International and interdisciplinary
Full-service agency – everything from a single source
Consistent, stringent communication worldwide across all communication channels – this is what the Ruess Group has stood for under the label of integrated marketing communication for 20 years. Our expert teams from various disciplines and industries work together to solve your challenges and design a successful customer journey for your clients.
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A full-service agency makes communication more efficient
The more cost-conscious a company is, the sooner it will ask itself whether it is fully exploiting its marketing potential. Not an easy task, because as a rule it is highly fragmented: in media, online and offline, in content marketing and PR or in your own website, search engine optimisation, e-commerce or CRM.
This is precisely why many successful companies rely on a full-service agency. Why? Because it handles and manages all areas of marketing and ensures that the brand strategy is consistently implemented in all areas of communication – and also so that the company can sit back, take a deep breath and relax.
A full-service agency is like an outsourced marketing department that holds the reins for all marketing activities. This has many advantages: First and foremost, there is no need to communicate with different service providers.
With a full-service agency, there is usually one contact person who manages the project and then communicates internally with the team and its specialists from a wide range of areas. It is precisely this one-stop-shop concept that ensures consistent corporate communication.
This makes communication stringent, while synergies between the individual disciplines ensure a high level of efficiency. Experience shows that a full-service agency can use the communication budget up to 25 per cent more effectively and purposefully. And we at the Ruess Group have been doing this for over 15 years.
The range of services: All facets of marketing
Creativity wanted: Brand building across a multitude of channels
The creative department of a full-service agency offers a wide range of services needed for brand building. It also does marketing, or in other words, it uses all methods to make a brand, product or company bigger, more compelling, better known – and ultimately more successful.
If a company wants to be present on the market today, it has to take on many more tasks than in the past. This is because the possibilities and channels for brand development have grown to a high degree and present new challenges.
In addition to TV campaigns, advertisements or posters, websites, content marketing, social media marketing, native advertising, viral marketing or influencer marketing are on the agenda. Only those who keep up with the times have a chance of surviving in the market today.
But in spite of the increased complexity in addressing target groups, one thing has remained the same: Consumers will only buy if they trust the brand. This trust can only be created through consistent brand development. A good agency knows what the client and the client’s target group want.
Being creative takes time. Being creative requires experience. Being creative calls for inspiration. It can take days or even weeks to develop the right advertising slogan. In this respect, a creative agency takes a great deal of work off its client's hands, because they can concentrate fully on their tasks during this time.
This is one good reason why companies are increasingly using the services of a full-service agency. Another is that the requirements of the various marketing methods, channels and technologies demand in-depth expertise that companies do not normally have in house.
A creative industry-specific campaign for packaging machine manufacturer Schubert
Placing communication effectively in the media
First and foremost, the media department helps place communications. While the creative division designs spots, banners, ads and posters, the media department is responsible for placing them in TV advertising blocks, magazines, on the radio, on websites, in social media, on posters or smartphones.
The tasks of a full-service agency’ media department include researching target groups and analysing their media usage. It also advises on the selection of suitable media, negotiates prices and ultimately plays the advertising in the selected channels.
These tasks have become much more complex due to digitalisation and new types of media use. In addition to traditional media such as TV, radio, billboards and magazines, data, banner advertising, search engine advertising, apps, mobile, etc. are becoming increasingly important.
Social media has become an important component and focal point in recent years. Almost every company, product or service can now be advertised on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and other lesser-known platforms.
The term ‘media’ refers to the publication media on which the advertising ultimately appears. An important factor here is the planning of cross-media campaigns, i.e. campaigns that appear not only on one platform such as print, but also in other contexts such as social media.
It is important to first carry out a thorough target group analysis. Every company has different target groups and a media agency has to take this into account when planning advertising campaigns. For example, if the target group is mainly older users, advertising in social media is of secondary importance.
While it is important to achieve the widest possible reach for brand recognition and to tap into new target groups, the available advertising budget should not be exceeded.
Placement of a motif from the Schubert campaign, e.g. on specialist portals or in newsletters
Expert content is King
A successful presence in the digital media requires the right content marketing. Because only when the content reaches the user and, above all, satisfies them, will the measures be successful. An agency with a lot of content know-how is worth its weight in gold.
This is where specially composed teams produce high-quality content for websites, blogs and social media at the highest B2B level, i.e. proven experts in their field and area. On platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or with an extremely strong B2B business focus: LinkedIn.
These are, for example, articles that encourage readers to continue reading and ultimately lead them to the advertised company via links. This enables sustainable content creation that satisfies all the user's needs to build long-term reputation and loyalty.
The content has to meet a wide range of demands. This is why it is extremely important that an agency's content department combines the in-depth know-how of experts from a wide range of fields and uses it in the interest of its client.
And this is why only proven technical editors and professional copywriters are employed for content creation. However, the presentation of the content is just as important, which is why the extensive expertise of designers, programmers and format developers can also be drawn upon here.
LinkedIn campaign for packaging machine manufacturer Schubert – using the example of a case study
Press releases, etc. – good PR is still essential
“Public relations is the art of creating favourable public opinion for a company, its products or services through the spoken or printed word, through actions or through visible symbols,” said PR expert Carl Hundhausen.
The mandate of a PR agency is to successfully communicate the content of a company and to mediate between the client and the public. This mediation can take place through various channels. The basic task is therefore to feed these channels with relevant information.
To achieve this, a PR agency develops a strategy: What is the goal? Who is the target group? And how can I reach them? What measures should be taken? Through which channels? Analogue or digital? Classic or social media? Trade fair appearances or events? The possibilities are endless.
Let's start with the classic press release, which is still one of the most common and cost-effective measures today. It involves research, writing, distribution, monitoring and controlling. Depending on the target group, it can be in general media, trade media or special interest media.
At the same time, online measures are becoming increasingly important, perhaps even most important: Designing, writing and redesigning websites, SEO analyses, optimising and managing social media channels. Working with influencers is also part of it.
And don't forget: Trade fairs and events, which still take up about 45 per cent of budgets today. Tasks here include event concepts, organisation, implementation and follow-up. From the concept development of the exhibition stand to on-site support. Which of course also includes a video shoot to extend the event on YouTube.
In short, a full-service agency’s PR department is more than just an editorial office for creating press releases. On the contrary, it is the manager of an entire universe of content creation, channel management, event planning and trade fair appearances.
Digital services are a must
Our world is becoming increasingly digital. Digital consulting, digital brand design, web design, online shops, app development, content creation and marketing, email marketing, search engine optimisation (SEO) and search engine advertising are now part of the range of services offered.
Digital projects are also becoming increasingly complex and require comprehensive technology consulting, trend research or process optimisation. Ultimately, CRM software and controlling software, accounting software, the ERP system and messaging tools all need to be seamlessly integrated and accessible worldwide.
What's more, the customer journey and the individual touchpoints are becoming increasingly digitalised. That's why it's important for a full-service agency’s digital department to offer a broad range of services – from WordPress websites and search engine optimisation to the digitalisation of entire sales channels.
To achieve this, it isn’t enough to just offer good web design, good technology and programming. The digital department also needs to have a high level of consulting expertise, an excellent understanding of the industry and a keen sense of the heritage and goals of each individual client.
After all, a good website isn’t just about elegant design, colourful images and lots of HTML. It also involves a strategic brand concept, entrepreneurial understanding, intelligent user guidance, compelling content and just the right text approach.
After all, content is king and users are spoilt: They expect well prepared content with a high level of information and satisfaction. Also, the average attention span of users continues to decrease and therefore needs more and more and more frequent little endorphin kicks to stay on the page in question.
Compelling images and texts, in short content, are one thing, but the digital department has to be able to do more. Completely unemotional technology, for example. To achieve this, it has to leverage the expertise of highly specialised full-stack programmers who guide the user in a way that is intelligent and involving.
The website also has to be technically optimised for Google and other search engines. And in terms of performance, structure, readability, metadata, image naming and technology, it has to meet Google's specifications to the highest possible degree. This also includes responsive programming for all end devices.
Of course, it also includes cookies and data protection in the context of the GDPR. An endlessly complex topic, especially in Germany and in the European Union. The meticulous implementation of these guidelines is one of the most important facets of an agency's digital department and the effort involved should not be underestimated.
Corporate website for the entire Schubert Group in numerous language versions
Full service also includes e-commerce, CRM and SEO
The e-commerce department takes care of everything related to the online shop. From maintaining products, the technology (shop systems such as WordPress, Magento, Shopify and Wix), creating an email marketing campaign to advertising products via Google Ads or Facebook Ads. It also takes care of optimising the customer journey and all touchpoints that a potential customer has with the online shop. The foundation for this should be an e-commerce strategy.
An agency’s CRM department is crucial to the success of a company's digital transformation because it ensures the quality of digital interactions with customers. It is important that the solution fits. Be it an on-premise, open-source or SaaS cloud solution, every marketing process generates large amounts of valuable customer data that can be managed and used with CRM systems and software such as Salesforce, Mautic, HubSpot or Business Intelligence. This helps optimise not only sales activities but also customer relationships.
The SEO department is one of the key departments, because it makes the client visible in the digital world. Ultimately, it's not enough to have a website, run a digital campaign or post on LinkedIn – you also have to be found. Everything that has a positive impact on ranking is important. With Google, for example, it's the right keywords in the right place, a well-functioning, easy-to-use user interface and many technical tweaks and tricks that bring the company to the top of the search results.
Conclusion: What can a full-service agency achieve for you?
Working with a full-service agency can prove to be a real boost for a company. Thanks to its wide range and diverse services, it can provide fresh impetus in all areas of a client company and relieve it of many tasks. One contact person replaces many specialists and specialist agencies. Moreover, an integrated, overarching process is created in all marketing disciplines.
This is how a full-service agency enables the client to speak with one voice in all areas, from print ads to Google Ads, from LinkedIn posts to YouTube videos, and to guide communication and the brand consistently through the entire customer journey and across all touchpoints.
With a wide range of skills and specialisations that no longer distinguish between marketing and sales – quite the opposite, in fact – merging the two disciplines. With communication that no longer consists of individual components, but rather pays homage to a comprehensive marketing concept.
And this, all around the globe. On all continents, in all cultures, in all languages. Because only an agency that is internationally positioned and knows where the trigger points of the respective national target groups are can truly offer a full service. We at Ruess Group have been doing this for more than 15 years.
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Let us know what your questions and objectives are. We will be happy to prepare ourselves for a first meeting with you.