Branding is all about bringing your products or services closer to the people that need them. Most businesses prefer to delegate the task of marketing to branding agencies. This is because it’s not easy for an entrepreneur to maintain a balance between offering services or products and promoting his brand.
Research shows that branding is the key to earning a large market share. As competition among businesses continues to swell, it’s the brands that are seen the most that thrive. When you partner with a branding agency, they immediately become ambassador of whatever you sell which in return gives you ample time to focus on improving the quality of your products or services.
The problem with most business owners is that they mistake a branding company with a sales team. In fact, they never tell people to buy your stuff. They only create awareness about the products and services that you sell by using various channels such as social media and promotional materials such as cups, caps, T-shirts, stickers, billboards and so much more. Choosing the best branding company can also be a challenge especially when there are so many branding agencies that want to do business with you. Below is a checklist that can guide you when looking for a reliable branding agency.
- Company Specialty
Branding is a broad profession. You will not therefore be able to find a one-size-fits-all agency. This is because there are many niche markets in the branding industry. Before you sign on the dotted line, you must do your own homework on the company that you want to partner with. This means you must dig in to find all the fine details concerning the strategies that they use to promote a brand. This will enable you to gauge their ability to deliver as per your expectations. When you hire a branding agency without doing some due diligence, you might be disappointed later on when you realize they are unable to do what you expect them to do.
- Familiarity with Your Industry
Some branding companies are jack of all trades while others offer their services to businesses in certain industries. It’s important you hire an agency that understands the ins and outs of the industry that you work in. When an agency is familiar with your sector, they will know the strategies that yield the best results and those that are not worth trying. After all, you want strategies that bring in sales.
- Large Vs Small Agency
When hunting for a branding partner, it’s obvious you will come across small and large companies. The good thing about doing business with a big company is that they tend to have all the resources and manpower. They can therefore guarantee a smooth rollout of branding campaigns within a very short time. They are also well connected and are rich in technical know how probably because they can afford to employ the most experienced professionals. The downside is that they often fail to offer customized services because they serve many businesses at a go. Small branding agencies on the other hand are the best when you want customized services. However, they may not have enough resources in terms of manpower and skills.
- Budget
You should not have to rob a bank when hiring an agency. It’s actually recommended that you first draft a budget before you approach any agency. Once you know how much you can comfortably spend, you can look for an agency whose rates are in harmony with your budget estimation. The amount of money you spend is determined by the number of channels you want to use to reach out to potential customers. The more the channels, the more money you will have to pay. However, a good agency can help you drop some of the less effective strategies to avoid hurting your pockets.
- Portfolio
The worst mistake you can make when dealing with a brand promoter is to hire them without first seeing their portfolio. When you look at the portfolio of an agency, you will be able to know what to expect at the end of the campaign. You should therefore insist on seeing portfolio and if possible contact the clients they have served in the recent past.