We’ve entered the start of November, which means Black Friday is just around the corner. Maybe you’re realizing that you haven’t prepared for the biggest shopping weekend of the year. Before you break out in a cold sweat, be reassured there’s a resource that can help: an ad agency. Let’s break down how.
A Good Agency’s Planning Starts Early
A quality agency looks ahead. It could be the start of spring, but they’ll be more concerned about preparing campaigns for fall and winter. There’s a lot that goes into building a successful ad campaign and they take time. However, it’s not too late to get something up for Black Friday, but you’ll want to get the ball rolling as soon as possible.
The Strategy Will Evolve and Agencies are Quicker to Pivot
Think for a second back to mid-March of 2020. Every single advertising strategy needed to fundamentally change to understand these new times. Pivoting on your campaign is never a fun thing, but it’s crucial to have back-up plans ready. Your agency will likely have alternative plans should radical shifts happen in the world and the marketplace. You’ll see the brands that are still going strong are the ones that are the most adaptable and responsive to change. Writers have a common saying: “kill your darlings.” It may sound a bit morbid, but in the end, it refers to the practice of cutting a character, storyline, or other plot points for the betterment of the story as a whole. Likewise, ad agencies understand that when things outside your control happen, sometimes you have to kill your primary campaign and pivot to save the farm.
Agencies Likely Have Crucial Partnerships that You’ll Need
Do you have a Facebook rep? How about a Google Adwords manager? If there are issues with your email list, would you know who to contact? The answers to these questions could go two ways. No, meaning you may find yourself incredibly unprepared for the technical hurdles that come with launching and monitoring a campaign, or yes, but the processes used to contact these reps may be slower and less reliable than an ad agency. In the midst of a campaign, particularly when the viability of said campaign hinges on a weekend after Thanksgiving, every second count and you may not want to rely on shaky relationships to solve problems that may arise.
An Agency Can Help Fix the Flaws You Didn’t Know You Had
No one likes to hear the cold, hard truth. However, it’s incredibly necessary to get a realistic snapshot of where your digital presence is at before going all-in on your major ad campaign. For example, you may have a winning social media strategy in place, but if your website is clunky, out of date, and a chore to use, then you may end up spending vast amounts of money to drive a lot of traffic that ultimately gets fewer conversions than you anticipated. An agency can help you take a deep dive into where you currently stand and the most important steps to take to make your efforts as impactful as possible. Now, you may not be able to get everything in shape, due to time constraints and your own budget, but prioritizing the necessary steps that will have the highest ROI will ultimately be worth the effort.
The holiday season is just around the corner and this year, more than any other in the past, it might be intimidating to take the plunge and launch your brand’s massive digital ad campaign. However, take assurance in the fact that you’re not alone in this undertaking and that, by teaming up with and genuinely listening to a quality ad agency, you can end 2020 and start 2021 in a holly jolly mood.