Hiring and working with a digital agency can be a rewarding experience that can lead to great success for your business. The road to that success, though, is paved with hard work.
That work starts even before you select your agency or kick off your new project with your agency. Here are 9 things you should figure out before you start talking to your agency.
#1: What are the goals of the project?
This is marketing 101. Without a goal, an agency isn’t going to be able to do any research or return any targeted ideas for your project. It’s best for everyone involved if goals are established.
#2: How do those goals support your overall business goals?
Goals can go even deeper. You can’t just think about your small term goals; you also need to think about how those goals support your overall business goals. It’s important to communicate the big picture goals to your agency so that they can craft a perfect plan of attack.
#3: Who exactly is your audience?
This one is a little bit on both sides of the line. It is great if you can come to the table with some data about your audience. Your digital agency might want to do some additional research, and your audience might shift over the life of the project, but it’s still helpful to come to them with some information.
#4: What problem(s) does your product or software solve?
How will your agency know what to focus on, and what story to tell, if you can’t tell them what problem your product solves? That simple thing is the catalyst for the entire project.
#5: How does your product or software solve that problem(s)?
Knowing what problem is being solved is just the beginning. If you can offer your agency any additional information about how that problem is solved, they will be better equipped to return ideas that will resonate with your business and your audience.
#6: What are your product or software’s weaknesses?
Admitting weakness can be difficult, but it can also be glorious. Remember when Avis turned its weakness into a global phenomenon with the “We try harder” campaign? Aim that high.
#7: Does your audience know that the problem you solve is even a problem?
Sometimes, you are solving a problem that the audience hasn’t recognized yet. Communicate that with your agency, so that they can make “educating your audience” part of the project.
#8: How will your audience interact with the project/campaign?
You should have some idea of what the best mediums are for your audience, as it can impact strategy and design. Think about whether they are most likely to access your content on a computer, tablet, or smart phone, to start.
#9: How will your audience access your product or content?
Will you have your content available after a form is filled out, or will it be available freely to the public?