Working with an agency partner can sometimes feel like an uphill battle – we get it! In our past lives, we’ve worked in agencies and in-house marketing and creative departments, so we’ve seen both sides of the equation and understand where and how cracks can form in the partnership.
Whether it’s unmet expectations, overshot budgets or confusing processes, too often both parties are left with a bad taste in their mouths. But Dive was created to remedy these issues. By challenging the status quo, providing senior-level work and fostering stronger client relationships, we’re able to give our clients an experience that leaves them wanting more.
Here’s how we do things differently:
1: Transparent service packages
One of the most common complaints about agencies is the lack of clarity around services, deliverables and pricing. How often have you felt blindsided by unexpected costs or confused about what you’re actually paying for? At Dive, we’re committed to transparency. For most proposals, we offer three straightforward packages to choose from that clearly outlines what’s included. Whether it’s the number of concepts, rounds of revisions, meetings, or deliverables, we make sure you know exactly what you’re getting—and how to stay within budget.
The best part? Our packages are customizable. If you need something more tailored to your specific needs, we’ll work with you to create a solution that fits, so you won’t ever feel like you’re getting a cookie-cutter approach.
Learn more about our service offering here.
2: Senior-level team
Let’s set the scene: You’re having an introductory meeting with a new agency. The senior-level team wows you with their know-how, professionalism and ideas. But once the ink is dry on the contract, a whole new team steps in. The account manager assigned to your account doesn’t quite have the experience you’re looking for and you never get to meet the creatives bringing your work to life. Communication slips and the work isn’t hitting the right notes. Sound familiar?
At Dive, this won’t happen. We’re a collective of independent, senior-level designers, writers, brand strategists, production artists and more. Every project gets a hand-selected team who brings their years of experience to the table (an average of 15 years, to be exact), so you can rest assured that you’re in capable hands. We believe experience matters, and that’s reflected in the high-quality work we deliver.
3: Service-industry expertise
You serve others – whether through pest control, event production, disaster restoration or real estate – but does your target customer base understand how you stand out from the competition? If you work with a non-specialized agency, you’re probably going to get messaging and design that looks and sounds like the rest of the marketplace.
We understand that selling a service is vastly different from selling a product – it comes with a unique set of challenges that we know how to overcome. We’ll help you communicate the value of what you offer so customers associate your price point with quality and superior service.
If you have complex service offerings, we’ll break them down in a clear, easily understandable way that conveys the emotional benefits and resonates with different audiences. Whether your customers are feeling stressed, excited or anything in between, we know how to tailor the message to meet them where they are.
4: Strong alignment from the get-go
We’re all about getting started on the right foot, whether it’s through first impressions or the first steps we take on a new project or task. One of the biggest pitfalls of working with an agency is when there’s lack of alignment at a project’s kickoff. This missed opportunity is tough to remedy because it can cause miscommunication, multiple rounds of revisions and, ultimately, wasted time and resources. Our job is to make sure that doesn’t happen.
Our process is designed to ensure clear direction from the jump so you’re never left wondering, “How did we get here?”
Here’s how we help get new partnerships and new projects off to the races:
- Onboarding: After the contract is signed, we send an introductory email with important notes, next steps and our Client Onboarding Guide, which outlines important aspects of working together, like team roles, communication preferences, budget management tips and more.
- Creative brief: When it’s time to start a new project, we offer a creative brief template designed to be simple for our partners to execute but comprehensive enough for our creative teams to get everything they need to provide strong solutions.
- Project kickoff call: After the brief is complete, we send it to our team as a pre-read so they can review the project details and gather any additional questions and/or formulate initial ideas. Then, we host a kickoff call to ensure everyone has the information and clarity they need to start working in the right direction.
Need help setting your creative direction?
Consider us your compass. A great first step you can take is downloading our simple yet strategic campaign planning guide.
5: Strategic approach
At Dive, we love letting the creative ideas flow, but the thoughts we generate do more than look and sound impressive. Our concepts are rooted in strategy, ensuring they’re aligned with your business goals and solving the real problems you face. Before presenting any ideas, we do our homework—researching your competitors, industry trends and best practices to make sure that the solution is both innovative and effective.
Looking for a strategic partner for your next big project or campaign? Let’s discuss!
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