There are all kinds of good reasons to hire an agency.
At Kleurvision, first and foremost, we’re problem solvers. Our crew of designers, developers, thinkers and creators, before anything else, look at the hands that our clients are dealt and prioritize a solution that will move the needle forward. That could mean a lot of things. The diversity in our team allows us to be nimble in our approach and creative in our execution.
This is what Kleurvision can bring to the table.
But every agency is different. Every agency has a different process, a different niche and a different potential outcome. It’s important to understand how that relationship is going to work to best maximize the value of your engagement. Here are a few tips on how to best approach your agency relationship:
Have Clear Expectations
Being direct is a good thing. When going into any working relationship, have a clear understanding of what you expect to get out of the relationship and communicate that directly. Those expectations will be reflected in your scope and your budget and will make for a clean and tidy understanding. If you don’t know, that’s ok! But you have to expect that part of your budget will be allocated to exploration to determine the best course of action.
You’ll Have Deadlines, too
Hiring an agency will take a big chunk of your workload away. But that doesn’t mean you don’t have to participate. You’re hiring an agency because they’re the experts at what they do – but they’re not experts at what you do and you shouldn’t expect them to be. By actively participating in the process, you’ll be able to maximize your engagement by feeding the agency the information they need to keep pushing things ahead. In many cases, you’ll be asked to produce content, provide feedback or touch base for direction: these are not optional, if you plan on having KV hit your deadlines and keep your project on track.
Be Open About Your Budget
There’s often a little dance that happens when it’s time for putting a budget together. What came first, the budget or the estimate?
This is a silly game and a waste of time if you have the right relationship. The best agencies will make your budgets work for you, not against you. Be open about the amount of money you’re looking to invest in the work and figure out the best solution with the agency to maximize value. By being open about your budget, you’re letting the agency know that you trust them and allowing the agency to have the confidence to take the lead on your project.
Please, don’t micro-manage
You’ve hired the agency for a reason, let them do the job! We get how important this is; especially for small business owners. It’s hard to let go and it’s hard to trust. But hiring an agency to do the work and then standing in the way makes zero sense and you get the outcome that best serves the project. Having a desire to be in the know, to have a collaborative environment and to provide direction on the project is totally reasonable. To expect that you’ll drive the project and act as the project manager is setting yourself up for failure and frustration. If you hire someone, let them do their job.
Celebrate Together, You’re on the Same Team
A good agency will make you feel like you’re all on the same team! If you have the same goals and are all moving in the same direction, celebrate your victories together! It’s important to keep your working environment positive and acknowledge good work along the way.
There are some foundational tips for having a good working relationship with your agency.
More than anything, keep a positive attitude, an open mind and strong communication and you’ll be in a good spot for success! Kleurvision is here to help support you in your success! Let’s chat today about how we can be your agency.
