News

While your business may be able to complete most projects on your own, at some point you’ll most likely need help from partners who have the expertise you lack, or even just to help offload some of those projects that have been piling up on your to-do list.

When it comes to a marketing partner specifically, that relationship is a powerful one. This is the team you’re sharing all of your business’ hopes and fears with, the team that you trust to bring all of your ideas to life in a stand-out way.

With that level of intimacy hanging in the balance, signing up to work with a marketing partner for your business shouldn’t be a quick decision. Finding the right partner means matching your niche with an agency that understands it, and one that knows how to elevate your brand within your respective field.

There are a lot of different types of ‘marketing agencies’ out there to choose from. Some focus on lead gen, some specialize in media buying, some focus on only social media and digital, etc. Now a creative agency, sometimes known as a brand agency, is one that takes a more holistic approach to brand strategy.

The broad goal of a creative agency (like Liquified Creative) is to understand the culture of a company and whole it relates to it’s business goals, discover points of difference with competitors, and communicate genuine value to the company’s audience.

A creative agency may not be the right fit as a marketing partner based on your business’ needs. That’s why, when selecting an agency to partner with, you’re going to want to do your due diligence. Start by researching some of the agencies out there, ask for referrals, and interview those that you’re interested in learning more about. Once you’ve narrowed it down to a few options, it’s time to ask yourself the next question.

What exactly should I be looking for in an ad agency (or marketing partner)?

While the evaluation process can be somewhat of a daunting task, here are a few qualities you’re going to want to keep at the top of your checklist in order to ensure a successful partnership. Hopefully, these key factors will help bring a little more clarity to your search for the perfect marketing partner.

Quality of work

When looking at your selection of agencies, one of the biggest factors you should keep in mind is the quality of work they are putting out. Now, while your thoughts may be just on the creative and design side here, it’s important to look out for other examples that demonstrate a solid work product. Quality of work can be evaluated by looking through agency case studies, asking for examples of successful campaigns, seeing how many industry awards the agency and their team have won, the client roster, and client longevity.

It’s also smart to keep in mind the services that an agency offers. Some agencies (like Liquified Creative) function as full-service ad agencies. Others, as mentioned previously, may only specialize in one or two different service lines. While you may start your search with just one immediate marketing need in mind, having a well-rounded team behind you can enhance your brand in a way that accounts for big-picture business’ goals.

So, how do you find this information out? Check out each agency’s website and social media. Don’t hesitate to do a quick Google search either. You can also sign up for their newsletter to see what active projects they’ve been working on as well as other agency highlights such as blog articles and media highlights.

Experience

It’s extremely important that you take into consideration the experience of the agency team. It’s often beneficial to have a variety of experience levels among the group. If you notice that the staff consists of some senior leadership positions that have been in the industry for ten or more years, some junior team members that have grown with the agency over the past few years, as well as some newer hires among the group, you’re working with a good mix when it comes to experience level.

There’s something to be said about a history of executed success that is humbled by a series of checks and balances. A group with various experience levels allows for fresh ideas and exciting challenges to be brought to the table.

Start by looking at the employee page on the agency’s site. You’ll most-likely get a person-by-person breakdown, and from there you can explore everyone you might come across within the company. You can research each person’s social channels (LinkedIn, Facebook, portfolios or websites) to better understand their qualifications, degrees, certifications, and previous work.

It’s also helpful to know how long the firm has been in business – you can even read reviews from their prior clients to see how other businesses have felt about their partnerships in years past.

Transparency

In the case that a partnership is about to begin, is the agency willing to be transparent about how they complete tasks? Some agencies are 100% in-house (like Liquified Creative). Meaning, all projects are performed, from start to finish, within the office.

On the other hand, some agencies outsource their creative, marketing strategy, content writing, and web development (and the list goes on). This means that their staff may only consist of project managers, account executives, or director level positions that oversee client projects. If this is the case, you’ll want to get an understanding for how quality control is maintained, or even why the agency has made the decision to outsource.

Transparency is an important factor in determining quality, timeliness and trust between businesses in the marketing partner they’re going to select.

–

Be sure to keep these points in mind when executing your search, as you’ll want to make sure to gather as much information as possible. It’s also important to know what you’re looking for help with, what your budget is, and what your business goals are.

If you’re in the market for an agency partner, don’t hesitate to drop us a line!