Hiring a Digital Media Planning Agency? Don't Forget These Must-Ask Questions

Hiring a digital media planning agency can seem like a daunting task. You know you need a good plan, crafted by professionals that understand the ins and outs of digital media and how to properly utilize all possible channels. You know the importance of having a solid digital presence, for both company growth and customer reach. The problem is that creating a mix can be difficult and implementing the wrong mix can be costly to fix. Finding a great agency that understands your company and your client is imperative.

Do they have the proper experience?

The right digital media planning agency will not only have experience in your market, but in your industry and company size. All of these components factor into how to create a good blend of digital media choices for any particular company. A good agency will not only have experience with companies like yours, they will also have professional knowledge they can bring to the table. Ask for examples of past work and results of those campaigns.

Are they able to perform the necessary research to understand the customer?

The best media plans are created with lots of research done beforehand to guide the mix. A good digital media planning agency should know this and have a solid research approach. In order to create an effective plan, they must know the audience. With the right research, they can define your ideal customer and target them properly.

Do they fully understand how to leverage your brand?

It is important for a digital media planning agency to listen to you. They may have knowledge and professional experience, but the best agency knows how to craft a plan with a brand image in mind. They need to be able to learn what your company is now and what you would like it to become in the future.

If you would like to learn more about a digital media planning agency in Dallas, visit Creative Options.

3 Essential Elements of a Strong Corporate Brand

While a large amount of complex research and work goes into corporate branding, there are three essential elements to keep in mind throughout the project. Once these pieces are in place, they can be outlined in a branding guideline that can be easily implemented across all areas of business, moving forward.

1. Identity

A good portion of the pre-project research should be dedicated to determining a company’s identity. Corporate branding is all about making a company stand out in the minds of their customers, before their competitors. That means developing a cohesive and concise identity that encapsulates all of the feelings, priorities, benefits, and style. While that is a tall order, it is a necessary component of any strong brand.

2. Image

The image of a company is more than just the logo. It is the identity personified. The color palette, style, voice, word choice, graphic arts, and traditional and technical channel options are all part of a corporate branding image. The image must be carefully crafted to bring out all of the important qualities of the identity in a way that speaks to and attracts the ideal customer. This area can also be tricky to do well, but with the right creative team, a worthwhile design, full of impact can be created.

3. Mission

No company can advance until they have a mission. This means a clear and intended path for the future. A strong corporate brand not only speaks of a company’s standing today, but also where they want to be five, ten, or twenty years down the road. Incorporating a mission into corporate branding also keeps the branding standard focused on the true point of what the company wants to accomplish. This helps keep the marketing efforts narrowed, so they have the most impact in the most important areas for overall growth and company success.

If you would like to learn more about corporate branding in Dallas, visit Comark Direct.

Is It Time to Let Go of Your Traditional Media Plan?

Many marketing managers might be under the impression that traditional media is a thing of the past and should be abandoned for the shiny new high-tech channels now available. While any business would be neglectful to not invest thought and funds into including websites, social media, and mobile optimization into their marketing plans, they should not be so quick to abandon the tried and true traditional options. Instead, it is better to rethink how they work together.

No one can doubt the huge impact that the internet has had on marketing. Even fifteen years ago, a company could get by with little or no web presence. Now, they not only need a highly polished website, but also social media accounts, blogs, online video production, investment in SEO keyword strategies, and mobile device optimization. This wide array of must-haves can be daunting for even the savviest of marketing professionals. It can be tempting to simply forgo traditional media, to save time and money, especially since the old designs don’t seem to mesh with the new-and-improved internet layouts. However, this option leaves out all of the benefits of those traditional marketing channels.

Instead, the answer is to focus on the company branding standards and the ideal customer. Rather than spreading the marketing budget thin maximizing everything, pay attention to what reflects the brand image and will be helpful and attractive to the ideal customer. Rework the designs of traditional and new channels so they all have the same feel. Then, cross-pollinate your channels. Include mentions of a print ad on the website (“Look for our ad in Popular Attorney Magazine”) and a social media mention in the print ad (“Like us on PeopleBook”). By staying focused on the core concepts of the company and customer, it is possible to weave together a variety of channels, including new and traditional media options. This allows a company to maintain branding guidelines throughout, and end up with a complex, but cohesive image with smart design that leverages traditional media strengths.

If you would like to learn more about traditional media in Dallas, visit Creative Options.