9 things to consider when choosing a brand and marketing agency
There are many reasons that you might be considering either working with a marketing agency for the first time, or moving from your current agency to a new one. You might lack the internal resources to dedicate the necessary time that marketing requires, or your marketing team or current brand and marketing agency may lack specific skillsets that you now need. Whatever the reason, there are a number of areas to consider during your selection process. Here are some of the top ones.
1 / Understand what you need
Some agencies are niche specialists with a narrow range of core services, and others are what is called a ‘full service agency’, offering a wide range of brand and marketing services. Before you look for an agency, decide on the services you need to support your business at this stage in its growth, and then choose an agency that can demonstrate that it understands what your business needs, and can best deliver the services you require.
2 / Understand your budget
Most agencies will work on projects in a certain price range. You can find their average hourly rates and average project sizes on the web, but you can also ask them for this information. A brand / marketing firm will charge based on their experience, skillsets, staff and services provided. If you have a specific budget in mind, put it to the agency who may be able to tailor their services to it, to achieve your objectives. You have nothing to lose by asking.
3 / Contracts – project and retainer options
You can choose either to work with an agency on a project basis – which is a good way to get to know the agency and see how they perform – or on a retainer basis – which offers flexibility throughout the contract period. In the case of the former, make sure you understand how your agency handles change requests, so that you can be sure that any cost / time implications are transparent. In the case of the latter, it is a good idea to set either a monthly or an annual cap, and agree a signalling process when you are nearing the cap so that you can plan accordingly.
4 / Look for an agency that has experience in your sector
Choosing an agency that has experience in your sector means that they already understand the business environment in which you operating. For example, if you are a nursing home provider, it is worth considering agencies that already have experience in the healthcare sector. If your are a builder, consider agencies that are already working with architects or planners or other specialists in your industry.
5 / Look at the agency’s results
Agency websites are a valuable source of information. Read their case studies, particularly those that showcase projects similar to yours. Results depend on what the objectives were in the brief. Make sure the case study clearly sets these out, and how they achieved them.
6 / Ensure the agency is a good fit
When you work with an agency, you usually spend quite a bit of time with them. It’s important that you not only learn from it but also enjoy it. Trust on both sides is essential to delivering the best results. You need to be able to talk frankly and openly about the challenges you are facing, and the objectives you have set, so that your agency can offer a targeted, appropriate and effective solution. Equally you need to be able to trust that your agency is capable of delivering what they promise. Look at the language on their website – do you ‘like’ what they say. Check out their testimonials – how positive are they? Relationships are key to this industry so make sure you are happy with yours.
7 / Make sure you know who will be working on your account
Often larger agencies put their best people on the highest value accounts, and you may find that you are working with a team made up of juniors, with a senior lead, and that you have limited access to the senior people who pitched to you in the first place. As long as you are happy, this is nothing to worry about, but if you want to work with a specific level of experience, or have rapid access to experienced decision makers, this is an area you should really keep an eye on.
8 / Business acumen
Agencies are constantly springing up – opened by young and creative people eager to prove themselves. While this is a good thing, make sure that they have the right level of business acumen and marketing experience to deliver what you need. Teams that include older people usually offer a greater level of strategic understanding and insight, and can add significant value to your business.
9 / Communications and Account Management
Make sure that your agency communicates effectively. A good marketing agency will be in regular contact ensuring that you are kept up-to-date as your marketing or branding project develops. You should also be comfortable in the knowledge that if you need to contact someone in the agency, they will return your call promptly.
At InsideOut we are happy to answer any questions you might have about our processes, experience, references, results, or anything else you would like to know.
Contact us to discuss your needs and how we can help.