What to look for when choosing a marketing agency partner.
Whether you’re considering hiring a marketing agency to grow your brand, or you’ve already decided to make the investment, there are plenty of factors to review when choosing the right firm as your partner. The marketing industry is growing and changing rapidly, and there are endless options for firms that serve various industries and come with highly skilled team members. Choosing the right firm can seem daunting, but there are plenty of factors to take into consideration to narrow down your choice. Following are the four major questions you should ask when selecting a marketing firm.
1. Should I outsource marketing to a firm, or should I hire in-house?
Outsourcing to a marketing agency is a huge investment, so it might seem cheaper to keep all marketing in-house. However, between the training costs and the broad scope of marketing, it is more cost-effective in the long run to work with a firm, as marketing firms provide a team of highly skilled professionals with a variety of skillsets to manage brand messaging across various platforms. For example, if you hire someone in-house they may be great at graphics, but struggle with strategy and messaging. By hiring a firm, you get access to a team of talent that can work together to provide the best marketing and communications for your firm, so your team can focus more time, effort, and money towards growing your business in other ways. If you do have an in-house marketing/communications director, they can work closely with the firm to manage deadlines, deliverables, and be an important point of contact as your business (and your reach) grows.
2. Is the marketing agency trying to learn about your organization and needs?
You’re obviously trying to determine the best fit when choosing a marketing firm, so make sure representatives from the firm are doing the same thing. Some firms will immediately try to sell you on their packages without learning much about your business or your marketing needs. During a consultation, make sure the firm is asking questions about your business, your audience, and the services that are right for you. If your needs don’t line up with their team’s skillset, a good firm won’t try to force it. Once the team learns all they need to know about your brand, then you can discuss packages and services that align with your goals.
3. Does the firm have proven results in your industry
Most firms will point you to their portfolio during the consultation process, so it’s important to note if they have evidence that their efforts have grown their clients’ businesses, including testimonials from past clients, and proven experience in your industry. Product-based companies don’t have the same messaging needs as service-based firms and vice versa, so make sure the firm you choose knows how to speak to your audience and is experienced in your needs. If possible, get referrals and recommendations from other businesses in your industry. Word of mouth is the best marketing tool for a reason! Don’t’ be afraid to ask for client testimonials from the firm as well.
4. Does the marketing agency team have the skills you need?
You may know exactly what kind of marketing support you need, or you may just have a general idea of the results you’d like to generate. Either way, it’s important to understand the skills and expertise the firm brings to the table. If you want to obtain more traffic from Google, see if the team has an SEO expert. If you need new branding elements, see what kind of design support they can provide. Find out who would be managing your project and ensure the project manager is experienced in your industry and qualified to lead the campaign you’re looking for.
Keeping questions like these in mind can help make the process of hiring a marketing firm easier, more informed, and less overwhelming while also helping to determine what kind of support your brand needs. Choosing a great firm to partner with can help you hone your messaging and brand strategy to help your firm stand out from the crowd.
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