Do’s and Don’ts of Choosing a Marketing Agency

Types of Marketing Companies

Many types of marketing companies exist. While some perform in multiple disciplines, others are hyperspecialized. Here are six of the most common specializations within the marketing industry.

• Marketing consultancy. As the name suggests, a marketing consultancy focuses on consulting more than outsourcing. It will coach you on marketing strategies and various ways to succeed. Many consultancies have a specific focus, such as branding. They will rarely carry out marketing programs on your behalf.
• Direct marketing. Direct mail marketing means advertising through USPS-delivered mail. A direct marketing agency can help you strategize your direct mail campaign; in most cases, the agency will carry it out for you.
• Telemarketing. Telemarketing is marketing over the phone. Any reputable agency assisting you with telemarketing will abide by FTC telemarketing laws. Telemarketing has evolved in the last decade – it’s less about cold calls and more about live chat interactions. Telemarketing now also encompasses text message marketing, which helps you communicate with customers easily. If you’re interested in exploring text message marketing, read our reviews of the best text message marketing services. We recommend starting with our Textedly review; this company is our top pick for businesses looking for scalability.
• Digital marketing. Digital marketing agencies focus on helping you increase traffic to your website and improving the value of that traffic with website visitor tracking. Digital marketing agencies use various strategies, including search engine optimization (SEO) and online advertising, to drive traffic. They can also redesign your online branding and website to improve conversion rates and sales, helping you generate more revenue and profit.
• Print marketing. A print marketing agency can help you perform market research and collaborate to produce printed advertising and marketing materials, including newspaper or magazine advertisements, brochures, posters and product displays. Print marketing agencies can also strategize on distributing printed resources to get the most value. There is often some crossover between direct marketing and print marketing firms, but a print marketing group emphasizes design skills over marketing distribution.
• Market research. Like consultancies, market research firms don’t market on your behalf. Instead, these agencies focus on collecting and analyzing data specific to your brand, including demographics. They can help you measure your efforts and reasonably predict specific campaigns’ impact on their intended audiences. Market research becomes invaluable as your brand grows, but until you are generating data, it can produce diminishing returns on your investments.

Define your goals

Once you’ve figured out your needs, it’s time to define goals. If you’re looking to own the search rankings with amazing content, you need to confirm what success looks like. Is appearing on the first page of results sufficient, or are you thinking of doubling the number of leads you get from organic search?

Are you in search of an ad campaign to launch a new product? You’ll need to determine how many units you’re aiming to sell, what an acceptable return on ad spend is, and more. Clearly defined goals allow you to communicate your expectations and ensure the agencies you speak with understand your aims.

Determine your budget

If your goal is to be the top search result on Google, you need to be prepared to spend some serious coin. Setting a budget around your intended activities not only helps ensure your KPIs are reasonable, it helps in selecting a marketing agency. You may dream of that world-class global agency representing you, but if you don’t have the budget, you may need to search for a more appropriate partner.

Additionally, providing your agency with the intended budget up front helps them gain a better understanding of what you need from them. They may want to sell you every service in their portfolio, but an accurate budget will help them tailor their offering to exactly what you need.

Identify your target audience

Identifying your target demographic is an indispensable element of any marketing strategy. It ensures the marketing agency can create tailored plans that resonate with your audience, leading to maximum impact. Just as the budget, the target audience can help you choose the right marketing agency. The agency you select should be familiar with your target market and the nuances that drive their purchases.

What Does a Digital Marketing Agency?

A digital marketing agency specializes in providing marketing services to businesses through online channels. Its primary goal is to help clients promote their products or services using digital mediums and strategies. These services typically include website design and management, search engine optimization (SEO), social media marketing, content marketing, digital advertising, video marketing, email marketing and analytics. Agencies might cover a spectrum of these channels or specialize in one particular service.

By leveraging digital marketing tactics, these agencies help businesses increase their online visibility, generate leads, drive website traffic, improve brand awareness and achieve their marketing objectives in the digital realm. Most importantly, a digital marketing agency supports businesses that don’t have a large and highly specialized marketing team. “Setting up an in-house team can be resource-intensive and time-consuming,” writes Taylor Rice of RevLocal. “Instead of spending time training an in-house team, hiring a digital marketing agency can save you the hassle. A good agency will take the weight off your shoulders, allowing you to focus on growing your business.”

The Do’s and Don’ts of Choosing the Right Digital Marketing Partner

A digital presence is one of the key ways today’s businesses engage with their target audiences. This makes a digital agency a valuable partner for organizations looking to establish their brand presence and reputation as a leader in their field. Here are the do’s and don’ts of choosing a digital marketing agency that will deliver results:

1. DO pay attention to communication styles.
   A successful digital marketing agency operates as an extension of your team, meaning they work closely with you to understand your goals, target audiences and the overall competitive landscape. Effective communication is crucial for a productive partnership. Look for an agency that communicates clearly, listens to your needs, and provides regular progress updates on your campaigns. Keep in mind the communication preferences of your team, including channels, tone, frequency and style. If your teams’ communication is clearly aligned from the start, your marketing messaging is likely to be well-matched, too. While compatible communication with the agency is essential to developing a collaborative partnership, it’s also important to consider how the agency tailors your marketing messages to communicate with target audiences. It’s vital for all digital efforts to be consistent with your brand style.
2. DON’T overlook niche experience and expertise.
   When selecting a digital marketing agency, it is important to assess their experience and expertise in your industry or niche. An agency that understands the unique challenges and trends within your marketplace will be better equipped to understand your audience and develop effective strategies that deliver results. If they understand what you do and have insights into your target audiences, you’re starting off ahead of the curve. Ask for case studies, client testimonials and industry-specific examples to gauge their level of expertise.
3. DO consider their range of services.
   Digital marketing encompasses multiple channels and tactics. While some agencies specialize in specific areas, others offer a broader range of services. Make sure to clearly evaluate and identify your marketing objectives and choose an agency that aligns with your needs. If you require assistance with search engine optimization (SEO), social media marketing, content creation or email campaigns, ensure that the agency has a proven track record in those areas. On the other hand, if you have the specific goal to improve your social media presence, a social media expert might be all your organization needs. A comprehensive suite of services can provide a holistic approach to your digital marketing efforts. However, a more specialized agency can offer laser focus for individual digital marketing goals. Consider using specialized services for singular, specific goals, such as local search marketing for boosting a regional presence, or explainer videos for providing an introduction to your brand.
4. DON’T limit your research to their portfolio.
   Reviewing the agency’s portfolio is an essential step in assessing industry expertise, service capabilities, style and tone. That said, it’s important not to limit yourself to what appears on an agency’s website. Request samples of their previous work related to the goals you have or your specific industry, such as websites they have optimized, social media campaigns they have managed or content they have created. This will give you a sense of their creativity, quality of work and ability to deliver results. Additionally, ask for references and speak with current or past clients to gain insights into their satisfaction and the agency’s professionalism. Getting in touch with an agency’s network is a great way to get candid insight into how they do business, not just what’s in their portfolio.
5. DO seek out trust and transparency.
   Any business partnership requires mutual trust from both parties. This means consistent communication and a commitment to transparency. A trustworthy digital marketing agency offers transparency about pricing, scheduling and project capabilities from the start, and then maintains open communication moving forward. This includes providing consistent access to your marketing data. It’s important to work with a digital marketing agency that offers the full picture of your marketing activities by sharing both positive and negative results of a campaign. “When you understand how your marketing is performing, you can make adjustments so that your brand better resonates with your audience,” says Taylor Rice at RevLocal. “If you don’t have insights into how your marketing dollars are being spent and the business they are generating for you, you won’t make the right adjustments and you’ll waste time and energy.”

“Courtesy of Exposure Ninja”

Questions to ask a potential Agency partner

Posing pertinent questions to prospective agency partners can aid you in determining their compatibility with your business. You may want to ask the following questions:

• How do you typically measure success? (Keep in mind both their tools and what KPIs they think are most relevant for your type of needs)
• What is your preferred method of communication?
• How do you like to receive feedback?
• What tools do you use? (Make sure any assets are delivered in formats you can use.)
• What is your favorite SEO strategy / ad campaign / activation / concept in the market today?
• How do you handle changes in scope?
• What do you do when things go wrong?
• What is your ideal project / client?