If you have decided that you would like to hire a creative agency to help you develop your brand, build an effective marketing campaign, and ultimately generate more profit, the next step is to find the right company to meet your requirements.
With so many different agencies out there, each claiming to be the very best in the business, how does one separate the exceptional from the inequitable?
In this article, we’re going to share some handy tips to help you find the perfect creative agency to work with.
An impressive portfolio
A creative agency’s portfolio is essentially their CV / resume. Just as you would want to hire an individual with impressive qualifications and work history, you should look to work with a creative agency that has a strong portfolio.
This gives you the opportunity to look at some of the projects that they have completed in the past. You can study the quality of the work and gauge as to whether they have the capacity to meet your expectations and bring your brand to life in a similar manner – if you recognise any of their previous clients then that is a bonus!
A healthy digital presence
Any creative agency worth their salt should have a healthy digital presence. After all, how can they claim to grow your online presence if they have been unable to achieve the same for their own brand and business?
Visit their website and explore. What kind of digital experience do they provide? Is their website attractive and user-friendly? Are they easy to find on Google? How much information can you find regarding their services?
If you can see that your prospective creative agency has a healthy digital presence, then it is safe to assume that they will be able to deliver the same for you.
Well-established social media
What is their social media presence like? Do they have well-synced and uniformed social media profiles with clear and consistent branding? How many followers do they have and how much in the way of engagement do they receive?
When you explore a prospective creative agency’s social media, you get to have a glimpse into how they engage with their audience – not so dissimilar to going on a date for the first time and seeing how they treat the serving staff. Polite, friendly, and approachable is always a win! Rude and indifferent on the other hand? No thanks.
Quality references and recommendations
Self-praise is no recommendation. Sure, it is easy for a company to claim to be the very best in the business, but what are their clients saying about them? The best creative agencies have plenty of quality testimonials and references and they won’t be afraid to show them off. Head to their website and explore their social proof to get an idea as to how it might be to work with them.
Competitive costs
While price should not be the deciding factor when hiring a creative agency, it is certainly an important consideration. You want to find a healthy balance of expertise, experience, and affordability.
Don’t be afraid to shop around with various prospective creative agencies and see what kind of a deal you can secure on their services. Just remember that online marketing and creative campaign budgets can vary wildly between $500 and $150,000 (and beyond)! The question is, how much are you willing to invest in your business? This is an area that requires thorough research on your part. It’s always tempting to go with the cheapest, but just remember that you always get what you pay for and when it comes to something as important as refining your brand awareness, growing your online presence, and generating more revenue, you want the very best support.
A strong brand and corporate identity
Similar to a creative agency’s portfolio and online presence, judge their viability by their brand and corporate identity. How can you expect a company to bring your brand to life when theirs is lacks in personality?
Explore a prospective creative agency and get a feel for their brand. What kind of language do they use? Is there a clearly defined voice? What about the colours and typography? Is it consistent across their platforms?
Any creative agency who knows their stuff will have an attractive brand that resonates well with their target audience (i.e., you), so, if you like what you see then you’re off to a good start!
Go with your gut
Ultimately, you should trust your intuition. Remember: salesmen are exceptionally good at stroking egos and saying the right thing. While this is important, as you want to enjoy working with a creative agency that has charismatic employees with plenty of personality, you also need to weigh up all of the other critical factors before making your final decision.
If you have shortlisted several creative agencies that tick off all of the above, then it comes down to what your gut is telling you.
- How receptive are they?
- Is communication clear?
- Are they easy to talk to?
- How punctual are they with meetings?
- Do you trust them?
- Do you like them?
Since you are going to be working closely with your creative agency and regularly catching up with them for meetings and updates, you want to ensure that this is going to be a relationship that serves you wholeheartedly. Fortunately, your gut is usually pretty good at judging what is in your best interest!
Drop BlueMelon a line for a free consultation
Take your time to feel us out and if you like what you see, why not drop us a line? We will gladly offer you a free consultation. Think of it as a discovery call where we can get to know each other and see if we’ll be a good fit.
