How to Choose the Best Marketing Agency to Take Your Business to the Next Level
If you’ve been considering outsourcing your marketing to an outside professional, but you’re not sure WHO to trust to take your business to the next level- this one’s for you!
As the CEO of a full-service marketing agency, I’ve had many clients share their horror stories from working with other marketing “professionals” and the red flags they missed before hiring them. As someone in this industry for over 20 years, I wanted to help you understand what to look for in a marketing agency. And stay until the end because I will give you the top 10 questions to ask a marketing agency before you sign a contract. Let’s get into it.
Content Overview
First Impressions
Services Offered
Strategy versus Implementation
Testimonials
Walk the Walk
Communication is Key
Questions to Ask Before You Hire
How to Use Our Digital Marketing Team
First Impressions
First impressions matter, and I trust your gut regarding business dealings. Your shortlist of potential marketing agencies should WOW you in some way. Do you love the way their website looks? Do you enjoy reading their emails or listening to their podcasts? Whatever it is, if you love something about that agency’s marketing, chances are, they could be a good fit for marketing your own business.
Services Offered
Not all marketing agencies are created equal, and they do not all offer the same services. When researching prospective marketing agencies, you want to ensure their services align with your business marketing goals.
Strategy versus Implementation
This is a HUGE thing that can be missed during your initial research. You want to ensure that whatever agency you’re looking into can create the strategy that drives the marketing efforts.
If the agency isn’t giving you potential ideas for growing your business, upscaling your marketing efforts, and innovating your current marketing strategy, that’s a big red flag. So, before signing any contracts, make sure that you confirm that they have digital marketing strategy experience that can and will grow your business.
FREE RESOURCE: SWOT Analysis Template
Testimonials
This leads me to my next point—that whatever agency you’re entering into a business relationship with should have ample experience with businesses in a similar industry AND have testimonials, case studies, and social proof proving their work’s quality.
Typically, testimonials are posted on the agency’s website but may also be posted on social media platforms.
When reading these testimonials, look for the results you want for your own business. If you don’t see a similar testimonial but the agency checks the other boxes, ask if they’ve worked with a business similar to yours or have acquired results like what you’re looking for (with proof).
Walk the Walk
Does the agency walk the walk? I’ll tell you, with the internet and all the “marketing gurus” on social media these days, it’s easy to talk the talk. More and more people understand jargon like “ROI” and “KPIs” than ever before… but does that agency show that they understand successful marketing strategies with their tactics?
Do they maintain multiple social media platforms? Are they utilize email marketing? Do they have funnels that nurture their leads to become clients?
As a business owner, you can spot this fairly easily by quickly reviewing their website. Check their social media platforms, opt-in to a free resource, and see
Communication is Key
Communication is SO important in a business relationship, and I have a few things to say. The first is that it’s so important to set realistic boundaries and goals at the beginning of your partnership. That’s why I always start every new client with a kick-off call to specifically discuss goals and what to expect.
Secondly, you must hire a marketing agency that communicates effectively with you. Whatever your preferred communication, whether email, phone, or video chat, the communication and frequency should be understood at the beginning of the contract to avoid frustration for both parties later.
Thirdly, you should be getting periodic reports on the progress of these marketing efforts. Whether it’s the number of leads acquired, the cost per click on your advertisements, or an increase or decrease in email marketing open rates, there are always metrics that should be reported back to you as the business owner.
Questions to Ask Before You Hire
Now, we’ve discussed the things to look for when researching these potential marketing agencies that you hope will help take your online business to the next level. Here is the list of 10 questions that I would suggest asking on that initial call to make sure it’s truly the right fit:
- Have you worked with other businesses in my industry? What kind of results was your agency able to achieve for them?
- How do you formulate marketing strategies for your clients and customize them for each client?
- Do you offer ______________ marketing services? (if you haven’t already discovered this from their website)
- What services do you feel like your agency specializes or excels in?
- Can you share an example of a previous client for whom you are most proud of your agency’s work?
- What marketing methods do you currently use to promote your agency? (Email, content marketing, Facebook ads, etc.)
- How often can I expect to communicate with you, and what is your preferred method of communication?
- What kind of reporting do you share with clients for ___________, and how often do you report them?
- How is your pricing structured? And how do you bill?
- What questions do you have for me?
How to Use Our Digital Marketing Team
If Jennie Lyon Digital Marketing Services has ended up on YOUR shortlist and you’re curious about what it would be like to be our client, you can take our free Quiz, The Digital Marketing Success Path!
The Digital Marketing Success Path Quiz
Don’t want to wait? Feel free to schedule your FREE consultation call today.
FREE RESOURCE: How to Use Our Digital Marketing Team to Grow Your Business Workbook
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