Working with a marketing/advertising agency can be a truly rewarding experience. When you choose to work with an agency (like de Novo), you are gaining an entire creative collective that is dedicated to helping your brand succeed.  But have you worked with an agency before? What should you expect and what are the keys to success? Take a look at our simple checklist below for tips for success.

1. Think of your agency as a partner, not a vendor.
   Your agency wants to do the best work possible for your organization, and in order to do that it’s best to think of them as a partner, not simply a transactional vendor. Partners share information back and forth and work together to find solutions.
   
2. Share information for success.
   In order to get the most out of your agency partnership, the lines of communication should be open to let ideas flow freely. Communication is a two-way street! Plus, the more information that can be shared with the agency, the better picture the agency will have in order to make the best, most complete recommendations and choices for YOUR brand.
   Share your goals, key performance indicators (KPIs), sales information, etc. It’s all important information that should be considered when building a strategic marketing plan. Plus, the more information you share with your agency to better your marketing efforts, the more information, ideas, and ROI the agency will be able to share back with you.
3. Good marketing takes time & effort.
   You’ve already taken the first step in making the financial investment in an agency partnership – now you need to invest the TIME in that relationship. There are no overnight success stories. It takes time to build a brand – with a strategic plan in place that includes objectives, strategies and tactics, as well as measurements of success and a clear understanding of your goals.
4. Communicate!
   Consistent communication with your agency (and your agency with you) is key in keeping projects moving forward and expectations met.
5. Set clear expectations from the start.
   Clear expectations should be set by both parties. What are you looking for out of your marketing agency, and what do they need from you in order for you BOTH to be successful? Having agreement on expectations will make projects run smoothly and help avoid confusion and frustration on both ends.

The best moments for an agency come when their clients are successful. The client-agency partnership is one that requires a full investment of time, commitment, and transparency – and the best partnerships will make your work more enjoyable. 

When you succeed, we succeed, so let's talk!