Let’s get into your shoes for a minute. So, you’ve taken the first step – you have done your research, and understood that Content is King, particularly in a pandemic-struck world. You have understood that good content isn’t as easy as hiring an intern and getting them to churn out 1000 words a day, but is something that requires expertise, industry knowledge and an understanding of different channels and audiences. You reached out to an agency, loved their pitch and are ready for them to start making magic by turning words into results.
While we have our magician hats on and are just as excited to give you results you can report on with pride, there’s an old adage that goes ‘Team work makes the dream work’. When you sign on with an agency, you are both client and part of the team. We need your help to ensure our expertise is channelled to create content that is exactly what you need to deliver the results that you want.
Here are some insider tips on how you can help your agency make that happen:
Induct us into your team
Any agency worth its salt will cherry pick experts that hold experience and knowledge in your field and assign them to your account. And while this is half the work done, it’s vital for you to take the time to properly on-board your assigned experts, just like you would for any new member joining your team. This on-boarding session should ideally include an introduction to your company as a whole, its objectives, markets and brand identity, before moving into your specific team and its composition, goals, preferred methods of working and any previous examples of relevant content and campaigns.
Be especially wary of business-specific jargon and abbreviations and take the time to introduce commonly used terms to your agency – this will help prevent miscommunications and back-and-forth over clarifications, while empowering your agency to become experts on your business much faster. A good induction is the equivalent of setting the stage for your agency, before the magic begins.
Give us the brief, the whole brief and nothing but the brief
A good brief is everything when working with an agency. Take the time to fill out a briefing document with as much detail as you can, including who you want to reach and what you want them to do (and feel). Having the objectives, channels, target audience, CTA and brand voice of a content piece clearly spelled will help us ideate creatively within the set parameters that fit your business, minimizing back and forth and helping us tailor content to the results you want.
If you are feeling unsure or open ended with a particular content piece or campaign, set up a brainstorm session with your agency and let them know you want their input and direction. A good agency will thrive on the challenge and meet you more than halfway with ideas that work – as compared to an ambiguous brief that leaves a lot of room for misunderstanding and disappointment at unmet objectives.
Keep an open dialogue
An agency that has climbed its way up amidst a competitive landscape hasn’t gotten there by chance. It’s more likely that they’ve made their way by generating ideas that beat the competition and understanding what content works for a certain audience and market. To fully realise the benefits of engaging such an agency, its vital to keep both an open mind and dialogue that allows the exchange of strategy and ideas. If your agency pushes back on something you suggest, for example, feel free to challenge their opinion if you disagree but don’t forget to evaluate the possible merits of their viewpoint.
An agency succeeds when their client succeeds, which is why results should be their top priority. If you have an agency that is diligently executing everything by the book, that may be exactly what your organisation asked for, or a sign that they don’t have the freedom of an open dialogue to suggest otherwise. Keeping communication channels open will prevent the latter from being an option.
Ready to sign an agency that creates content that delivers? Drop us a line anytime at [email protected] to have a chat