We have good news and terrible news for you if you’re trying to figure out how to pick a branding agency. The good news is that you’ve arrived at the right location! We’ve broken down everything you need to know about finding the proper partner for your branding and rebranding needs in the sections below.
The unpleasant news is probably already known to you. The truth is that rebranding your company comes at a high price. It takes time, money, and a significant amount of danger.
That is why it is critical to understand how to select the best branding agency. If you think rebranding is expensive, wait till you’ve gone through the process twice because you picked the wrong agency the first time.
We’ll answer the following critical questions below to provide you with everything you need to choose the ideal partner for your branding needs:
What is the definition of a branding agency?
A branding agency is a company that specialises in the strategic and creative work needed to alter how internal and external stakeholders perceive a company.
The following are some of the services that branding agencies often provide:
Brand Activation: Services aimed at bringing a brand to life in the marketplace, such as the launch, implementation, and ongoing maintenance of the brand.
Different branding companies define these service areas differently, and no two agencies in each sector offer the same set of services.
After you’ve gotten a feel of what a branding agency can accomplish for you, the following question is usually, “Do I Really Need One?” You most likely do if you’re reading this, but let’s look at why.
What Are the Benefits of Hiring a Branding Agency?
Many businesses believe that rebranding is something that their internal marketing department can handle. After all, how difficult can it be to create a logo and compose some key messaging? Even the best marketing team can’t make the objective, big-picture strategic decisions that a rebrand necessitates.
A branding agency can provide you with not only an objective viewpoint, but also demonstrated knowledge in a variety of industries and the insight you need to ensure your brand experience is consistent, unified, and captivating.
Let’s take a closer look at the key advantages of working with a branding agency:
A Branding Agency Provides You With An Objective, Big-Picture Assessment: A branding agency provides you with an objective, big-picture assessment of your brand and the competitive landscape in which it operates.
Branding Companies Bring Experience From Other Sectors: Branding agencies bring experience from industries other than your own. When it comes to meaningfully differentiating your brand, this type of fresh perspective is typically required.
Your branding agency is likely to have worked on dozens, if not hundreds, of rebrands prior to yours. This ensures that your rebrand is done correctly the first time.
A branding agency is in the ideal position to assist you with brand management since they will be intimately familiar with your brand. This ensures that your brand is consistently and powerfully executed across its various touchpoints.
What Should You Ask a Branding Agency Before Hiring Them?
It all comes down to asking the proper questions when it comes to hiring a branding agency. With this in mind, we’ve compiled a list of the top ten questions you should ask yourself while looking for an agency partner.
1. How many different agencies should I contact?
First and foremost. Because there are so many firms that claim to specialise in branding, it’s critical to focus your search. Understanding the difference between a branding firm and a marketing agency that offers “branding” services on the side is one method to narrow down the field right away. The former is what you’re looking for.
Once you’ve cleared this basic requirement, we recommend using a selection procedure similar to this: Make a long list of five to ten organisations that look promising and conduct more in-depth research on each of them.
Reduce the list to three to five agencies that appear to be a suitable match. Make a request for their proposals and review them. Final presentations and interviews should be given to the top two or three agencies. Agencies differ in terms of capabilities, processes, and experience. When selecting a branding agency, it’s critical to obtain a sense of what’s available so that you can make an informed decision.
If you’re having trouble coming up with a long list to start with, ask friends or colleagues in the business for recommendations.
Spend some time on Google looking for branding agencies. When we conduct brand audits for our customers, we look for similar organisations in the competitive landscape to gain a full picture of the market.
If you’re having trouble coming up with a long list to start with, ask friends or colleagues in the business for recommendations. Spend some time on Google looking for branding agencies. When we conduct brand audits for our customers, we look for similar organisations in the competitive landscape to gain a full picture of the market.
Reading blog articles and case studies from agencies is a terrific way to get a sense of how they tackle the various stages of the branding process. Alternatively, you can reverse engineer the process by investigating which agencies are behind companies you appreciate that are comparable to your own.
2. How would you describe the agency’s first impression?
The old adage about first impressions is correct. The way an agency engages you in the early stages of your partnership can reveal a lot about their passion for service and commitment to quality.
Is the thought of working with you exciting to them? When it comes to phone calls and email responses, do they respect your time? Do they ask the proper questions and show that they understand your requirements? Do they take the time to answer your questions and explain their method and approach to you? Choosing a branding agency is similar to dating. You’re looking for the proper fit, a natural connection with an agency that knows your brand’s specific requirements.
An awkward working relationship will only provide awkward outcomes, whereas a truly complementary working relationship can produce absolutely spectacular results.
3. Are they the Correct Size?
When it comes to picking a branding agency, does size matter? Sure, but it’s a matter of perspective. You’ll almost certainly require a major global branding firm if you’re a large global brand in need of a full overhaul. A boutique firm just won’t have the resources to handle the magnitude and complexity of such a project. A major branding firm, on the other hand, might be able to handle your rebrand if you’re a small business, but they won’t be able to give you the hands-on attention that a smaller firm would.
Larger agency’ services are also more expensive than those provided by a boutique firm. As a result, if your small or medium-sized business is noticing indicators that it’s time to rebrand, the bigger the agency, the less value you’ll get for your money.
You need a company that can handle the breadth and complexity of your project quickly. Most importantly, you want a partner who has the knowledge and resources to complete your project’s deliverables.
4. Do they have the necessary experience?
When it comes to choosing a branding firm, expertise is also an important factor to consider. When it comes to branding, most agencies have similar capabilities or services. Expertise, or the demonstrated ability to carry out the intricacies of those competencies, is where you’ll find significant disparities between the agencies you’re considering. Specialized services such as in-depth brand research, a tried-and-true naming process, and the capacity to clarify a muddled brand architecture are among these details. They contain tried-and-true strategies and placement techniques. They also incorporate dynamic brand design to bring your brand to life in a way that elicits “Wow” reactions from people. Even the most powerful collection of talents is rendered useless without the support of experience.
Finally, competence is defined as the ability to solve your company’s unique problems through a variety of custom solutions that work together to create a unified and compelling brand storey.
5. Do they have a wide range of high-quality work in their portfolio?
Of course, the portfolio is the best indicator of an agency’s expertise. When it comes to choosing an agency, knowing what to look for in a portfolio is crucial. While industry experience might be beneficial, it should never be regarded as the be-all and end-all of qualifications. A common blunder is exaggerating the value of industrial experience.
The truth is that rebranding is a process that can be applied to any sector. Furthermore, firms that focus on a single vertical are generally ill-equipped to create highly unique brand experiences inside that market.
An agency that does not work with companies like yours on a regular basis is more likely to provide a fresh perspective on your visual and verbal identity.
Perhaps the most crucial piece of advice we can give to a firm looking for a branding agency is to look at numerous prospects and compare apples to apples in each category.
Conclusion:
Give each agency the same project scope so you can see how proposals, approaches, and costs differ for the same project. A good brand agency will relish the opportunity to demonstrate capabilities in comparison to the other agencies