The key word in the title of this post is “with”—your agency is your partner, and any relationship in life is based on mutual respect and trust, or at least the good ones. So here are some tips on working with a marketing agency:
Communication Is Crucial
In order to share the creative vision with an agency, be honest from the start of the planning session. Communicate your likes and dislikes. Even if there is a word you don’t like, make sure the marketing agency is aware. The agency can’t fix a problem if they don’t know it exists.
Stop, Collaborate and Listen
One of the most important aspects of the client-agency relationship is collaboration. Your agency is your partner—which means they are there to work with you, not for or against you. Relay your thoughts and desires about each project, but also listen to the agency’s perspective.
Appreciate the Agency’s Perspective
New perspectives are what you wanted when you hired a marketing agency. Right? Keep an open mind—internal marketing departments can often get stuck in a rut and work in a bubble, and you wanted an agency for new ideas. So be conscious of who you are partnering with—when you work with an agency that has a global perspective, you open up your brand to a world of new ideas.
Make Goals Clear
If you know what your goals for your campaigns are, be upfront about that with your agency, but also be willing to take advice from them and bend your expectations and goals—after all, the agency members are the experts when it comes to advertising, marketing and branding.
Expertise
You hire an agency for their expertise. Marketing agencies have tons of research and data available, so trust when they recommend a targeted approach that it’s not made up based on the opinion of outside forces (like neighbors and co-workers). Agencies know the difference between a passing trend and something that will last.
Are you in the market for a new agency, or want to learn more about partnering with an agency? Reach out to Lynn Kaniper at lkaniper@danacommunications.com or 609.466.9187 ext. 117.
