Today’s companies are under a lot of pressure to create memorable, sticky brands — especially amidst growing competition from online retailers. Starting a business is one thing, but building a story around it is something entirely different. Unfortunately, not all companies hit a home run when it comes to branding. In fact, even well-known retailers have made huge branding mistakes that costed them a barrage of criticism and of course, a few customers.
According to C1-Partners, a digital marketing agency in Denver, a top re-branding strategy includes a proper search engine optimization plan, pay-per-click campaigns, social media efforts, and great design.
“Proper rebranding strategies generally start at the same place – messaging,” says Tyler Mandroian, Director of Operations. “Understanding the motivations and fears of your target audience, your unique points of differentiation, and providing evidence of the value you provide. This exercise helps bring your SEO and social strategies in line and will dictate the kind of content your audience will actually find helpful.”
Finding the perfect digital marketing agency for your rebranding efforts can be quite the challenge. There’s a lot of pressure riding on this decision, and a wrong move could cost the company major bucks. Every business has different needs and goals, and what works for one company may not work for the next. When searching for the right team, consider the following actions:
Ask Open-Ended Questions
When you’re searching for the right digital marketing agency, the process should be similar to a job interview. You’re screening candidates that will have a tremendous impact on your business’s bottom line, so the questions you ask are critical. Keep in mind that digital marketing agencies are constantly pitching to businesses. They are often asked the same questions, and generally already have a reply on hand.
To really understand the value they bring, ask probing questions that are specific to your business. For example, be sure to ask who will be managing the account. This will give you an idea of whether work is outsourced, or whether you’ll be granted an exclusive project manager for the duration of the contract. You’ll also want to know how the agency plans to achieve your goals, but more importantly, whether they believe you’ve cemented the right goals. A great agency will help you identify the proper path to take, as well as the processes required to get there.
Furthermore, keep in mind that you’re in a unique situation where you’re rebranding an existing company. Ask the agency about their experience with rebranding, and be sure to convey the reasons why you believe previous branding efforts have failed.
Inquire About Branding Services
Not all digital agencies operate as one-stop-shops. As previously mentioned, rebranding consists of a variety of different services that, when combined, complete a bigger picture. For example, perhaps you need talented copywriting services to truly embody the language you want your brand to evoke. Double check that the agencies you’ve shortlisted have all the in-house capabilities to get the job done.
To help you feel most comfortable, ask to meet the team and the people that will be working on different areas of your re-branding. This will help you gauge the overall cohesiveness of their team, as well as the energy between your staff and theirs. It’s important for all branding efforts to be in sync; the web designer has to speak to the person writing copy, and the social media strategist needs to speak to the web designer. Ask the team about how communication is handled between department to department, and don’t be afraid to request adjustments.
Check References & Portfolio
An agency is only as good as the results from their clients. Each agency you speak to should be more than happy to hand over a list of references and show you work that is most applicable to your project. Always check the marketing agency’s references – no matter how trustworthy they seem.
When you reach out to companies on their referral list (many people prefer to answer referral questions via email), try not to overwhelm them or be too invasive. Potential questions include:
- How was communication between you and the agency? Were they readily available to answer questions?
- Did you achieve the results set forth at the start of the project?
- Were there any hiccups during the project? If so, how did the agency handle it?
- What was the overall reception to the work completed by the agency?
The answers to these questions should be a great indicator of what the agency is like during project mode. More than just checking off a to-do list, you want to work with a team that is enjoyable to speak to on a daily basis, and flexible with how they approach communication and project management.
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