Partnering with a Branding Agency? Be Ready for These 7 Key Questions
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So you’ve decided to hire a creative branding agency…maybe you’ve even reached out to a few to get started.
Whether you’re building a completely new brand, or refreshing your existing look and feel, finding the right creative agency is not a decision to take lightly.
Why? Because your brand matters. It’s the first impression your customers have of you. It’s how you catch their eye in a world of decreasing attention spans. You need an agency that gets you.
And likewise, the agencies you reach out to will want to feel you out too.
Think of it like choosing a new doctor. At your first consult, you ask questions to ensure you trust their expertise, and they ask questions to learn about you, the issue that brought you in, and your general medical history.
Without sharing some details about you, they can’t provide you with proper care.
Similarly, we ask prospective clients some preliminary questions to get to know them – and their business – better, so we can recommend the right course of action.
We’ve already talked about 10 crucial questions to ask before hiring a creative studio. But how do you prepare for the other half of that conversation?
We can’t speak for all agencies out there, but in the spirit of demystifying the process, we thought we’d give a peek behind the NiceDay curtain. Below, we’ll dive into some questions we ask prospective clients, and why.
The Pre-Screen: Pre-Consult Questions
As soon as a prospective client reaches out, we ask for some general info. This ensures that there’s real potential for partnership before having the deeper getting-to-know-you conversation.
Questions, like:
What is your business?
(Are you an hip local bar? A business service provider? A funky regional hotel?)What type of work are you looking for?
(Are you building a new brand from scratch, or looking for a few specific campaign assets?)What’s your (rough) budget?
(It’s not the most exciting question, but it’s important to know we’re in the same ballpark)
Once we know that there’s a good chance we’re the right match, we’ll set up a consult to learn more about you, your business, and your branding project.
And that’s when we get to the good stuff…
How to Prepare for Your Brand Agency Consult: 7 Questions They’ll Ask
During the consult, you’ll want to get to know the agency you’ll be working with, and they’ll want to get to know you too. Here are 7 questions they may ask, and why:
1) Tell us your story
We like to know the people we work with. During the pre-screen, you gave us a quick description of your business. Now, let’s get into the details! What inspired you to start your business?
How long have you been in your chosen field? Are you an industry expert with years of hands-on experience, or is this a brand new venture in a brand new space?
Starting a business takes a lot of work, and a lot of passion. Hearing you tell your story in your own words helps us understand what’s important to you, what motivates you, and what gets you excited to go to work.
And, it helps us determine if we’d be good long-term partners.
Pro-Tip: Don’t be afraid to wax poetic or geek out about your work – we love that! Plus, your passion and your voice will inform the work we (hopefully) do with you, especially if you’re a founder or entrepreneur.
2) What are your short- and long-term goals for your brand?
Are you opening a brand new venture, or looking to branch out or expand an existing business?
Do you have specific must-haves for this project (like a website, merch, or product photography), or are you looking for guidance and recommendations from us?
What do you envision for your brand in 6 months? A year? 5 years?
This is also a great time to lay out any specific timing needs that may impact the project.
Pro-Tip: It’s okay if your long-term goals change—things always change. We won’t hold you to them. ;) We ask because it helps us see your vision for your brand. You can also share what you don’t want for your brand, if that feels easier.
3) What’s the competitive landscape for your brand?
Who are your main competitors, and what makes your offering unique in the market?
Who is your ideal target audience?
Do you foresee any changes on the horizon for the landscape?
These types of questions don’t just give us helpful context, they also let us see how much research you’ve done, and how much work you’ve already put in.
Pro Tip: Come to the table with a clear idea of your unique selling proposition – the thing that sets you apart from the competition. Whether it’s location, novelty, or a high-end experience, your USP will be a key part of your brand.
4) Have you worked with a marketing or branding agency before?
This question can be very telling for how we work together. When we know how familiar you are with marketing and branding in general (and it’s okay if you’re not!), we know how much we need to explain along the way.
Some clients are on-board with every idea, others need a little help understanding the impact of the work. Some clients understand industry terms, others don’t.
There’s no right or wrong answer here. It’s just about level-setting so we can meet you where you are.
This is also a great time to share any expectations you have of our working relationship. How frequently do you like to check-in? Who will be our main point of contact? (Is it you? You and a partner? A separate team?) Are you looking for a collaborative creative partnership, or someone to execute an existing strategy?
Pro Tip: You can always ask for references from your agency! Many agencies have clients they can connect you with to ask about their experience, just like an employer may do for a new hire.
5) Do you have a business plan, or other strategic work you can share with us?
We know, it can feel scary to share this information before contracts are signed. But here’s why we ask:
We want to work with people who are as serious and driven about their work as we are with ours. People who are invested in their own company, and set up for success.
By sharing some of your planning and strategy documents, you’re basically providing receipts to the work you’ve put in.
Plus, it lets us know what our starting point will be with your brand. (For example, Do you have a name picked out already, or do you need us to help you nail that down?)
Pro-Tip: You are absolutely allowed to ask the agency to sign an NDA before sharing business documents if it makes you feel more comfortable. Or, you can prepare a pared-down version of your business plan with only the information you’re comfortable sharing.
6) What’s your budget?
Yep, this again! We ask for a rough idea of budget in the screening questions, but now that we have a general sense for what you’re looking for, we need to know what you’re able to invest.
So, what is your budget for this project? How flexible is it?
90% of the time, the answer is “I don’t know.” So if you’re unsure, you’re not alone! But if you do have a solid number or range you can share, we can incorporate that into our proposal.
Pro-Tip: When preparing for the agency consult, look at your budget and start thinking about how much you’re able to invest in branding. It can be a range, rather than a precise number. But coming in with a general idea is a helpful starting point.
7) What does success look like for this project? For your brand as a whole?
What is the goal post we’re aiming for? Do you have any KPI’s in mind for this project and partnership?
Success can mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people. Being clear about your expectations and goals with our work together upfront helps us stay focused and on-track throughout the project.
Pro-Tip: If you’re unclear about what success looks like, this can be a two-way conversation. What’s important is that we’re aligned on the end-goal before we start working.
Ready to start a conversation?
We know this is a lot to think about – and hopefully, your wheels are turning now!
Whether you’re looking to start something new or refresh your existing business, we’re here to answer any questions you may have.
And if you’re on the hunt for a new creative branding partner, give us a shout and let us know how we can help!
