What To Prepare To Work With A Marketing Agency

You’ve already made the smartest marketing move you could possibly make. You called Borrowed Pen. 

Clearly, you’re ready for sharper messaging, stronger strategy, and a team that knows how to turn marketing from “what do our clients want” into “business is booming.”

Our job is to make this easy. The more we know about your goals, your audience, and your current setup, the faster we can build a plan that works. A little preparation before our first meeting helps us skip the guesswork and get straight to ideas that drive results.

Here’s exactly what to bring to your kickoff meeting so we can dive in, get everyone aligned, and start creating campaigns that make you look brilliant.

1. Your Goals (Big and Small)

Tell us where you want to go. Are you looking for more inbound leads? A stronger brand presence? A way to support your sales team with better content? Give us your top two or three priorities so we know where to aim first.

It’s okay if your list is a mix of quick wins (“we need a campaign live next month”) and big-picture dreams (“we want to own our category by Q4”). Sharing them early helps us map out the right timeline and build strategies that move you toward all of it.

2. Your Brand Basics

We want everything we create for you to look, sound, and feel like you. Bring any brand assets you have:

• Logo files (bonus points if you have vector or high-resolution versions)

• Color palette and fonts

• Tagline or positioning statement

• Brand guidelines, if they exist

• Examples of past campaigns or collateral you love

If something’s missing, no problem. Our first meeting helps us see where we can fill the gaps.

3. A Snapshot of Your Audience

Who do you want to reach? If you already have buyer personas, share them. If not, just tell us what you know about your audience:

• Who your best-fit clients are

• What pain points they bring you

• Where they spend their time (online or offline)

• What typically gets them to say yes

Audience information gives us a running start on messaging that will actually connect.

4. Access to Key Platforms

If possible, bring a list of the tools and platforms you’re currently using:

• Website CMS (WordPress, Webflow, Squarespace, etc.)

• Analytics tools (Google Analytics, Search Console)

• Social media accounts

• Email marketing platform (Mailchimp, HubSpot, Klaviyo, etc.)

• CRM or sales software

Even a quick “here’s what we use” helps us understand your current setup so we can fit naturally into your workflow.

5. Marketing Wins and Lessons Learned

Bring your highlight reel. What campaigns or initiatives have worked well for you? Which ones didn’t land the way you hoped? Share any data, anecdotes, or feedback you have. Insights give us valuable context and helps us build on what’s already working rather than starting from scratch.

6. Your Decision-Makers

Knowing who will review, approve, and sign off on marketing work helps us set the right expectations and keep projects moving. If you have a single point of contact, even better, that’s how we keep communication smooth and avoid bottlenecks.

7. Your Timeline and Budget

We don’t need a 50-tab spreadsheet, just a sense of your timing and available resources. Are you aiming to launch something in the next month, quarter, or year? Do you have a set marketing budget, or do we need to help you build one?

Clarity here helps us prioritize projects and recommend the most impactful way to use your resources.

Quick Prep Checklist

Here’s your Borrowed Pen Kickoff Kit at a glance:

• Top 2–3 business and marketing goals

• Brand assets (logo, colors, fonts, tagline, past campaigns)

• Audience insights (personas, descriptions, pain points)

• List of platforms and tools

• Past wins and lessons learned

• Decision-makers and point of contact

• Timeline and budget notes

That’s it. A short list that makes your first meeting focused, fast, and fun. When you walk in with these pieces ready, we can spend our time where it matters: Uncovering opportunities, brainstorming fresh ideas, and mapping out your next big wins.

At Borrowed Pen, we make marketing simple, strategic, and a little more fun than you’d expect. Bring your goals and we’ll bring the strategy, the messaging, and the results.

Let’s Book Your Kickoff Call