TIP #1 – GET TO KNOW THE TEAM
In a nutshell, a creative agency is a company that provides a fusion of artistic and innovative services spanning a multitude of industries and disciplines. There is quite a lot that a creative agency can do for your company or your brand, but if you don’t have much experience working with an agency or it’s all new to you, then it’s important to fill you in on what exactly you should expect.
Here at TFG, we have seen both the good and the bad when it comes to client-agency partnerships. Over the years we’ve seen a lot, done a lot, and changed a lot. Along the way we have gained a great deal of knowledge and insight when it comes to the common pain points and blockers that hinder clients from seeing the results they want.
That’s why we’ve decided to put together this primer on how to get started, what to expect, and some tips on how to get the most out of working with your creative agency.
Get to Know the Team.
When you start working with your agency you will likely be introduced to multiple members of their team, ranging from strategists and marketing managers to developers and designers. Getting to know the creative team you’ll be working with is a crucial step. Think of it this way, when you hire an agency, you’re essentially hiring an extension to your team, so it’s important to understand the unique client-agency dynamic.
Understand their process.
Every agency will go about their creative process differently. In a general sense, clients need to understand how their agency operates. In general, most agencies have a “discovery” phase, which mainly consists of their team learning about your company or brand’s unique needs and the problems you’re currently facing. The next step will most likely be ensuring that the information they found in the discovery phase was accurate to your overall goals and objectives, then refining and implementing strategies based on their findings. Finally, your agency will measure the success of the objectives and refine based on the data and compile all of their findings into a comprehensive report document for you.
Look for potential growth.
When you’re looking for a creative agency to work with, keep in mind that it’s a long process with many moving parts. You want to find a team that you not only work well with but also feel is going to be able to change and adapt to your company’s needs over time.