How to choose the right brand agency for your business

A quick search on Google for ‘branding Melbourne’ and a whole host of results will appear. However, choosing the right brand agency is not necessarily as simple as selecting the first company that appears on the search listing. For effective results, businesses need to not only work with a brand agency but partner with them. Furthermore, it is essential for companies to find a branding company that they can trust and that will get them the results they need to see.

No two branding projects are the same, and different brand agencies will specialise in different aspects of branding, from branding design, a naming agency or a positioning strategy. So, how can you find the right brand agency that your business needs? Here’s an easy eight-step guide to follow.

Eight steps to find your perfect brand agency

1. What’s the problem?

For many businesses, it’s easy to know when something needs to change or improve, but it is not necessarily easy to define the specific problem. For branding companies, their enthusiasm and passion should be problem-solving. While chatting to branding agencies, look out for the ones that are able to clearly see the problem you are facing. Furthermore, check whether what you’re looking for is something they are able to help with.

2. What does the future look like?

In some cases, businesses may not have a problem but are looking for a branding agency to help with their progress. It is wise to consider the bigger picture for your business, such as where you want to be in five or ten years’ time. Having a list of goals that you want to achieve in the future can help branding agencies to understand the business needs, and they’ll be in a better position to offer a solution.

3. Why is branding your focus?

You may be redeveloping your whole business, feel that your customer focus has changed or that your brand simply needs a refresh. However, there would have been something that made you focus on branding over anything else. If you can pinpoint that, you give brand agencies a much clearer picture of what you want.

With these three questions clear in your mind, it is time to start narrowing your focus and finding the agencies that can help.

4. Do some research

Checking out the websites of leading brand agencies in Melbourne will help you to get a picture of what they do and how they work. It is wise to read the home page, so you understand what their agency is about and glance over their case studies and past projects. Branding agencies should be proud of their work and will make it easy to find on their website. If you like what they’ve done for a past client, bookmark their site for later.

5. Have a chat

Once you have a list of agencies you like the look of, now is the time to reach out to them. Consider it as a match on a dating site, look out for critical indicators such as how they respond to you, how long it takes for a reply and what they say. For example, do they ask you questions or arrange a free face-to-face chat?

Different styles will work for different people and businesses. It is wise to trust your instinct; if you feel comfortable chatting to a brand agency, then it is more likely that you will enjoy working together. If it is awkward from the beginning, it is likely to remain that way.

6. Are they on the same page?

Branding is collaborative and while a branding agency is there to do all the hard work, the more input from the business, the better the outcome will be. It could be something simple as disliking their way of working or perhaps they only specialise in one aspect, and you need the whole shebang.

Again, this is no reflection on your business or theirs, but you do need to be on the same page for a harmonious and successful working relationship.

7. Pricing

While the price shouldn’t be the be all and end all, it will be something that you’ll need to consider when selecting the right brand agency for your needs. Remember that you should consider branding as an investment into your business, but if you can’t pay the bill, then you don’t want to be left with only half a job complete.

Make sure to budget accordingly and only work with branding agencies that your business can afford. That said, you need quality. It is better to pay slightly more for something that will last than a cheap, rushed job that will not meet your needs for the years to come.

8. Do they see your uniqueness?

A brand agency should be excited to work with you as a unique project. In the first few drafts, you’ll quickly see if they have captured the tone, value and uniqueness of the company. If the branding agency has missed the mark, don’t be afraid to tell them and give them more detail for what you are looking for.

However, it is important to bear in mind that a brand agency will see your unique proposition from a fresh perspective. So, while what they produce may be different, it may be just what your business needs. With each draft, spend some time reflecting before dismissing it straight away, but don’t be afraid to reject something if it isn’t quite right.

Want to see if we’re right for you?

If you’re looking for a brand agency in Melbourne to adapt your brand for a changing future, then get in touch. We’d love to get to know your business and see what’s in store for the future of your business.

Talk to us today and let’s maximise your brand’s full potential.