The document outlines strategies for subcontractors to build partnerships with marketing agencies in order to secure more subcontractor work. Key steps include gaining recognition through proactive networking and understanding the agency's needs, as well as showcasing relevant work and establishing strong relationships. Once hired, it emphasizes the importance of acting as a collaborator to increase future opportunities and nurture long-term relationships.

1. Get More Work
Lessons on building a subcontractor
partnership with an agency

2. Your Goal:
Get More Subcontractor Work
from an Agency

3. ©2015 BrandExtract, LLC
The Subcontractor/Agency Relationship
• Marketing agencies can be great partners for subcontractors due to
the large volume of work they handle
•Third party partners might include:
• Photographers & videographers
• Technical writers
• Software, application or web developers
• Illustrators
• Film and sound editors
• Print shops and more
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4. ©2015 BrandExtract, LLC
The Subcontractor/Agency Relationship
• However, outsourcing is also a risk for agencies
•Freelancers are often considered “unknowns” in the process
•Agencies need assurance of your:
•Good reputation
•High quality of work
•Reliability
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5. So how do you get noticed and earn
that first opportunity?

6. And once you’re hired, how can you
increase the amount of work they send
your way?

7. Step One: Gain Recognition
with a Potential Client

8. ©2015 BrandExtract, LLC
Gain Recognition
Prepare yourself for success
• Perfect your value proposition - why should they hire you?
• Practice reverse referral marketing
• Update your digital presence across LinkedIn, Facebook, networking groups, your
online portfolio, etc.
• Build relationships in the industry
• Join professional associations and attend events (seminars, happy hours, lunch and
learns, etc.)
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9. ©2015 BrandExtract, LLC
Gain Recognition
Be pro-active
•Research their vendor introduction and approval process
• Ask what conferences and industry events they attend
• Follow and comment on the agency’s social updates to stay top of
mind
• Demonstrate genuine interest and insight - i.e. ask questions during
conference Q&As
•Share relevant knowledge, preliminary reports, trend studies
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10. Step Two: Understand the
Mindset and Decision Criteria
of the Organization

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Understand the Organization
Do you “really” understand what they need or want?
• Find out who they are currently using and why
• Do you know if they are open to new or different?
• Ask questions about how the organization prefers to work
• Stay current on their news releases and social updates
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12. ©2015 BrandExtract, LLC
Understand the Organization
Do you know how they are weighing their decision criteria?
• Ask what skills and qualities are considered most important when
hiring subcontractors
• Learn how they prefer to pay
• Find out if they are centralized in their purchasing
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13. Step Three: Get Hired

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Get Hired - Research
Do Your Homework
•Know which person you want to ask for when
you call
•Review bios on the company website to get a
sense for who to contact
•Note: It’s okay to reach out to a few people at
the agency, such as the Creative Director and a
Project Manager, as long as you are up front
and not trying to work around one or the other
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15. ©2015 BrandExtract, LLC
Get Hired - Research
Do Your Homework
•Review the agency’s existing work
•Which clients have they have been working with?
•What styles of work do they tend to choose?
•If you are contacting the agency, you should already
be confident that your work will be a great fit and be
able to articulate why
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16. ©2015 BrandExtract, LLC
Get Hired
• Share your portfolio
• The quality of the work needs to be a good
fit for the types of clients that the agency
works with
• Be prepared to give current examples of
relevant work
• Example: If you did the information
architecture for a website, invite your
potential client to explore the live site.
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Portfolio: Cody Johnson - codyphotography.us

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Get Hired - Specialty Services
• If you provide specialty/niche services, recognize that the agency
may not need your work right away
•You can still send occasional samples or links to your portfolio when
you add new, exciting work
•Make it easy for them to contact you when an opportunity arises
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18. ©2015 BrandExtract, LLC
Get Hired - Specialty Services
Example:
Not every client of ours needs a trade show booth. But some clients will
need a booth, banners and more. While we might not need a trade show
specialist for every project, we know who to call when we do.
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19. ©2015 BrandExtract, LLC
Get Hired - Connections
• Leverage your connections: relationships are everything
•We source most of our 3rd party partners through our existing
network
•We call people we trust and ask if they know anyone good for what we are
looking for
•Every job contributes to your credibility - your past clients may help refer future
work
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20. ©2015 BrandExtract, LLC
Get Hired - Connections
•If you don’t have an established relationship with the agency, use
LinkedIn to determine if and how you are connected to the decision
makers
•If you have a mutual contact who can recommend you, see if they are
willing to make an introduction
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21. ©2015 BrandExtract, LLC
Get Hired
DO NOT:
• Be too aggressive
• Don’t set meetings without consulting with the client about their availability
• Example: We have received emails like: “I will be in your neighborhood tomorrow. I will
stop by at 7am.”
• If you don’t have a personal relationship with your contact, this can come across as
pushy, demanding or inconvenient at best
• Rely on lists for information
• Lists may be outdated, inaccurate or not applicable to what you’re offering
• Always do your own research about the best person to contact
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22. Step Four: Increase Work
Once You’re In the Door

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Increase Amount of Work
• Ask directly
• Share what you are doing for other clients and how it could apply
• Avoid termination language in your contract or establish a multi-year
agreement
• Position yourself as a “supersub” - offer exclusivity or volume discounts
• Establish momentum programs (if I, will you then)
• Get in front of the client: set up a performance review or project post-
mortem discussion
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24. ©2015 BrandExtract, LLC
Increase Amount of Work
• Act as a partner and collaborator
•We hire our 3rd party partners for their expertise: it’s the best way to keep us
coming back to you
•Ask questions to understand the brand or project we are working on
•You have resources, knowledge and skills we may not even be aware of
•Tell us what you have vs. just giving us what we ask for
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25. ©2015 BrandExtract, LLC
Increase Amount of Work
• Provide value adds - offer training or education workshops, attend
conferences and share takeaways, etc.
• Make helpful introductions if they are looking for someone outside your space
• Participate in a shared philanthropy effort
•If your client agency is offering pro-bono services to a worthy organization, ask how to get
involved as an in-kind sponsor
• Diversify your contacts on LinkedIn
•For example, if you normally reach out to Senior Designers at agencies, try connecting with
a Project Manager
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Increase Amount of Work
• Help promote your client
•The benefits are mutual: you get to showcase
work and your client gains coverage
•Be sure to know your client’s policies on sharing
specifics about your role in the work or how they
position subcontractor partnerships
Example: When we launch a new brand or website for
a client, we often put together a promotion package
with a press release or news article and promote the
work on social media.
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27. ©2015 BrandExtract, LLC
Increase Amount of Work
Nurture the long-term relationship
• We like our subcontractors to treat us like we treat our clients
• Make the effort: come for in-person visits to review recently completed work
• Work around our timelines and schedules as we are also accountable to our clients
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28. ©2015 BrandExtract, LLC
Increase Amount of Work
•Stay connected
•Example: One photographer knows we have an employee happy hour in the
office each Friday after work. When he completes an interesting project, such
as a new photography book, he asks if he can bring it over with a bottle of wine
and share it with us.
• This works to stay connected because he’s making an effort to fit with our culture
• Plus, we get to see his more conceptual work, so we can really see how he thinks
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29. Build trust. Get work.
It’s all about the relationship.

30. ©2015 BrandExtract, LLC
BrandExtract, inspiring people to create, transform and
grow their brands - and bottom line. We make believers.
For more about our work and culture:
www.brandextract.com
To request more:
jonathan@brandextract.com
7026 Old Katy Rd. Ste. 210
Houston, TX 77024
713.942.7959
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