Working with a Digital Agency?
Here’s how to maximise your investment.
Damien Snare / 07 September 2022
Engaging an external provider isn’t a new concept, and if you’re an entrepreneur or business owner, there’s a good chance you’ve already done this. A Digital Agency can provide a unique skill set and perspective, without having to hire internally. We’ve put together some top tips to keep your projects on track and get the most out of your Agency:
- Know what you’re looking for: you can’t measure success if you don’t have a clear idea of your requirements
- Laying the foundation: clear goals, milestones and expectations help the relationship get off to a great start
- Start small: group work into manageable ‘chunks’ to ensure consistent output
- Get to know each other: Agencies are ‘chameleons’, we’re great at adapting to different styles, we just need to know what that style is.
- Project management: Make sure all key stakeholders are kept in the loop. Use consistent questions in progress meetings.
- Don’t treat them mean, keep them keen: foster a positive and collaborative working environment.
Keep reading for a more detailed breakdown of these points…
Know what you’re looking for
There’s plenty of ways to source design and marketing services depending on scale, industry and many other factors. An existing contact list of freelancers or agencies that you’ve engaged in the past and recommendations from colleagues or friends can be great options. Alternatively, search engines should be a great starting point. Here’s some qualities to look for:
- Experience: Industry, style, medium, scale
- Expertise: Skill sets across team members & service offerings
- Communication: How well do they express their vision for the project? Do they respect your brand values?
- Understanding: Can they explain your vision in their own words?
- Proactive: Unprompted assistance and problem solving
- Ownership: Do they take pride in their work? Are they professional?
- Style Match: Does their work match the ‘vibe’ or ‘essence’ of your brand?
You can check out our blog here for more detail on this topic:
Laying the foundation
This first step is all about getting off on the right foot. Communication is key here, with project requirements, expectations and timelines in place. There’s always some wiggle room, but without clear direction the project can become disjointed.
One of the primary benefits of working with a Digital Agency is the reduced HR Administration and overheads. Take advantage of this by providing clear guidelines to your agency contact, but also the autonomy to complete tasks without micromanagement. This leaves you free to focus on other business areas.
It’s good to have some boundaries too. Having agreed upon practices such as contact windows, communication methods and other ‘ground rules’ can help avoid awkward situations and miscommunications down the track.
Start small
Rolling out a new project doesn’t have to be a frenzy of activity. Whether it’s a new ad strategy, Social Media campaign or complete brand overhaul you give your business the best chance of success through implementing in manageable phases, consistently over time. Have this approach and you’ll immediately feel the pressure reduce.
Once the relationship develops through successful collaborations, larger projects can be undertaken with a greater level of confidence. Remember, the longer you work with an Agency, the more efficient they will be at following your brand style guide and core values.
Get to know each other
A rewarding, yet challenging aspect of working as a Digital Agency is the variety. You essentially become a brand chameleon, changing your strategies and style to match a client’s needs. A good agency will take the time to learn about your business.
Whether that’s reviewing your online content and social platforms, or conducting a discovery session. Just like an onboarding process for a new staff member, don’t discount the importance of indoctrinating the account manager into your organisation’s vision.
Project management
… Is a whole topic in itself, with different levels of complexity and opportunities for creating success. No two projects are the same, however there are some key questions that you can ask during progress meetings to increase the likelihood of success. And if you don’t currently hold progress meetings, it may be worth implementing. They don’t have to be long, but the key is making sure everyone knows where they (and the project) stands.
- What is the status of current action items?
- Next steps or tasks in the project?
- Is there any relevant information that needs to be presented?
- What’s working well? Are there any opportunities for improvement?
Don’t treat them mean, keep them keen
Your agency contacts aren’t full time employees of your business, but they are on your side. Your success is their success. Positive communication and opportunities to de-brief can be a great way to ensure a productive work environment for your ‘temporary team members’.
Treating freelancers as collaborative partners and keeping the information flowing is a great way to make them feel valuable, engaged and eager to continue the relationship.
Want more? We got you!
If you have something to add, or just want to discuss your needs with one of our team members we’d love to hear from you! Get in touch with us below, leave a comment and check out more on our socials.
