Experience, trust, transparency… On what criteria should you choose your agency?

Choosing a communication agency in Marseille is a strategic decision and therefore crucial for any company wishing to strengthen its presence in its market.

A successful communication agency can not only improve the visibility of your brand, but also strengthen your positioning by perfectly integrating the objectives of your marketing and commercial strategy. In this article, we will detail the essential criteria to consider when selecting the communications agency in Marseille that suits you perfectly.

As a preamble, think about your objectives

Before starting your search, it is imperative to clearly define your communication needs and your business objectives.

A communication agency in Marseille must be able to meet your specific expectations, whether it concerns:

• 1. Build awareness of your brand
• 2. Launch a new product or service
• 3. Improve your digital presence
• 4. Increase your sales through targeted advertising campaigns

You can consult an agency to “redesign your website”, or “create a brochure”. But the more precise your objectives are, the better your agency will be able to define an appropriate strategy.

1. Expertise and Experience

Looking for a communication agency in Marseille that has solid experience in your sector of activity can be a logical choice. An agency with good knowledge of the local market and trends can provide more relevant advice and strategies. However, an agency that has proven itself in markets different from yours, but complex, or with strong competition, can also prove to be a relevant choice. Either way, study their case studies, customer testimonials, and portfolio to gauge their expertise.

2. Skills and Services Offered

A communications agency must offer a full range of services to meet all your needs. Here are some key skills to look for:

• Marketing and sales strategy: A good agency must be able to develop a global marketing strategy, including the definition of targets, positioning, and key messages.
• Communications consultancy: Make sure the agency can provide you with strategic advice to improve your internal and external communications.
• Advertising and creation: Creating impactful advertising campaigns is essential. An advertising agency in Marseille must master the different advertising channels, whether digital or traditional.
• Digital and social media: Social media management, natural (SEO) and paid (SEA) referencing are crucial for increased visibility on the web.
• Writing: This may seem strange, but an agency with good writers will be able to produce both Marketing content and relevant web content.
• Events: If you need to organize events, choose an agency that excels in event management and promotion.

3. Innovation and creativity

Innovation and creativity are key elements to stand out in a competitive market. Opt for a marketing consulting agency in Marseille that offers innovative ideas and creative solutions to capture the attention of your target audience.

4. Personalized approach

Every business is unique, and your communications agency must offer a personalized approach. An effective agency must take the time to understand your business, your values, and your objectives before proposing an adapted strategy, tailor-made to meet your needs.

5. Reputation and references

The reputation of the agency is an important indicator of its reliability and efficiency. Review the client references that the agency presents on its site and check if your business is neither too big nor too small for this agency. Finally, try to find out about the longevity of collaborations between this agency and its clients. At Firstcom, we work with our customers for an average of 8 years. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact us, we will be happy to explain why.

6. Budget and ROI

Cost is obviously a determining factor. However, you should not limit yourself to choosing the cheapest offer. Indeed, in an agency, what counts are the skills and resources made available to the client. If the price is low, you will surely have people with little experience. Determine carefully whether the people present during the first presentation of the mission will be those who will follow your file on a daily basis. You can bet that if the price is low, you will have a beginner as your preferred contact, or that the chosen agency will offer you “industrial” processes or tools, not necessarily adapted to your needs.

1. List the agencies in my sector or field of activity

Start by searching for communication agencies in Marseille online but also by asking your professional network for recommendations. Make a list of agencies that seem to match your criteria. Also examine their account on professional social networks such as LinkedIn (link to Firstcom's LinkedIn), as well as the accounts of their employees.

2. Get in touch and evaluate

Contact the agencies to discuss your needs, issues, whether technical or artistic, and assess their responsiveness and interest. Ask specific questions about their approach, their methodologies and ask for concrete examples of achievements.

During this type of meeting, you should easily take the pulse of your interlocutors. Do they know your industry? Are they in a hurry to sell you products/services? do they have ready-made solutions? On the contrary, are they really listening to you?

You can also decide to ask several agencies for a proposal. If this allows you to verify the seriousness of these agencies, as well as their prices, do not forget that working seriously on a proposal can take a lot of time for an agency, and can mobilize a certain number of collaborators. So much time and unpaid work...

3. Compare and decide

Compare interviews, view proposals based on their relevance, creativity, feasibility and cost. Select the agency that offers the best balance between these criteria and that appears to be most aligned with your goals and vision.

But beyond these criteria, also choose the agency that listens to you, that resembles you and that shares your values, a sign of a collaboration that will probably become fruitful.

Choosing a Marseille communications agency is a strategic investment that can considerably influence the success of your marketing initiatives. By following these selection criteria and taking the time to carefully evaluate your options, you can find an agency that not only meets your immediate needs but also supports your long-term growth. Whether to develop an innovative new marketing strategy, obtain sound communications advice or launch an impactful advertising campaign, the right agency will be a key partner in achieving your business objectives.