{"id":4438,"date":"2022-01-28T12:03:23","date_gmt":"2022-01-28T11:03:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bridgestudio.co\/?p=4438"},"modified":"2024-03-19T15:32:46","modified_gmt":"2024-03-19T14:32:46","slug":"building-a-brand-read-this-before-contracting-a-branding-agency","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bridgestudio.co\/building-a-brand-read-this-before-contracting-a-branding-agency","title":{"rendered":"Building a Brand? Read This Before Contracting a Branding Agency"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

How to avoid the boasters, the \u2018yes-men\u2019, the fake case studies, and the click-baiters\u2026and instead find the deeper thinkers, the probers, and those who execute on ideas\u2026<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Okay, this title may be a little click-baitey but\u2026.you really should read this before contacting a branding agency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They say it takes ten thousand hours to master a skill.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But who has ten thousand spare hours lying around when you\u2019re trying to build a successful business?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The answer is no-one. If you do, then you\u2019ve either discovered time travel (free tip: this is probably more profitable than what you\u2019re doing currently) or your business isn\u2019t getting off the ground.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The modern start-up<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In this day and age, the one-man-band start-up is becoming an ever more attractive (and ever more possible) method of founding a business. It\u2019s possible to start, run, and grow a business from your laptop or mobile phone. Business can be fully automated, and branding is only one of many things that the modern entrepreneur can now do alone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A<\/a>
A typical start-up founder.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

How well it can be done is another matter. As businesses grow \u2013 which, for those in rapidly expanding sectors such as renewable energy or fintech \u2013 they also need to expand. Whether this is in terms of staffing, investment, or accessing new markets, the greatest businesses are ultimately those that are able to carry on growing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Inevitably, this means that the workload often becomes too onerous for a small team lacking specialism in certain areas. It is in specialist areas such as branding that contracting a branding agency begins to become attractive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The stereotype of the agency signals welcome relief for some, grand opportunities for others, and for the doubting Thomases, a big red flag with an even bigger red cross on it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Boris<\/a>
Feeding time at No.10<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The problem is, it can be difficult to work out which agencies are design and strategy by blood, and which are going to send your brand reputation crashing and burning faster than the cheese and wine slid down the Prime Minister\u2019s gullet. When you\u2019re building a business, strong branding is imperative.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, its true value is still perhaps misunderstood amongst businesspeople who can be deterred by added costs and a dilution of decision-making power. Ironically, the very thing that would sway the sceptical project managers and owners when it comes to contacting a branding agency is trust \u2013 exactly what branding is meant to create.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, what exactly should you know before contracting a branding agency?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There are several ways to weed out the good\u2019uns<\/em> from the bad\u2019uns<\/em> when it comes to contracting a branding agency. Telling signs will exist from the very first interaction to the delivery of the final project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So what should you look out for? What are some of the most common mistakes companies make when contacting a branding agency? And what should a visionary branding agency<\/a> give to your growing business?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here is the truth told, from the heart of a branding agency itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"What<\/a>
Example of a poker face<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

1. Don\u2019t shy away from a branding agency that asks you probing questions<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Imagine going to the doctors and leaving as soon as they asked you \u201cwhat seems to be the problem?\u201d. You\u2019d not only be wasting their time, your own time, and everyone else\u2019s time, but you wouldn\u2019t actually get a solution to the problem you were experiencing. To diagnose, the doctor has to understand what\u2019s wrong.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A similar principle can be applied to contacting a branding agency. Sometimes, companies can be deterred by agencies who allegedly ask \u2018too many questions\u2019. And, to an extent, that\u2019s understandable given that you ultimately pay for somebody else to do the work for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Deep<\/a>
Deep in a fake conversation for the photo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

But this approach is weaker than a hamster who\u2019s just gone twelve rounds with Tyson Fury. Whilst an agency is there to do the work for you, branding is a particularly personal process that, to receive the best results, needs the most collaboration. You don\u2019t need to hold the agency\u2019s hand every step of the way, but you do need to face up to the probing questions that the agency will want to ask you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By understanding what lies behind the facts and figures, a branding agency will be able to create a bespoke final identity that acts as a sale-spinning pivot between you and your target consumer. You\u2019ll also simultaneously learn more about your own offering and how to improve it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To create personal connections, it\u2019s important to answer the questions that get to the heart of any brand: the people. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"ME<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

2. Accidentally contracting a branding agency that\u2019s all \u2018me, me, me\u2019<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A website littered with glittering awards and superb testimonials\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An office with lined walls of CEO and super client \u2018partner outreach\u2019 photos, all of which involve a copious amount of alcohol on the desk in front.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A staff culture that screams \u2018work hard, play harder\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In theory, there\u2019s nothing wrong with this. After all, who wouldn\u2019t love to partner with an agency with a vibrant staff culture whose work is clearly of a good quality. But what about when things become less Richard Branson and a little more David Brent?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When contacting a branding agency, it\u2019s important that their outlook is entirely consumer-first. Of course, it\u2019s a good idea to share achievements and awards to build credibility, and branding should always be seen as a discipline of business that revolves around the concept of togetherness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, when an agency is all \u2018me, me, me\u2019, things can get difficult. It\u2019s important to look for honest customer reviews and join a brand workshop<\/a> to see whether the agency in question is willing to help shape your<\/strong> vision for your<\/strong> company, first and foremost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Great branding results come when experts in design use their expertise to shape another organisation\u2019s vision and portray this value to the consumer, not when the experts decide to reimagine their client\u2019s entire outlook. Honesty and empathy are key virtues to look for when contacting a branding agency. Don\u2019t compromise on them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

3. Beware of fake studies<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s not always good to be pessimistic, but when you\u2019re contacting a branding agency, the criteria should be stringent. Naturally, entrusting an independent team to bring your business to life off-paper carries a degree of risk as you simply aren\u2019t in control.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fear not. Any credible branding agency will be composed of lateral thinkers with the ability to engage with tomorrow\u2019s visions from innovative renewable energy or forward-thinking fintech, to large NGOs seeking a transparent and hard-hitting identity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The problem is, not all branding agencies are so successful. Not all hit the sweet spot. Some just lie. Yeah\u2026really.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The fake case study is all four horsemen of the apocalypse when it comes to contacting a branding agency. But how do you spot fake case studies? Look out for:<\/p>\n\n\n\n