When you decide to start a new business, no matter what your idea behind it is, the first thing you must think about is the branding. But, what’s that? It’s a way to represent your business to potential clients, tell them your story, and make the company recognizable and unique, even when there are plenty of them that are doing the same. In order to have a great brand everyone will talk about, you must choose a few colors that will be your corporate colors, design your logo, take care of the typography, create a website, and be present (and “loud” enough) on social media. Today, the market is a place where businesses are fighting against each other, so they can stay competitive and attractive to potential clients. Visit here, so you can have a clearer picture of what we are talking about.
When you think about the strong brands that are iconic all around the world, you must know that together with the technical details, like logo, colors, and motto, they are targeting the right audience too. That’s another thing you can learn from them. We all know that these things can be challenging, complicated, and overwhelming for you to do to them by yourself. That’s why most of the companies are hiring marketing agencies, to help them build up the brand, including graphic design services too.
All of these things we already mentioned are crucial for your brand to be successfully established on the market, and also to stay there as long as possible. But, what you need to know about the marketing agencies you are willing to hire? Here are a few things you have to look for:
1. Their background and portfolio
When you choose a team of experienced professionals, you are sure that you will get exactly what you want. You can go for the agencies that are present on the market for a long time, but there is a catch – they can be pretty expensive, and you must know how much you can spend on this. Another thing to do in this case is to look for newer branding and design companies, with less experience. Just because they are new, it doesn’t mean they won’t do an exceptional job with your brand. Check their portfolios, their websites, and social media profiles, contact them, ask for an offer, and you will be able to choose the one that’s the best for you. Most of the reliable agencies will provide some examples of their previous work and will publish some parts of their portfolio, so the potential clients can have an image of what they do.
2. Ask them if they worked on something similar
Some agencies are specialized in some particular niche, and that’s even better because they will fit nicely to the task, and finish it right on time. There is nothing wrong if you asked them this question. For example, if you want to open an online store for jewelry, and you need them to help you with the marketing and branding, you can openly ask them if they have previous experience with promoting jewelry stores. Also, they may provide some examples of similar work, so you can see if you like what they do, or not. You are the one who is paying for this service, and you have the right to ask them these things, to be sure they are the right ones for your business.
3. How they communicate with the clients
During the whole process, you will have to communicate with the agency all the time. Once you are sure that their portfolio and specialties are a good fit for you, move to the next step, and ask them what are their communication preferences. You can tell them your expectations, knowing that you may want to be updated about everything all the time. Both sides need to establish healthy communication, in order for the project to be completed on time. This may seem like a small detail, but communications are everything – you should never forget that.
4. Ask for a draft of their plan
You can’t predict in advance how it will go, but every professional agency will provide a draft-plan of what they intend to do. You, as a person who hires them, should have a copy of that. You can both work on the plan, so it can be more accurate. Also, keep in mind that the trends are changing almost every day, and you can’t insist on the initial plan if they come with a better solution for something. Never forget that they need to do their job without your pressure because if you were able to do everything by yourself, you wouldn’t have to hire them in the first place. So, leave them alone to do their job, but try to stay included in the whole process too.
5. Ask them to estimate the total cost
The agencies surely have some pricing plans, but sometimes the branding campaigns can be cheaper or more expensive in the end. A professional service provider should be able to estimate the total cost, but if they are avoiding answering this question, then they may want to manipulate you. Sometimes, if you insist regularly, they may give up on the project, but that will only show you they weren’t worth it. Professionals always know how much they cost, and they know it’s fair to tell the client the price before they start working on the project.
When you plan to do these things, you should always research the market around you, or even consider hiring some freelancers for that. Deep research on the Internet will also be useful. But, before you take any step, see how much you can afford. That will help you find the right choice for your money. The designers and marketers are service providers for businesses, and they are a very important chain in developing a brand and increasing awareness over it. Choose them smartly, and never miss to ask their previous clients for recommendations.
