Finding the Right Marketing Partner
For anyone seeking a marketing agency, it can be an overwhelming process, and sometimes you have no idea where to start. Here are a few tips to find a marketing agency that’s the right fit for you.
Agency vs. Freelancer: That Is The Question
If you have a project with a focus on one service — like designing a brochure or helping manage social media channels -consider a freelancer. The freelancer will accommodate your specific needs, execute quickly, and tends to be less in cost. Typically, they are working on more than one project at a time, therefore, you won’t have a dedicated person.
An agency can provide a full suite of strategy, research, design, and management capabilities and immediately add a fully-vetted team of experts to any project. From campaign design to ad management, and brand development to media buying, your needs can be fulfilled in a one-stop-shop. A dedicated team will see your project through from start to finish, analyzing and optimizing every step of the way to ensure success and timely delivery.
Research is your best friend: Google, testimonials, and referrals
When trying a new restaurant, I rely on reviews to inform my decision. I will click on my Yelp app, do a quick Google search, ask a friend, or sometimes all three.
The same can apply when seeking an agency. You can use LinkedIn as a resource, where you can find a host of agencies. From there, check out the agency’s website to learn more about services, capacity (by viewing the list of employees), past client work, and awards received. See if any of your professional contacts are connected to former or current employees. If so, ask your contact about their experience with the agency — word of mouth is a great resource.
What Should I Spend?
The million-dollar question is…How much should I invest in hiring an agency? You may have no idea what it costs to hire an agency but you do know your own finances. Before you contact an agency, have an idea of what you are willing to spend. Don’t be afraid to share your budget. Agencies — especially boutique agencies — prefer to avoid the “pricing-dance” with potential clients. It’s best to be straightforward so that time is not wasted getting to the end goal — kicking off your project.
Tip: Determine what your revenue or project goal is and the worth of it. If you want to increase sales by 300%, you will need to budget accordingly.
Values Are Important
A fully functioning organization is usually built on established values that guide its mission, projects, successes, and future. When seeking an agency, check out their values. Do you like what you see? Does the agency have a purpose? Will the agency align with your organization’s values and complement your project goals?
Here at Brllnt, we call our values Guiding Principles. They reflect how we work with each other, our clients and partners. And although I love the full set of our principles that have been established by our team of Brllnteers, my favorite is:
For Goodness Sake
Our environment is only as good as our choices.
When willed with the force of good, marketing and design create an unstoppable ripple effect. We are not (yet) curing cancer, but we are the front line warriors aiding those that are.
We select work with values we share and support missions of empowerment and positive impact. We are generous with each other, our communities, and ourselves.
We value unconditional hope, laughter, tears, and kindness.
To learn more about our values, give us a call or visit brllnt.co.
With that said, the busy Fall season is approaching, fiscal years are ending, and project needs are stirring.
Good luck on your journey toward finding an agency partner that will help your organization achieve its goals.
Brllnt is a full-service marketing and design firm. We are WBENC certified Women’s Business Enterprise (WBE) and Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) and a Certified Business Enterprise (CBE) within the City of Washington, DC.
