Your First Call With a Branding Agency: How to Prepare and What to Ask

The first call is where you find out whether an agency understands your business and whether you want to work together. A little preparation turns a vague chat into a useful conversation, and it lets you compare agencies fairly. Here is what to bring, what you will be asked and what to ask in return.

What the call is for

Both sides are checking fit. The agency wants to know whether it can help you, and you want to know whether it can. It is not a pitch and not a commitment. A good agency will ask more questions than it answers.

Expect it to last 20 to 30 minutes. Many agencies, including us, offer a short first call at no cost.

What to prepare

You do not need a polished brief. A few notes are enough:

• The problem. What is not working, in a sentence or two?
• The goal. What should be different in a year?
• Your audience. Who buys from you today, and who do you want to reach?
• What exists. Your website, brand assets, past agency work and any research.
• Timing. Any fixed dates, such as a launch or a funding round.
• Budget range. An honest range helps them suggest the right scope. If you are unsure, our guide to how much branding costs in the UK gives a sense of the ranges.
• Decision-makers. Who else has a say, and how will you decide?

For a fuller checklist, see how to brief a branding agency.

What the agency should ask you

• What prompted you to look for help now?
• Who are your best customers and why do they buy?
• Who are your main competitors?
• What have you tried so far?
• What would a good result look like?
• Who needs to approve the work?
• What are the timing and budget?

If none of these come up, the agency may be following a script.

Questions to ask them

1. Have you worked with businesses like ours, and what changed afterwards?
2. How do you approach strategy before design?
3. Who would work on our project, and how much of their time do we get?
4. What would you need from us, and how quickly?
5. How do you price the work, and what is not included?
6. How do you measure whether the brand is working?
7. What would you do differently from other agencies?
8. Can we speak to a past client?

Listen for plain answers. Be wary of jargon, big promises or answers that never mention your actual business. Our list of branding agency red flags covers more.

How to judge the call

After the call, ask yourself:

• Did they listen, or wait to talk?
• Did they challenge anything I said?
• Do I now understand their process?
• Did they speak honestly about what they could and could not do?
• Would I be comfortable disagreeing with them?

Write down the answers while it is fresh, then compare agencies side by side. Our guide to choosing a branding agency in London gives a way to score them.

After the call

A good agency will follow up in writing with what it heard, what it suggests and the next step. That might be a proposal, a workshop or a short discovery phase. Take your time to read it, and ask about anything unclear before you agree.

Mistakes to avoid

• Hiding the budget, which makes the proposal a guess
• Briefing several agencies with different information
• Judging only on the look of past work, not the thinking behind it
• Agreeing on the call, before you have seen anything in writing
• Skipping the check on who will really do the work

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a brief before the first call?

No. A few notes on your problem, goal, audience and timing are enough. A good agency will help you shape the rest.

Is the first call free?

Many agencies offer a short first call free of charge. Ask when you book, so there is no surprise.

Should I tell them my budget?

Yes, a range at least. It lets the agency suggest the right scope. Agencies that cannot work with your budget should say so honestly.

How many agencies should I speak to?

Two or three is enough. More than that usually creates confusion, not clarity.

Ready for a first call?

If you would like a straight conversation about your brand, book a free brand consultation. We will tell you honestly whether and how we can help.