to your deliverables accordingly.
Additionally, copying and pasting conflicting messages to us for us to decipher cannot be allowed. It will just delay us in getting you your beautiful deliverables. If you have further issues after receiving your deliverables, we are happy to troubleshoot this with you for an hourly investment.
Having a single source of truth makes things easier for all involved. For you, it ensures a way for everyone’s voice to be heard and for your business to get your marketing materials on time and the way you want them. For us, it makes it easier to receive feedback so we can proceed with clear goals in mind. Marketing can be stressful. Let’s simplify.
Let’s create something amazing.
Hoot Design Co. is a marketing, branding, and design agency located in Columbia, MO. We specialize in creating a custom and comprehensive marketing strategy centered around your business's unique strengths and educating you with the tools you need from day one. From logo design to brand identity, website design and execution, and social media marketing strategies in-person and through online courses, we're focused on your business success every step of the way.