Finding the right agency: 9 red flags to watch out for when you go ‘agency shopping’.
I cringed when I wrote ‘agency shopping’. Please don’t! But seriously, you know, I know, when you are looking for an agency, you probably won’t talk to only one. I understand and I even applaud it for you! You need to weigh your options, get a feel for what’s a right fit for you, dip your toes and all that. Here are 9 red flags to watch out for when you start talking to agencies.
After years of experience in dealing with entrepreneurs and their businesses, there are a few myths that I’d like to debunk about branding. This is just one of the articles on branding myths by entrepreneurs that will follow. If you’re interested in what else I talk about, look here.
Red flag 1: “We are cheap.”
This is an obvious red flag. The cheapest option usually isn’t the best one. Especially when the challenge is fundamental for your company and its future. Would you pay a brain surgeon that’s standing by the road with a sign “Will operate for beer”? Probably not. How much should your project cost then? Find out in this article I recently wrote.
Red flag 2: “We don’t ask questions.”
After the sales conversation, ask yourself: Did they challenge my thinking? Did they go deep into the business problem? Or did they just accept everything I said and went straight ahead to the ‘solution’? Usually, people not asking questions aren’t trained to solve bigger problems. They focus on the execution, not on the actual problem. If you want an agency that will use their full expertise to grow your business, they need to be asking you questions.
Red flag 3: “We do everything.”
Content marketing? Sure! Webdesign? Sure! Drone videos? Sure! Cleaning your car? Why not! Be wary of agencies that have a broad service offering, it usually means that they are not specialized, unless they are really well-staffed and big agencies. But those come with a price tag too (if you can afford it, then go for those!). Make sure you define the challenge well, so you can pick the right agency. Not sure if you need a marketing or branding agency? Well, I also happen to have written an article on that.
Red flag 4: “We use fancy words.”
You might think: “That’s a good thing”. They know their stuff, right? Well, actually, when people throw a lot of buzz at you, it’s usually because of a lack of confidence or knowledge underneath the surface. We are going to ‘disrupt’ your industry using ‘authentic storytelling’ and ‘split up verticals into growth driven assets’ (I’m just generating ‘BS’ here). Make sure the people you talk to give you clarity and simplicity because that is exactly what you need to create a brand that communicates well to the outside world.
Red flag 5: “We are high on own supply.”
“Our service is the only solution to your problem.” “If you change your logo, your whole business will change, and customers will come.” “If you invest in video, your revenue will double.” In reality, we need to push multiple buttons to grow a brand. We need not only invest in branding, but also marketing, sales, support,… Branding is a power struggle, read more about that here. Any agency that keeps talking about their offering as the holy grail, is probably full of sh*t. For example, when you are doing a rebrand, you will need to invest in marketing after that. ‘If we build it, they will come’ is just not right. Agencies that educate you on the next steps are probably the ones with greater value.
Red flag 6: “We will pitch for free.”
“We will generate ideas for free, upfront.” This might seem like a cool thing. These people want your business so bad that they are willing to do it for free. I’m telling you now, it sucks. Free pitching is an unfair process and most good agencies are opting out. Again, a good agency will diagnose the problem (strategy) first and then think about the right solutions, not just create solutions on the fly (tactics). This may vary depending on the industry, in advertising, for example, pitching is still a standard. In any case, when the agency offers you to pitch before you asked, you know they don’t value design and won’t deliver on quality. If you want an agency to generate ideas, pay them for a discovery/pitch phase, trust me, the results will be 10 times better.
Red flag 7: “We bill by the hour.”
Hourly billing may seem easier, but it makes no sense in branding. Does it make a difference if the Nike logo was made in 10 minutes or 10 weeks? Does it change the actual value of logo? No. In building brands, we need to look at the business outcome as a way to price the engagement. Professional agencies that understand the risk and the value of their offering will give you a fixed price, based on the desired outcomes for your business. Want to learn more about value-based pricing vs hourly? Check out this article I wrote.
Red flag 8: “We don’t laugh.”
I was in doubt if this point should make the top 9. But then again, I feel we often ignore this simple red flag too much. Picking the right agency is not only about picking ‘the best’, but it’s also about the right fit, the right human fit. So if you don’t feel that you ‘like’ these people, or that you are able to make a joke, it probably will be a frustrating engagement.
Red flag 9: “We don’t have a dog.”
Yes. Agencies without dogs are bad ones, period. Did you know that at Ollie, we have 2 dogs running around? Cyriel and Melchior they are called, and they keep us in check and our clients happy.
That’s it, I hope you now have some things to pay attention to when you are ‘shopping’ for agencies. And if you are, why not come check out our amazing office dogs?
Ollie is a branding studio based in Ghent, Belgium. We create brand experiences that attract raving fans and we’re firm believers of a strategy first approach. Interested in our work? Check out our Instagram, LinkedIn, Dribbble and Behance. And of course, feel free to check out our website.
Until the next one! 👋
