When you’ve got a successful business with a product that people want, you’ll often find yourself overwhelmed with opportunities to grow. In order to choose which ones to focus on, you’ll need to set up a firm foundation with a solid marketing strategy and plan. In today’s world, a marketing agency is the key to establishing your expertise and gaining credibility with potential customers. But what is a marketing agency? And what should you call your agency? Before you answer, let’s discuss the different types of agencies and the differences in goals, structures, and responsibilities. Then we’ll identify the pros and cons of each type.

Traditional Advertising Agencies

If you’ve run effective PR campaigns in the past or have experience in traditional advertising media, you may decide to try your hand at agency marketing. With a traditional agency, you’ll be responsible for creating ads, pitching those ads to potential clients, and managing the ad buy. You won’t be doing the photography or the copywriting; you’ll be providing a service to other businesses. If you’re looking for a steady paycheck with a set schedule, this may be the route for you. Keep in mind that you’ll be working with a team and you’ll need to follow agency policies and procedures. Traditional advertising agencies tend to be stable and have a well-established track record for creating ads that are effective. If you want to expand your client base, establish your expertise, and be able to grow with the industry, a traditional agency may be the best fit.

Digital Marketing Agencies

If you’re looking to establish yourself as an expert in the fields of digital marketing or social media, you may decide to work for a digital agency. The beauty of working for a digital agency is that you’ll get to focus on the areas in which you have expertise. If you’re passionate about growing your social media presence, you can develop specialized software to manage your campaigns and engage with your audience. You’ll need to think about the structure of the agency and how you can fit into it. You may be given creative freedom and be able to choose your projects; however, you’ll also need to follow certain guidelines and policies. With a digital agency, you’ll need to understand how to set up automated social media campaigns so that you can scale up quickly while maintaining high quality and consistency. This is not a job for the faint-hearted!

Creative Agencies

If you’re looking to take your career in a more artistic direction, you may decide to work for a creative agency. Creative agencies are responsible for the overall look and feel of a brand or a product. They are often involved in the design of websites, magazines, and other printed works. With a creative agency, you won’t be doing any of the work yourself. You’ll be asked to provide ideas and concepts and collaborate with other agency members to develop a unique and custom-made design. Working for a creative agency can be rewarding, since you’ll get to exercise your creative muscles and contribute to a unique product. This is typically a step-wise process, with you providing the creative input during the process. While you’ll be responsible for the final product, you’ll also need to make sure that the agency follows established procedures and policies. If you want the freedom to be creative and to bring your own unique style to the table, a creative agency may be the best fit.

Choosing the right name for your agency is an important decision. You’ll need to consider various factors, including the legalities of the name choice and the ability to find a proper domain for the name. Be sure to read the following advice from the creators of the Wordfinder.com:

Naming Your Agency

The name of your agency doesn’t necessarily need to be extremely catchy or have a large following just yet, but it should be easy to remember and should reflect the nature of your work. Wordfinder.com suggests these tips for choosing a catchy name for your agency:

• Consider the legal aspects of the name before making a decision.
• If you’re looking for a memorable name that will stick out in the crowd, try coming up with a play on words. For example, Chameleon Marketing or Vulture Influencer.
• If you’re looking for a more professional touch, try including your contact details on your website.
• Don’t forget about the spelling on your name. This can make or break your online reputation. Spell check doesn’t guarantee perfect spelling, so be sure to proofread everything before you hit the publish button.
• Include your social media handles, website, and contact details on your business card.
• If you’re concerned about finding a suitable domain for your agency name, try registering your chosen name with the American Association of Advertising Agencies (4A’s) for free. They maintain a database of corporate names that can be used by creative professionals.

Once you’ve found a suitable domain for your agency, it’s time to move on to the fun part: branding. The following article will help you to establish your brand and give your agency an identity of its own.

Building Your Brand

Your brand is a representation of your company that people will remember. Your brand will guide all of your marketing and sales materials, including your website, social media accounts, and business cards. It will be used to market your products and services to consumers. Your brand should be consistent across all online and offline channels, including the type of customer you’re trying to attract and the kind of experience you want to offer. If you’re worried about building a brand, you may decide to hire a professional to help. An expert brand speaker can help you to define your brand’s vision and mission, and give you the metrics to measure its success. A branded speaker can also advise you on the best practices for using your brand in social media. Building a brand takes a lot of time and effort, so don’t rush into it. Take your time, and when you’re ready, launch your brand and watch it take off. You can find a professional speaker near you, and the sooner you start, the sooner you’ll be able to reap the benefits of a well-branded agency.

Choosing The Right Approach

One of the most important decisions you’ll need to make is regarding the approach you want to take to marketing and selling your product. There are various schools of thought regarding marketing and sales, with some suggesting you should focus on one and grow your expertise in it, and others saying you should specialize in one and expand your horizons. The truth is that it depends on you and what you want to achieve. If you’re looking for product placement, you may decide to specialize in inbound marketing, creating buyer personas, and conducting market research; while, if you want to focus on sales, you may decide to specialize in cold calling and lead generation.

Deciding which approach to take can be difficult, especially when you’re just starting out. Product specialization becomes even more important when you’re applying for grants and donations, as well as seeking partnerships with other businesses and organizations. The key is to find the sweet spot that suits your talents, resources, and existing knowledge. As your agency grows, you’ll be able to revisit this decision and choose the approach that makes the most sense for your current stage of development. For now, take the approach that suits you the most and enjoy the ride.

Scaling Up

Once you’ve found your niche and established your brand, it’s time to move on to the next phase: expanding your agency. This is where you’ll need to decide how many people you need to hire and how you’ll structure the organization. Having said that, keep in mind that this is not an easy process, and it takes a lot of planning and research. Once you’ve decided how many people you need, it’s time to look for the right applicant. You’ll need someone with a proven background in digital marketing, as well as the ability to develop and design compelling copy for ads and marketing materials. Finding the right person for the job is half the battle won, and once you’ve found them, it’s time to offer them the job and get to work.