What Do Brands Really Want From Their Agency? - Jason Swenk – Let's Scale your Digital Marketing Agency Now
Do you know what brands want from an agency? What do they look for when deciding to work with an agency? Are you looking for a way to stand out in a world of “me too” agencies? Often, the best way to get noticed is to embrace who you are.
In today’s episode, we’ll cover:
Today I sat down for an enlightening conversation with Robby Berthume, CEO of Bull & Beard, an agency collective based in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Robby works with agencies and brands to help them come together to find the perfect fit. He’s here to discuss what brands are looking for in an agency, and what you can do to win more contracts.
The Biggest Disconnect Between Brands and Agencies
There’s a lot of disconnect between brands and agencies. While the end game is the same, typically, there is a lot of disagreement about how to get there. Robby says, one of the biggest disconnects he sees is in the area of pricing.
When a brand comes in with a set budget, agencies tend to just accept it as is. If we push back and say we need a little more or the budget is unrealistic, the brand may choose to go somewhere else. But what if you look at it from a different vantage point?
Robby says pricing can help you gain credibility and earn a brand’s respect. Sure you can tell a client you can come in at a certain price point, but you’re not doing yourself any favors. When you’re straightforward about the cost of a project and what your services are worth, you’ll earn the client’s trust.
#1 Reason Brands Prefer Working With Niche Agencies
We’ve talked about declaring a niche endlessly. I’m a strong believer in declaring a niche in order to separate your agency from generalists. And Robby says has found the clients agree. Yes, there are some brands that like to work with full-service agencies, but Robby says the split is about 80-20 in favor of niche agencies.
Think about it this way. When you hire someone, you want to know they are the best at their job. You don’t want a jack of all trades. When you build a home, you want a contractor, not a handyman. Brands invest a lot into agencies. That’s why they prefer to choose experts over generalists.
3 Ways to Your Agency Can Stand Out
There’s no getting around it — brands have a lot of choices. If you’re not careful, you can become just another “me too” agency. So what can you do to make sure you get noticed?
The ultimate goal is to pick and choose who you work with. But often, we work with clients who aren’t a good fit when we feel we have no other choice. When you put in the work to separate yourself and gain trust as an agency, that’s when you’ll discover you have true creative freedom.
This content was originally published here.
