The new-year is here and things are beginning to look up. Obviously, you want to push the accelerator on your marketing communications, internal communications and so on. You seek out a creative agency by inviting proposals from a few and now you got to choose. But how do you make the right decision to ensure that this marriage is not about compromise or worse still, divorce?
After working with clients for over a decade, we can safely share some inside hacks to make it easier for you to take a pick and ensure the best outcomes for your projects day after day. So let’s dive in!
Do your homework
Before you even embark on your search; define your expectations, scope of work, budget, team and every other detail that you can think of. Is there an overall strategy in place? What is your benchmark? Setting and communicating your expectations is the first step to a successful partnership.
Evaluate their portfolio
An agency’s portfolio serves as a pretty good indicator of their work and aesthetic sensibilities. Usually, this is the first point of selection for any brand manager. Ask for work related to your kind of projects & also check for the budgets of the projects that you particularly like.
Inquire about their process
Every agency has a certain process that they work with and your company may have theirs. It’s important to understand their process in a relatable manner. Pick 2-3 projects that impressed you and ask how those came about.
Some questions can be –
What was the brief that you received for this project?
What steps did you take?
How involved was the client’s team in the process?
Which is the one thing that made this project possible?
Evaluating an agency
No two agencies are equal and there is no one size fits all approach here. Here are some pros and cons:
Large agency– May not assign their best team. Can be inflexible and expensive.
Mid-sized agency – Brings in experience & creativity to handle your brand, more flexibility, better attention and service. Reliable & economical.
Small sized agency – Could be tight on resources but again depends on their structure. Stability is usually an issue.
Team chemistry: Try out a test project to see how the working relationship pans out. A good inter-team chemistry is just as important as anything else to get the best output.
Reverse Thought is an award-winning creative digital agency that serves the communication needs of large corporations, small and medium businesses as well as startups. For over 14 years we have successfully delivered messages with impact, all the while acting as our client’s extended team.
