Today's digital agency does not play by the same rules as yesterday's ad agency, especially when it comes to technical skills. While clients demand multi-channel marketing strategies, interactive media has moved into a lead position over conventional media for many brands.

Without a web component, even the best branding will fail to engage customers who increasingly expect to make buying decisions using the Internet. It's no surprise that digital agencies are still on the rise, and even established agencies are heavily invested in hiring technical talent to staff up their interactive divisions.

So if I've got an interactive division of an agency, why would I use a solution like SignalMind, rather than just building out the mobile web presence for our customers as an adjunct to their existing website project?
Here's 3 good reasons.

1. Clients demand a mobile-specific customer experience.

The priorities of mobile customers are very different from the regular web-based customer. A mobile user's intention is almost always to do something RIGHT NOW, as opposed to browsing and informing their interests. For instance, the majority of web searches on a mobile device lead immediately to a customer wanting to make a phone call, or a visit to a physical location, not an extended browsing session. Therefore, it is often not a good idea to attempt to "scrape" a regular web site to create a similar experience in mobile.

2. Customer results need to happen from mobile quickly, without heavy lifting.

This is a primary reason for many agencies to kick off a client's mobile strategy using a quick solution tailored for mobile. Without having to integrate with the client's point-of-sale or CRM team, they can create loyalty programs and deliver incentives such as  coupons or social engagement within their mobile marketing, and demonstrate a measured uptick in results immediately.

What's cool here is that a mobile strategy can be implemented for a specific test market or region without impacting the entire marketing plan. When that time comes, the agency can import from data or self-serve large volumes of pages such as retail locations or inventory, and immediately track clicks, calls and any other actions happening on those many pages. But it is quick wins in mobile -- rather than unknown results 3-6 months later -- that generate further client interest and investment.

3. Your time might add more value solving other problems.

Let's face it, while mobile web is a critically important way to engage customers, it may not have its own line item in client marketing budgets. If your staff is building mobile presences on top of other projects, each one of those mobile sites or pages become assets that someone needs to design, build, test and maintain.

Why spend too much time on custom mobile development, when those resources could add more value working on the data-driven back end of a campaign, or a cool new media aspect that supports all channels? Even non-technical project managers or even motivated customers could be self-managing mobile campaigns through a point-and-click interface that your agency has configured for them. That both frees up agency resources and engages all stakeholders in the success of the mobile marketing project.

Obviously, it's deeper than this.

Yes, I am only touching on the surface here, as there are fine distinctions between methods for delivering content across devices, as well as certain use cases that might better suit an entirely custom-built and integrated approach for translating content across delivery platforms. But in my experience working for and with agencies, I know that clients expect a focus on delivering results for their investment, rather than the tools used to get there. Your thoughts on this topic are welcomed.