Are you searching “creative agency near me”? Have you considered that location may not matter?

Have you found yourself searching for a “creative agency near me”? Well, you may want to consider how important location really is. Here at Vocal, we have delivered work for clients in over 20 countries. We know the struggles you can face when providing services for businesses across the globe. Perhaps it is easy to assume that local agencies are the best fit for a company. But is that true?

Time zone issues?

 Many people searching “creative agency near me” will do so knowing that time zones can be a conflict. Waiting hours for an email response or only being able to schedule calls after a certain time can be tricky. Especially if you are run off your feet! This is an understandable issue; however, good communication should always be a founding component of an agency. And it is a lot easier for bigger agencies with a global presence.

Good communication is crucial in ensuring success and it outperforms location every time. There are creative agencies that will dedicate time to making sure they communicate efficiently and effectively with their clients.

Why clients like local agencies

Many clients will opt for a local agency out of convenience. Many prefer to build relationships with local agencies, vendors and talent. There are definitely benefits to this approach, but that doesn’t mean remote agencies cannot offer them too.

London, for example, is busy and bustling and many clients will go for a London-based agency if they are close by. This is convenient because meetings can easily be arranged. There is also the belief that London-based agencies are above those in other areas. This could be down to the idea that London-based agencies are better than remote ones.

But in actual fact, London agencies will charge a lot more for their services. This is due to wages being higher in the capital. And they probably give the same results as cheaper remote ones. Remote agencies may be more likely to take the time to get to know your brand.  And develop a strategy that is best for you.

Adapting to the audience

 One element to consider when questioning if a “creative agency near me” is your best bet is to consider your audience. A small business only focusing on their local area is probably best matched with a local creative agency. They’ll know the local market, culture and have connections. However, this does mean you are limited to that area.

Are you hoping to branch out, and seek world domination? Then you’re almost certainly going to see better results from a remote agency. Vocal is a great example, as we have provided content creation services for countries all over the world. This means we can adapt your work to different audiences.

The importance of this is probably underestimated by a lot of people. But adapting content to a target audience can be the difference of whether it is successful or not. For example, can a British agency adapt their content to work for an American audience? You may not think it, but the tone of content is usually quite different depending on the intended audience.

Focus on language & tone

Consider how you would write a blog for a teenager in comparison to one written for someone over 60. The language and tone would be vastly different, the same goes for writing for an audience of a different country.

A British content writer would have to adapt their copy for that of an American audience. This would include paying attention to tone, and even sense of humour, as that can be vastly different. You wouldn’t want to make a joke that is actually offensive to those of another country. So, do not base your choice off of which creative agency is local. But rather, do some research and see which agency is really the best fit for you.

Bigger agencies will, of course, be more likely to have international clients and a wider experience overall. This means they have dealt with a lot of companies and have developed plenty of content for them. They’ll likely know which approach is best for you. They will also take the time to learn about your brand and how to communicate it to your audience.

Technology and the modern age

Technology is a massive part of our lives. We rely on it a lot, some more than others. But there is no doubt it has made certain things far easier now than they were without them. Since the world was faced with the global pandemic, we have relied on technology. It has been the reason why so many were able to continue work and school from home. It is how so many of us kept in contact with loved ones when we were in lockdown.

Communication is likely the best example of why we use technology. We can connect instantly with people from all over the world. This is a massive benefit for creative agencies. They can communicate with clients from anywhere, without having to meet in person and discuss matters face-to-face. Some clients and agencies may prefer this method, but technology is continuously evolving, and so do our methods of communication.

Using emails to discuss a project could become tedious, especially when trying to convey ideas and information. This is why many people prefer in-person meetings. However, with the rise of Skype and Zoom etc, it is a lot easier. We are able to have virtual face-to-face meetings no matter where we are. This is an example of how location does not matter when searching for a “creative agency near me”.

Availability

 Similar to our previous points on time zones and communication, the availability of a creative agency can also affect efficiency. A lot of the time, agencies will only be available during work hours. However, there are some who will stay connected to clients out of office hours if necessary. Technology is so accessible that we can view and reply to emails straight from our phones. So, it is still possible for some agencies to be available to clients at any time.

Limited options

 It goes without saying, that looking for local agencies massively decreases your options. The perfect agency for you is probably not going to be on your doorstep. You risk losing the opportunity to work with a great agency who works to satisfy you. Depending on where you are based, you may even struggle to find an agency at all. Location should not be the reason you miss out on the perfect content creation for your business.

The bigger agencies who work with both national and international clients are proof that location does not matter. Thanks to technology, it is not necessary to meet in person. The best agencies will work with you to ensure that you are happy with the services you receive.

Our thoughts

Overall, we recognise that the best creative agencies will not allow location to affect their delivery. There will be some cases, perhaps, that cannot be avoided. But ultimately, great agencies will do all they can to efficiently work with their clients. They will communicate as often and as frequently as possible. And both parties will benefit from the use of technology.

The pandemic has helped us to realise that location doesn’t matter, for the most part.  Agencies have still been able to work remotely, even when offices were closed. So, even local agencies have had to work remotely! It has encouraged us to use new methods of communication. We had to learn to regularly use video calls instead of face-to-face meetings. Although it has been a challenge, technology has gotten us through it and made it possible to continue working.

We hope our blog on considering a “creative agency near me” has been informative. It is certainly an interesting topic to discuss, since there are arguments to support each side. However, the most important thing is finding an agency that works best with YOU. Unfortunately, sometimes the best method of finding that out is by trial and error. However, if you research an agency before choosing their services, you’ll have a much better idea of what to expect.

Need help from a creative agency?

 We would love to hear about your business goals, so why not contact us and speak to one of our team? We can brainstorm how we can produce the best content for you. Then, we will use our experience to make recommendations. We pride ourselves on delivering results. We will provide you with predicted outcomes so that you can make an informed decision. If you give us the go ahead, we will provide you with a quote. Our team will then get to work on creating the content of your dreams!