When starting on as a new company, establishing your brand is the number one priority. With the right branding strategy comes awareness, recognition and continuous growth.
An important factor in brand transformation is hiring the right agency to create and lead the charge. In fact, stats convey that the right partner can help business earn 23% more annual revenue with consistent branding.
That’s why, it’s important to select a capable creative agency in New York that meets your expectations and understands the needs of your business.
Here are a few considerations to keep in mind when selecting a creative agency.
Interview Agencies
Start with a list of 10 agencies that you find interesting – research their past projects, clients and reviews etc. Don’t forget to ask your friends and peers for recommendations.
Narrow down your list and ask the top 3 to send in their proposals.
However, remember that each agency will have its own processes, experiences, and capabilities, so bear these in mind as you make the selection.
Make First Impressions Count
We’ve all heard the age-old adage about first impressions – so choose an agency that makes an impact on you the first time you meet them.
You can learn a lot about their commitment to quality and customer service by how they interact with you during the initial phase of contact.
Do they find it exciting to work with you? Are they prompt with emails, calls and other correspondence? Are they asking the right questions? Do they inform you about their process and approach to branding?
These questions will help you find out whether they’re the right agency for you or not.
The Perfect Fit
You will spend a major chunk of your year with your agency as they work on one of the most valuable aspects of your business.
Therefore, you want a collaborative partner who understands your needs with compassion.
Remember, 48% of American customers have complains about a brand’s words or actions – and the only way to ensure that they aren’t talking about your brand is by getting it built by someone who knows what your audience wants to hear and see.
If you’re a global brand, you need a large agency that has worked with clients with similar requirements and complexities as you (even in the same industry). In comparison, smaller brands need one-on-one attention that a smaller agency will provide effectively.
Areas Of Expertise
Successful branding agencies have proven and time-tested processes that are backed by research and evidence to ensure that the end-result is suitable to their clients.
While most agencies offer similar services what sets them all apart is the way they execute on their capabilities.
Look out for specialized services such as in-depth brand-research and brand architecture development – these services are especially helpful for new businesses that are starting the branding process from scratch.
They can help you connect with your target audiences and create more meaningful experiences that generate revenue in the process.
Portfolio Diversity and Experience
You can have a good idea of what your branding agency can do for you by looking at their portfolio and past results.
Ask for analytics, reports and measureable results from older projects – they should be willing to provide all of this and a lot more to secure you as a client. Also, ask the agency for examples of quality work that reflects their creative styles and encapsulates the spirit of their brand.
Remember relevant experience counts, but for creative agencies, so does diversity.
Conclusion
Finding the right creative agency New York will take some time – just like every branding project is different, agencies also have unique strengths and weaknesses that must be explored fully as you make the decision.
So, carefully assess creative agencies in New York before you select the one that’s best for you. Hopefully, the guidelines above will help you select a branding agency that’s perfect!
