What To Expect From An Agency Onboarding Process

So you did it, you finally signed on with a new marketing agency and you can’t wait to get started! Your new agency contract is signed and the year ahead looks promising. You’re ready to see the results that your new marketing agency can produce. Before you dive into the fun stuff, you will have to go through the agency onboarding process.

As with many new ventures, there is some upfront admin work that needs to be completed. These things ensure that your agency has all of the design assets and information that they need from you as well as a clear understanding of your brand objectives in order to produce the best results possible. If you’ve never worked with an agency before or you’re just switching things up there are some standard protocols that you should expect from your new marketing agency.

Kickoff Call & Welcome Packet

Before anything begins to be created your agency will likely want to have a kickoff call, also known as immersion day. During this call, you can expect to go over some of the additional items listed below, a welcome packet from your agency, and have a broad conversation about some of your past efforts and strategy. You can expect to leave this call with a clear understanding of expectations to have during the duration of your contract. An agency welcome packet typically sets expectations for both the agency and the client and lets you know what to expect from your relationship moving forward. Communication methods, turnaround times, and agency background info are all things that may be included in your welcome packet.

Existing Content/Work Audit

Since your agency is new to your brand it’s important for them to understand what all has been created to date and what performed best for your brand so they will likely take an audit of what exists. During the audit they will be taking a look at social platforms, website content, blog content, and any written or print marketing materials that represent your brand and are customer-facing. They may also request data or performance analytics. 

Question/Passwords/Platforms

Questions, questions, and more questions. It may seem daunting to be answering so many questions but it’s the best way for your agency to dive in and truly discover your brand and gather all of the necessary information that they may need.

Most agencies will present a questionnaire with a list of questions, some of which may be reviewed and covered during your kickoff call for the best clarity. Your agency will also be logging into various platforms on your behalf so a list of those platforms, vendors, and password information helps them execute seamlessly on your behalf without requiring you to have excess back and forth communication.

Brand Elements & Assets

One last item that you can expect to send over is all of your branding elements. High res logos, logo variations, and brand guides are just a few of the things that your agency may need from you upfront. If you don’t have a brand guide or just have a low res version of your logo, not to worry as these are things most agencies can help you create or recreate to make sure your brand and messaging is consistently putting it’s best face forward.

While this may not be everything that your agency needs or will cover with you, this gives you a good idea of what to expect upfront from your new agency.