How to choose the right digital marketing agency for your brand?

Last week, one of my friends who had just started a start-up asked me to recommend an advertising/digital marketing agency for her brand, as she had approached a seasoned account director. I came to realize that there are thousands of agencies in Myanmar, and now, I am on the side of choosing an agency.

Here is the insight that I shared with her for choosing the right agency for a brand, especially for a start-up or SME business.

Actually, there is no one-size-fits-all agency for any brand.

Many brand owners want the best for their business, and they think the largest agency, or the most famous agency will be the best. CEOs think it is essential for your brand to hire TBWA/Media Arts Lab to have the best performance for your brand. Or do you need a full-funnel marketing agency? Or do you need award-winning advertising agencies?

To be honest, it's not working that way, but surprisingly, there is no one straight answer as well. If you are too busy and your brand is an established brand with a huge amount of budget for advertising, there is no big deal.

If not, the answer starts with you, yourself, and your brand.

You can hire a digital marketing agency for various needs, and you need to have a checklist to see which part you are needing guidance or support.

4 key factors to consider once hiring advertising and digital marketing agency

Here's a five-step checklist to find your "the one" digital marketing agency.

1. Understand your marketing goals & be honest with your team/or your capacity

Say you aim to achieve brand awareness and not just sales. Selecting an agency specializing in content marketing tools and social media engagement would yield far better results than an agency focused only on PPC ads and conversions, which focus on revenue generation goals.

Defining your target audience is equally important. For example, if you're targeting Gen Z, you may want to look for agencies experienced in TikTok marketing and influencer partnerships.

By aligning your goals with the latest digital marketing trends and digital agency expertise, you ensure a strategic fit and maximize your chances of success.

2. Setting the marketing advertising budget

Set the amount of budget you will spend for your brand for marketing and advertising for a year in draft and break it down into 4 quarters so that you understand the minimum amount you can invest with the agency's pricing and minimum contract terms. This knowledge aids in financial planning and prevents unforeseen expenses.

💬 Personally, I would suggest starting to work with 6-month terms to test if the agency and your brand have synergy in terms of numerical KPIs or day-to-day communication.

3. Get to know your agency's dedicated team's size, expertise, teamwork & communication style

The art of agency business is a group of small teams handling its own businesses and taking its own responsibilities. If you have time, make a visit to the agency and learn their working style and vibes while getting the pitch from them. Make sure to meet with the actual members of the team who are going to work on your project. Do not let the champion team win over your heart and later get operated by another team. When I was Account Director with full authority, I only took the members who would be actually working for the client even when we were getting the brief from the client.

"The team you see today is the team who will be working for you in our collaboration" - my favorite mentor, previous Account Director / Marketing Instructor from Harbour.Space and UCLA, Patricia, once said during our lectures. And this is how she become the trust earning account director who brings success to her agency.

4. Portfolio and client testimonials

One of the well-known checklist items is to learn your targeted agency's past performance. Examining their portfolio, case studies & client testimonials can offer crucial information. These elements demonstrate the agency's capacity to execute effective campaigns and achieve client goals. But do not forget that agency business is an aggregation of small teams handling its own projects with its own leaders. Make sure to get introduced to the team members who are actually handling your project and get the opportunity to talk to them directly in the pitches. Otherwise, you will end up talking smooth with one champion team from the agency and end up getting service from a different team.

Picking the right ad agency is a big deal for your business. You've gotta look at a bunch of stuff - like how good they are at what they do, what they've done before, and if they'd fit in with your company's vibe. Also, make sure you're crystal clear about what you want. Don't just fall for fancy pitches - you need an agency that'll actually get stuff done in the real world, not just make pretty slides.

Digital Marketing Agencies in Myanmar for your business

Mango Advertising : Facebook, LinkedIn

VERO : Facebook , LinkedIn , Website

ERA Communications : Facebook, LinkedIn

Today Ogilvy Agency: Facebook, LinkedIn

B360 Agency: Facebook, LinkedIn , Website

BBM. : Facebook, LinkedIn , Website

MCIX Agency : Facebook, LinkedIn

Level Up Myanmar: Facebook ,LinkedIn

Blaxk Interactive: Facebook , LinkedIn, Website

Blitz Agency: Facebook , LinkedIn

Blink Agency: Facebook , LinkedIn, Website