We’ve discussed the primary things to consider in the first part: How To Choose The Right Branding Agency [Part 1]; now, let’s dive deeper to differentiate the “good” from the “bad” to make sure that you are putting your money, time, and energy into the right company.
Let’s Talk About Quality
There’s a saying: “the proof is in the pudding,” and we couldn’t agree more.
When choosing a branding agency, it’s crucial to consider the quality of the work of the branding agency.
What previous and current projects are they involved in?
Do any of their works appeal to you?
How were they presented?
You can determine the quality of their work and whether they apply to your brand or not by checking their portfolios.
This aids in determining whether you see the branding agency working for your company or not.
Remember, you are entrusting them with something very dear to you — your brand. You must feel that they have the skills (and the bandwidth) to bring out the results you want.
Usually, branding agencies, especially smaller ones will provide design briefs to show the work they’ve done themselves.
Use this to learn more about the agency; what the goals of the projects are and how they were achieved.
Let’s Talk About Years
This might not be a primary concern for you; however, knowing whether the branding agency was already established or not is still important.
How long have they been in the industry?
Less than a year and still finding their feet or more than 10 years and pretty well established?
Both options offer advantages and disadvantages, and it’s crucial to weigh these factors before choosing one.
One of the benefits when working with a brand new agency is the number of clients they have. Since they are just starting, they might only have a few clients, allowing them to give more attention to your project.
Or it can imply that they lack experience and are still experimenting with various methods and working styles.
Meanwhile, an established company might have more solid experience handling various projects and clients. They might have worked with different industries and have already streamlined their working styles and the overall process.
However, this does not necessarily imply that they are better or that they’re the only option for you.
Learning about the level of their experience and length of operation is critical when making a decision, but it’s never a guarantee of their competency.
Be Careful
Don’t be attracted to shiny gold things.
Awards for branding and design are almost worthless as they can be simply purchased. Therefore, don’t focus too much on agencies that make award-winning claims.
Creative people work for creative agencies by definition. Thus, it’s simple to understand how they might use original brand positioning and marketing language.
I’ll say it again: ignore agency rewards unless you’re ready to fully investigate them. Some are excellent, but they rarely have any significance.
Final Tip
Another thing that you might want to consider is whether your philosophies are aligned or not. It may be important to look at each branding agency at a deeper level to know if they are the right fit for your brand and your culture.
You will be working with them for a month or even longer, so basically, they will be a part of your team, too.
