It’s the relationship between client and agency that determines the look and feel of a campaign, the timelines of projects, and ultimately the reaction of your audience, so it's critical you get it right as quickly as possible. But what's the perfect recipe for getting the most out of your design agency?
Communication, Transparency, Trust:
Here's how to grow your relationship and get the best out of your agency.
>1/ Nail the creative brief
The first step is to get the brief right. This means you need to go further than just a vague description of what you want. Explain your campaign objectives and your target market, and if you’ve seen another campaign that you thought was great – share it! The more information you share in that initial meeting, the better. You can’t ever give too much direction to us! In this situation, more is definitely better.
2/ Keep in touch
Whether it’s email, phone, Skype or a face-to-face meeting – open communication is important. If you’re not happy with the way a campaign concept is unfolding, don’t keep it to yourself. Be open and honest with your agency as quickly as you can. This will save time and effort on both sides.
3/ Use your agency’s key strengths
We all have our strengths, and the same goes for agencies. Whether it’s an industry, type of marketing or regional expertise. At Prism, we specialise in Fintech, SaaS and IT B2B marketing campaigns across all channels – and our clients know exactly where our expertise lies. Knowing your agency’s strength will help you get the most out of them. If you are working with a brand-building agency, and you brief in a multi-channel marketing campaign, there’s every possibility the agency will take it on, but you may not get what you expect from the agency. It’s OK to ask for examples of campaigns that they’ve worked on previously to know whether an agency is suitable for your project or not. This is particularly the case when you call in a number of agencies to pitch for work.
4/ Be upfront about your budget
Be transparent about your budget. The last thing you want is for an agency to start on a project and either have to stop half-way, or create something that you aren’t happy with. This isn’t good for either side! Be upfront about the amount of budget you have available and you will get a better representation of what can be created.
5/ Trust your agency like a partner
Your most trusted agency should feel like a partner that knows your business and solutions inside out. Sometimes you’ll need to remind them of the details but rather than an external company, you should feel comfortable enough to trust them with your work! You should be able to trust their opinion, the value and experience they bring and know that their ideas will push the boundaries of yours because chances are – they’ve worked with a whole load of companies on a vast range of projects.
Remember: a relationship is two-sided. It's just as much the obligation of the agency to deliver what's been agreed upon, as it is for you as the customer to be as clear as possible about what you want to achieve.The best agencies operate with the goal of ensuring you're successful as a marketing team, and this is evident in the way that they work and the collateral and services that they provide. By communicating regularly, being as transparent as possible with your requirements, and trusting your agency to deliver, you'll see the best returns.
At Prism Create, we’re more than just your average agency – we make sure our clients see the value that we bring to projects, and put a lot of effort into making sure they are happy by putting the relationship first.
Check out our portfolio here and then make sure to get in touch by hitting the big green button below!
