Collab and conquer! How we work with other agencies
What happens when your 'no job is too big' approach lands you a job that's too big? Find out how we work with other agencies to help you offer a wider range of services and win even more pitches.
Alexander Graham Bell once said, “Great discoveries and improvements invariably involve the cooperation of many minds.” Cracking quote, clever chap, but I prefer that one from Darth Vader; “Join me, and together we can rule the galaxy!”
Here at Sookio, we like to stay focused on what we do best; crafting content fit for galactic conquerors and using our skills to enrich the working lives of our clients.
But often, these clients are other agencies looking for support on one of their own projects. You might be building a website and need copy. You might need ongoing content marketing, like infographics and video. Maybe you can offer 9 out of 10 of the requirements listed in the brief, and if you could only deliver some social media training, you'd clinch the contract. Not everyone has the expertise in-house, so why not outsource it to specialists in content like us?
We play nicely with other digital agencies
One of the benefits of being so specialist is that we can work happily alongside other agencies without any overlap. The PR department have nothing to fear, and we're not going to elbow our way into building the ecommerce section of the new site (though we'll always have suggestions for improving the user journey and writing attention-grabbing production descriptions if you need a hand).
Here are some examples of recent and continuing projects. We frequently white label our services and sign NDAs however, which means there are some pretty big names in there that - shhhh - we can't mention.
Toshiba Europe. We worked alongside London digital agency ClerksWell to look after the website content and social media updates on the Toshiba Loves Stories project.
London SEO-consultancy Harvest work with household names and know they can call on us when they need external blog and article-writing expertise. With Not Actual Size we offer digital consultancy to support them in their projects.
We also work alongside agencies in Cambridge and East Anglia like Rubber Cheese, with whom we're joining forces to launch the website for a new clothing retailer. We looked after the packaging design and site copy, while they're building the site (nearly ready to launch!)
Studio 24 recommended us to the Internet Watch Foundation - they're busy developing the new website; we put together a media pack to help promote the launch of their new reporting portals. We've worked with Honest to deliver social media training sessions and write copy, and with Onespacemedia to provide copywriting to a wide range of clients, including Cambridge Enterprise and Cambridge Phenomenon.
How do we do it?
To make this work, we take things on a case-by-case basis. Say, for example, you specialise in web development and you need white-label copywriting, blog posts and social media strategy.
Boom! In one fell swoop, the client is getting their site built, designed and populated with epic content, all with just one point of contact. And because we also offer video and design, it allows you to extend the scope of the project, meaning you can offer even more to your client.
Behind the scenes we can work with whatever project and content management system you prefer - some people like Basecamp, others like Gather Content, others keep everything in a Wiki. Regular communication is really important, and we like chatting face to face, on Skype and over the phone, so nothing gets lost in translation when you're telling us about the objectives of the project and the tone of voice needed.
We can also join you when you're pitching for the work in the first place. This is great for the client, as they see the people they’re dealing with, and we can confidently answer any questions about the copywriting, social media, design, video or digital strategy. We frequently help fellow agencies win big contracts.
How's your own content looking?
We also do a lot of work for other agencies themselves. A lot of people come to us about content for clients, then further down the line ask if we can freshen up their own websites and digital strategy.
It could be that your design game is on-point but the site copy needs to be brought up to date. Or you develop the finest responsive websites in the land, but need some pointers about how to drive traffic to your own site via social media.
We regularly deliver digital content training for agencies, to help them sharpen up their strategy behind the scenes. This is because we believe that cooperation, not competition is best for business. Plus, we just like swapping war stories with others who make their living agency-side...
Your next steps
Are you an agency who needs digital content like copywriting, social media updates, design and video for your clients? Or do you need help in-house to make your own content more effective? We’d love to have a chat and see what we can achieve together. Even if you don’t have a project in the works, let’s get on each other’s radars and pool options for the future.
Get in touch and let’s make beautiful music together.