Your business has grown, that’s great of course. But where did all those hours in the day go? You don’t have the time anymore and so might be considering working with a marketing agency for the first time.
But how do you get the best results from your agency, or what do you need to think about when looking for one?
Look at your agency’s website. If it isn’t up to scratch or doesn’t show what you want to see then it’s probably a good sign that it’s not the agency for you.
A good agency knows that you need to get your own home in order first before you can begin effective marketing. An agency might be wanting a brand refresh and just cannot find the time among client work. That’s normal. But if what you see isn’t what you want to see, consider it a red flag that needs looking further into.
The Right Marketing Services
It should be one of the first things you look for but you need to check that the agency you choose offers the services you need.
And don’t just think about the now, think about how your company will grow and what services you might need in the not too distant future.
If you are looking to hire a digital marketing agency you will probably need one or more of the following areas:
- Branding
- Content marketing
- Social media
- Paid search
- Web design
- Graphic design
- Search engine optimisation
- App development
Research the agency and their areas of expertise and ensure you are comfortable with the answers to any questions.
Setting Your Goals
Setting goals gives the agency a target and helps you decide if something is working or where it needs to be adjusted. It’s important to decide what you want at the start of the relationship and ensure that you and the agency are on the same page.
If you’re looking to increase your ranking in search engines for example, what indicators are the correct ones you need to achieve your goals? Take a steer from the experts in the agency, but if you’re not happy with the answers then make sure you get answers you are happy with.
And once you’ve decided on the targets and goals, you’ll need to measure them.
You should also let the agency know about any offline marketing that’s being done, as it can have an impact on results.
Measuring the Results
You’ll definitely want to consider how you’ll measure the results too. It’s how you know what’s working and what’s not working and if the agency is on the right tracks. So define your targets and how you will measure them from the very start of the relationship. Decide how the data will be shared. Ask to see how the budget is spent.
The Relationships
A big part of making your business-agency relationship really work is having good communication and transparency. It’s crucial to have a good relationship with your agency and remember it’s possible when an agency comes on board for there to be an unhappy atmosphere in work; the internal and external elements will be collaborating and sometimes the internal elements can feel left behind.
When you use an agency it’s crucial that they work together as a team. Although there are different areas to your marketing, each reacts with the other and needs to work as one unit. Why? Your marketing needs to be consistent across every area of your business to be as successful as it can be.
Final Thoughts
When you start to think about using an agency think about if you can work with them as a partner. They’ll need your input, and you’ll need theirs. You want your business to succeed and they should want it too.
Find yourself a partner where the people are passionate about their field too. That passion is what makes the difference between good and average.
Your marketing shouldn’t be seen as an expense, it should be seen as something that pays for itself by getting you bigger returns. A good agency will understand this.