6 Ways to Get the Best Out of Your Creative Agency

April 27, 2023
John Ferin leads the content strategy and development team at ddm

John Ferin

When working with a creative agency, how do you ensure the end product meets your marketing team’s expectations?

John Ferin, in a new article, describes the scenario like this:

“The meeting is about to begin. Your creative agency has spent days, weeks, maybe even months massaging their concepts, tactics, and messaging into the perfect presentation. You can see the beads of sweat forming on the presenters’ foreheads, signaling something big is at stake. The speakers speak, the slides begin to roll, and the ideas … miss the mark. There’s no way around it: The presentation fell short of expectations.

“So, how do you tell a creative agency their best ideas weren’t good enough?

“The way health care marketing teams react to ideas, pitches, and proposals will have a huge effect on whether the work presented is “right” or “wrong.” It will also help determine what actions to take if a redirect is needed.

“Following a structured checklist, rather than your emotions, is the best way to ensure the creative process leads to an exceptional result, even if the first effort was a miss.

“Perhaps surprisingly, this checklist will look similar regardless of the subject at hand ― health care, fast food, luxury designer goods. When the goal is to get the most out of your creative agency, the key to responding to other people is the same.

“Both freedom and structure are needed to fully explore and support innovative ideas and solutions.”

Discover six ways to respond to a less-than-ideal creative proposal and maximize your creative agency’s efforts in our new article: Six Best Practices for Getting the Most From Your Creative Agency 

Best regards,
Matt Humphrey
President