Establishing cooperation between your company and app marketing agency

In this article I will describe how to start working with app marketing agency and what things you should pay attention to be prepared for cooperation.

Starting cooperation with an app marketing agency is an important element of the mobile application development process. It is worth preparing well for this process, so that the expectations of both the agency and the client are well communicated and that the kick off process runs smoothly. In this article, I will describe how to start working with an application marketing agency and what things to look for in order to be prepared for effective cooperation.

Stage 1. Initial audit & consultation

The first point in the process is an informal open meeting during which customers can meet us, ask about experience, process, and cooperation models. We, in turn, present our insights in the form of a ‘mini audit’, i.e. the most important issues of mobile app marketing, and provide key points that in our opinion should be improved. We also ask about problems with the application from the client's side. We want to understand the client's point of view as best as possible so that we can propose the best solution. This is how we set up the initial general app marketing roadmap.

Stage 2. Setting up cooperation model and goals

We use two cooperation models to cooperate with clients: Consultative and Agency. The consultative approach is chosen by clients who already have their dedicated app marketing team and/or have smaller budgets for activities. The consultative model is based on analyzing current activities, recommending future activities and making the best decisions together. Our experts are available within the set number of monthly hours. Hours are divided into meetings with the client and consultation work. This cooperation model is ongoing mobile consulting for the current activities of the client team.

The second model is an agency model. It involves taking responsibility for specific areas of app marketing or all activities over the application. Then we set specific KPIs that we will use to measure our results. Mobile KPIs can be divided into 2 categories - application indicators (application rating, number of downloads, etc.) and business indicators (LTV, ARPU, etc.). we are open to other selected KPIs depending on the client's needs.

Stage 3. Developing a proposal

After the initial consultation and once we learn our client’s goals, we create a specific set of recommendations and an execution plan designed to accomplish those goals, and then review the proposal with our clients, answering any questions they have along the way.

Stage 4. Cooperation kickoff

After officially commencing cooperation with our clients, we are asking for several elements necessary for successful cooperation:

• market and competition information,
• information on what marketing activities did in the past,
• access to the application consoles,
• discussion of current client activities in the field of other company channels,
• all the information that will help us move from optimization to faster results.

Stage 5. Strategy buildout

The first month is work on our side to get as much information as possible from the client and set up all the cooperation so that the cooperation and communication of our agency and the client's company constitute one coherent whole.

Stage 6. Execution!

When we turn the marketing live, we constantly review to make sure things are working well, and if not we make adjustments.

Stage 7. Developing the reporting rhythm

We create a transparent document for our clients to see what changes we are making and to analyze our performance using cohort-based analysis, with our client’s KPI as the focus.

Stage 8. Optimization

The largest part of our work is ongoing reporting, analysis, research, buildout, and execution (in a word: optimization), all focused on our client’s goals and delivering results against their KPI.

Stage 9. And of course, meetings with clients

We recommend weekly meetings, though for some clients we hold email or Slack-based digital check-ins. We mold our client’s communication styles and preferences.

Kickoff & onboarding process

The best way for an agency to fully know the specificity of your business is to invite it to the headquarters of your company. Book yourself a whole day to implement it in detail in the functioning of your business - in the long run, you'll be worth it! Before the agency arrives, please send an agenda to the guardian of your company on behalf of the agency. Thanks to this, both sides will be aware of what the main purpose of the meeting and its structure is.

At the meeting, do not save your time to introduce the agency into your business, and present the company's key employees. Give people space to get to know each other - thanks to which their later cooperation will be much more efficient. Invest in your onboarding and project kickoff process your time and heart - your business will thank you for it!

Determine the procedure of operation in a situation where the goal will not be implemented and checkpoints

Contracts and arrangements are for bad times. Almost certainly, such will come and it is worth being ready for it. Together with the agency, determine what errors and losses you are able to forgive, understanding that you can not avoid them completely, and what are the categorical sign for you that it is time to say goodbye. Remember, however, that there is nothing wrong with making mistakes (only those who do nothing!) Do not commit them, but it is wrong to reproduce them. Set their boundaries and time when they can be committed, for example at the very beginning, when testing different solutions.

This will help you avoid mutual grievances and claims even in the case when, unfortunately, the cooperation turns out to be unsuccessful, and you as a client will protect you from the need to continue cooperation "on the strength."

Let Agency Work !

I am referring here mainly to the time needed by the agency to start a new cooperation. Remember also to treat the agency in the same way as you would like to be treated in terms of payment, communication, etc. The agency is also a people so that you can work with her with understanding and respect. In the end, you both have the same goal - the spectacular success of your application.

Tips for companies that want to work with mobile app marketing agencies:

1. Check the agency’s blog/resources for relevancy and freshness.
2. Make sure you give the agency enough information to do their job (e.g. goals, what’s worked, your branding guidelines, your business model, your target market, etc.).
3. Understand that results will not happen overnight – agencies need time to implement their work, especially if the need is to turn around poor performance.
4. Unless you have set the expectations for low engagement, be involved with your agency after signing them on. Consistent communication is great for helping to avoid miscommunications and keep both parties on the right track.

So what, it looks like you already know everything right? It is now time to use the knowledge gained in practice! Contact us and based on our and your newly acquired knowledge, we will certainly carry out a campaign of your mobile app that will outshine your competitors.

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