8 rules for working with a creative agency

If you’re going to spend money on an agency, you want to get as much out of the relationship as possible.

Photography and video production are art forms; they’re also complex processes that take lots of planning to be successful. Hiring a third-party team can help, but your internal process can still wreak havoc on the project.

By following these eight tips, you can help ensure strategies are aligned and your agency partner and production team are able to react quickly to snags or changes. As a result, your shoots will be quicker, smoother and more efficient, all of which translate to lower costs and a better final product.

Here are eight simple rules for working with creative agencies:

1. Agree on objectives upfront.

Start out with a mood board and talk about all end uses of the created content (from print ads to social media). This information will play a huge role in the type and look of photos or footage captured.

Additionally, a good agency partner will also educate their client on how they will structure the shoot, and they will share their ultimate vision for the production.

Finally, the last thing any creative team wants is to arrive on the set, meticulous plan in hand, only for someone to say, “Let’s shoot some other things while we’re here, too.”